The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-01-09

side OF the other, replacing them by our
specially prepared rails.
Inc wheels of the engine of the COM
ing train would take those short rails
IKE points, and us the ends curved off
toward the parapet of the bridge the
whole train would leave the rails and be
Preclpltated from the frightful height
INTO the stream beneath. There would
pe no escape for single soul in that
traih' AND SO, calmly and in cold blood.
we arranged the wholesale destruction
| or the south bound train which would
contain the head and many important
members of the royal family.
we knew that every precaution was
taken by the railway company and their
servants to observe Il clear and safe pas
sage Tor their royal patron, and that ex-
IRA patrolmen were out along the route,
while to prevent the risk of accident ali
less important trains were shunted to
ono side. The contents of all goods trains
on the down line were carefully inspect-
ed i'll order that no projections should
endangcr the safety of the special. and
slgnalmen 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 10 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, unobseryed. to loosen the
bolts necessary for our purpose near the
middle of the bridge, and we could only
trust they would not be tempered with
before our arrival next evening.
The Hateful night was dark and stormy.
which favored our purpose. Disguised
as railway laborers at village in the
vicinity, and having previously conceal
cd 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, ard 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
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" l 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 l calmly
preparing to slaughter the heads of
England Ito whom before had never
given thought), and with them my
own flesh and blood. nearly swooned
as the awful revelation burst upon me-
but ill u moment l 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 TO
save ourselves from becoming wholesale
murderers. L shouted. while l replaced
my bolt, to Scraggs to drop his rail and
! fly. he, however, had no such scruplcs
ana had too great Il regard for his own
: skin and the promised reward When
: he saw | WAS determined to spoil his
/ plans, he dropped his rail and made for
/ me with Il knife, the glitter Of which as
he closed with me l saw just in time
/ through the darkness.
AS we struggled the roar of the an
preaching train was heard IN the dis
lance. Making IL frantic effort, as tho
train was close upon us, managed to
I of Ia c,.1l 4
! off rail- With Il rush and roar the royal
train swept safely over the bridge, while
Il stlflcd shrek from Scraggs prepared
me for his fate as L fell in 4 faint against
the stoneworl of the bridge.
revived i'll what must have been Il
few minutes after the passage of the
train. The headlcss trunk of my late
companion was the first object that met
my eye. L shuddered to think how near
~ the occupants of the train had escaped
an equally certain death.
The train had not pulled up, the driver
evidently not having felt the obstruction.
L hastily replaced the bolts on the other
rail, threw the tools into the stream, and
with Il last glance at the remains of
Scragss fed from the spot. Unsuspect-
ed, made my way to London, but only
to live i'll deadly fear of the swift and
sure vengeance of the secret society.
The failure of the enterprise must be
already known to them, and hide as 7
might | knew their hand would ulti-
mately reach me. My money exhaust
ed, l conceived the desperate idea of the
daring burglary of which l was convict
ed. If failed to enrich myself, my life
wo.ld at least he safe in Jail. failed