Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1894-10-12

their wits ends.
An accident enabled Freight En-
gineer Billy Durnton to discover the
thieves and enabled the company to
recover large quantity Of the stolen
goods.
A substantial reward was rendered
him for his services, but it was only
after being repeatedly urged to accept
it by the President of the road him
self that he accepted it.
"You've earned it honestly" urged
his superior, "for our offer extended
to everybody. Now am going to put
you on the Imperial. F"
And this was more gratifying to the
young engineer than the money re-
ward, for tho Imperial was through
fast express and the engine which
whirled it from one end to the other
of the w., G. & B. line was the fastest
and handsomest piece of mechanism
that ever delighted the heart of To-
comotive engineer really loving his
profession and the implements of bis
calling.
As a further evidence of the trust
reposed in him, Billy was given two
weeks vacation with full pay.
One of his first acts was to "dress
up" and pay q visit to his sweetheart,
pretty little Nellie Byrnes, whose
father, old Larry Byrnes, had died
while Billy was serving an apprentice
ship at firing" on the engine which
Larry had run for many years.
For a year past they had been en-
gagged, and there was no reason, Billy
thought, why the marriage day should
not be fixed upon.
OF course Nettie was delighted to
hear of her lovers good fortune. and
when he pressed her she blushingly
consented to fix the wedding day.
1t was nothing strange to them that
Billy should consider himself man
very much to be envicd, when upon
the expiration of his leave of absence
he laid firm hand on the throttle
nnd felt the big express locomotive
throb beneath his touch.
For month he continued without
adventure in his new position.
Then, much to his regret, he was
obliged to clay off" for several days
to testify in court against the freight
car robbers who had been arrested
through his efforts.
When they were called up for SEN
tence the leader, a white-faced, snakF-
eyed man, turned fercely upon the
engineer. and shaking his fist called
down upon the young mans head the
vilest and most horrible maledictions.
ht ''Pll have your life for this, you
hound!" he cried.
Nettie had been sitting beside Billy.
and when the robber turned upon her
lover she uttered frantic cry and
clung to him convulsively.
AS soon as possible one of the court
officers drew Billy aside and whis-
pered:
''You heard what that sneak said?"
''Of course"
'He means it,"
''I'm not afraid Of him."
'Don't say that too quickly, my
friend. I believe that he would COM
NIT murder quicker than any other
man in tho United States. There's
nothing that he won't do to get
square"
"But he's going straight to prison. :"
"Quite right" assented the court
officer, and then added, significantly /:
Sometimes, you know, prisoners
escape. and it's almost always fellows
of his desperate typo who manage to
do the escaping. BY the way, is that
your wife with you?"
'Not yet
ooh, your swestheart. Well, then, I
can give You another point. If this
sneak thief ever does get out of prison
he's likely to try to find out oil about
you, and then he may let you live and
kill her instead"
'Then will be on my guard, and
thank you, said Billy, his teeth clos,
ing together with snap.
About week after the trial Billy
and Nettie were married and began
housekeeping in pretty little cottage
at the end of the young engineer 8
run. SO that he could clay off, at
home.
Nettie had often ridden on the en-
gine with her father, and as Bill could
not afford to take her upon an exten-
sive wedding tour she had laughingly