Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-01-20

iIiiSiiI tdhe Al iDOtN uOWn Une rODDPr
camp; you see they were in the opposite
direction from where the yacht lay, being
down toward the station from which the
train than they We're to rob was to come,
and which, b? the way, was the train we
had expected 40 take back to Sidney.
~ don't reckon you got much time to
spare obserVe ed the stationkeeDer
Il held my watch in the moonlight, and
to my surprise it was half past o; more
than an hour later than l had thought.
Winthrops watch agreed with mine, as
also did the station house clock.
They must be right said Carter, for
amt touched 'em since You left 'enl, an
them robbers never seen 'em at ALL
We had left our watches at the shanty
when we went out to the ponds and in view
of the guests Carter had had we were sur
Prised to see them, although we had not
thought Of them until We got ready to
leave.
You've got to do some tall climin,' he
added, i didn't know IL was 50 late; that
train'll be in Antelope inside of an awful
short hour
How we did hurry! We did not stop
for any more palaver; we FASTENED to the
yacht, ran her down to the main line,
hoisted the sail-there was a good breeze,
as there always is in that country-and
away we went. The owners last words
were Don't let the wheels to windward
leave the rail morn six inches
= Less t.Ian forty minutes To go twenty
miles. Can we make it,
- don't know replied, but we ought
TO make good time If this breeze holds
We started rather gently, while felt
my boat ana got the sail at the proper
angle. l took my seat at the rear end,
with my foot on the brake There was no
rudGcr 90 manage, OF course Winthrop
placed himself in in front Of the mast, pre-
pairing 60 keep a sharp lookout, for we did
not feel sure that the robbers had not put
some obstacle on the track or rC-ted a
watch. As it proved, they had done neither.
We both were well on the windward
side OF the car, for we knew it would be
canted rs soon as we got Upauy speed. As
! got the hang of the thing l drew in the
sheet and the craft at once responded. The
wind was apparently just right. l believe
sailor would call it on our quarter, and
everything looked favorable for quick
run. We knew the track had no sharp
curves or heavy grades.
AS Winthrop felt the motion he kept
saying Faster, faster" The wind seemed
to ireshen and we We're soon making cN-
press time. The car began to lurch and
bound IN a very unpleasant WAY.
More yet, more yeti yelled my COM
paniou. ana | let out link: the wheels on
the windwa!d side We're raised from the
rail and J. not knowing just how much Of
ashanti my vessel would stand, began TO be
alarmed
still we raced along / did not touch
the sheet. The wiudwarl wheels bad not
been or the rails for some miles. It seemed
g
and passengers, too, for that matter, was
fearful.
THE moon was ROW well up from the
horizon and wn lad clear view ahead
We were certainly making q mile a minute
and would get to Sidney in time, if we got
there ut an.
Winthrop was wild with excitement
and ! WIS bit cNhjiaratud myself; / took
another turn of the sheet around the clcat
On~c went, the car jumping and cracking.
the wind whiStlug about our cars and the
telegraph poles punched like piclets.
Let her out more YET he yelled, now
thoroughly Wild with excitement, the
tracks good and wen beat the recurdr
On and on faster and faster! | could
hardly get my breath and a. slight bend
in the track, changing tie slant OF TIE
wind. made ii necessary to case Off I tried
Try as / would | could not unite it and the
car was getting more ami more off of the
lcvel-to1 murh, | felt sure.
''Thr wiudwarti wheels were foot from
the rail, the speed terrific. | thought of
cutting the rope, but if did that the boom
would have swung around and knocked
Winthrop Of, almost surely throwing him
under he wheels.
The terrible speed scaued at last to
worry him. for be- stopped yelling and
looked back at me two or three times !
could to nothing bat sit with my hand on
the cleat and pray. On we flow. Why We
did not leave the track and 20 into ii thou
sand fragments | could not understand.
''Despcratc!y waiting for the crash, /
tried to put on the brake It only made
sparks and even fame come, and did no
good / motioued - my fellow traveller to
come aft. and with much difficulty he did
so. He could see at once that we were be-
ing run away with lie drew his knife I
thought he was going 10 cIt the rope and
shook my head. hated to give up. for we
were nearly to the town.
We sat in silence on the edge Of the car.
throwing our wci-ht to w!udwaTd as lar
as we could, chngiug to our bounding We
hcle with the utmost difficulty Another
slight bend in the track gave Us "a short
breathing spell.
The lights of Sidney hove in sight, but
the track again curved and our car 1T once
showed violent signs Of an upset. One or
two desperate lurchcs and Winthrop
crawlcd forward To the base Of the mast
A vicious plunge seemed to determine him
for he stuck his knife through the canvas
and drew it as far rs he could reach in the
sail. The long slit gave instant relief and