The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-09-12

taken by the railway company and their
servants to observe clear and safe pas
sage for their royal patron, and that ex-
ira patrolmen were out along the route,
while to prevent the risk of accident all
less important trains were shunted to
one side. The contents of all goods trains
on the down line were carefully inspect
ed in order that no projections should
endanger the safety of the special, and
signalmen were more than usually put
upon the alert.
The greatest obstacle we had to con-
tend against was the pilot engine. We
could do nothing till it passed (the loos-
ened bolts would not affect its passage),
and that left only Is minutes to prepare
the rails for the doomed train. Still, we
practiced the screwing process on dummy
metals and soon got very expert. The
night arrived. The previous evening we
had managed, unobserved, to loosen the
bolts necessary for our purpose near the
middle of the bridge, and we could only
trust they would not be tampered with
before our arrival next evening.
The fateful night was dark and stormy,
which favored our purpose. Disguised
as railway laborers at village in the
vicinity, and having previously conceal
ed our tools near the bridge, we made for
the scene of our enterprise. Ensconcing
ourselves within the shadow of the para
pet, we waited for the pilot engine to
come along. At last her lights appear in
the distance, and she thunders safely
over the bridge.
Now to work.
Hastily securing our respective rails,
we make for the selected spot and COM
mence to withdraw the bolts. While
| thus engaged my companion with a
bloodcurdling chuckle remarks:
I'VE shall bag more of the high and
mighty than we first expected. The
Duke of k and his suit are, under
stand, on board the train
1.-The Duke Of K-:" started and
dropped my rail in my excitement. My
boys master" gasped, land he never
travels without him
so much the worse for your boy,
then, said the heartless brute as he pro-
ceeded with his work,
In an instant my horrible position
flashed upon me. Here was / calmly
preparing to slaughter the heads Of
England Ito whom before had never
given a thought), and with them my
own flesh and blood. nearly swooned
as the awful revelation burst upon me,
but in moment / recovered, and then
my decision was prompt. True, the
failure of the scheme meant certain
death to my companion and myself, but
what of that? There was still time te
save ourselves from becoming wholesale
murderers. | shouted. while replaced
my bolt, to Scraggs to drop his rail and
fly. He, however, had no such scruples
and had too great regard for his own
skin and the promised reward. Wher
plans, he dropped his rail and made fol
me with knife, the glitter of which as
he closed with me | saw just in time
through the darkness.
AS we struggled the roar of the ap
preaching train was heard in the dis
! tance. Making frantic effort, as tht
; train was close upon us, managed Il
throw Scraggs off. He fell across TIN
off rail. With rush and roar the roya
} train swept safely over the bridge, Will
stifed shrek from Scraggs prepares
me for his fate as fell in faint agains
: the stonework of the bridge.
| revived in what must have been
few minutes after the passage of tn
train. The headless trunk of my lat
companion was the first object that me
: my eye l shuddered to think how near
J ly the occupants of the train had escape
an equally certain death.
, The train had not tpulled up. the drive
: evidently not having felt the obstruction
hastily replaced the bolts ON the othe
rail, threw the tools into the stream, an
with last glance at the remains G
= Scraggs fled from the spot. Unsuspec,
ed, made my way to London, but onl
g to live in deadly fear of the swift an
D sure vengeance Of the secret society.
: The failure of the enterprise must b
already known to them, and hide as
4 might / knew their hand would nit
mately reach me. My money exhaust
!. ed, conceived the desperate idea of til
: daring burglary of which was convict
q ed. If failed to enrich myself, my lii
g would at least be safe in Jail. faile
d miserably enough, got caught red hande
n and received my sentence.
Before threw away my liberty sa,
y from the papers that at the inquest Q
= Scragg's remains a verdict of accident;
n death" was returned. The dastardly a
l. tempt therefore remained unsuspecte
!. by the general public, and since can
y here have heard that the secret societ
% has been broken up and its membe
81 scattered. Ifeel now that shall oscar
le them after all, but shall die happ
IL knowing that my boys future is a
% sured, and that he will never know
IL was convicted under false name) no
sr near to annihilation his own father hs
le brought him and his country's queen.
d London Tit-Bits.
IA -----