Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-26

money! will give you G50-E 1O0-
anything you like" and he pulled out
a handful of glittering gold.
1T can't be done. | tell you" | re-
Piled shaking myself free from his
grasp. Get up and be man. You ve
made your bed and you will have 10
lie in it. No man on this earth could
get out of this scrape. so make the
best of it."
Seeing that ! was immovabla, he
turned his attention to Bill, and | saw
him proffer d handful of gold MY
fireman turned his back and busted
himself with his duties. It's no use,
matey." l heard him say. IF Ben says
it cant be done it can't. and that's
the end of it. I'm sorry for yer. for
you're a rafting good -plucked 'un."
The despairing creature detected the
tone of commiseration in Bits voice.
and redoubled his entreaties.
IF it could be done I'd do it," Bill
murmured. I've got Wife and six
kids to look after at home. and that
brass would come in useful but
there" and he cast his eyes around
the tender. Suddenly they lit up with
4 peculiar light and. turning to me. he
said apoloSetically: Ben, | don't ask
YOU 10 have any hand in this at all.
You knows nothing about it. If the
worst comes to the worst, we forced
Ter To silence, and all | says is this:
Viii You give me a chance to get the
pegsar off? | think | can do it with
nut danger to you or me. All | ask yer
do is tn know nothing about it.
What say MOVE"
Wen. Bill 1 remarked. II bear the
elbow no love, as you can see, but if
" keeping silent | can do YOU a good
urn 10 the tune of $50 you can de-
,end on me. though | must say / don't
'ee how you can possibly do the trick
You put your money on me- he re-
turned smilingly, as he sripped my
land, and retired to the end of the
ender with DevaI
We had left Stafford behind some
ime since, and if nothing happened
should run into CreWe in another
evenly five minutes or 50. Having 10
10 Bits work as Well as control the
engine. | had my hands pretty full
and during the next ten minutes /
vas fully occupied. AT the end Of
that time Bill rejoined me. and threw
open the furnace doors once more.
.coked around the engine. Deval had
disappeared, Not vestige or sign of
his visit remained. but Bits pocket
bulged considerably. and his arimy
face was expanded in a broad grin.
A few minutes later we slowed up at
our destination for the night There
/ ~ I "A
policeman at the station gates and five
or six stationed along the platform
Before we had quite stopped out
jumps Jobson and rushes up the train.
AS the sergeant threw open the door
of the compartment Deval had occu-
pied we saw an expression of conster-
nation cross the face of the bewildered
detective, but, quickly regaining his
composure, he superntended the eX-
animation with a practiced eye. MY
mate had unfastened the couplings.
and we were just off to the sheds when
Jobson approached the engine.
Ben" he quered anxiously, did
you see anything extraordinary on
the way down? I've been sold nicely,
and no mistake
Il don't have time to see anything !
except signals ahead when I'm in !
charge of an express" 1 returned, I'M |
tremendously. Did you see any
thing, Bill?"
Cant say as l did, Bill answered |
artlessly. Have you lost your man, |
Mr.. Jobson?"
II have So replied the officer. Il |
expect he dropped off somewhere
IF he did he's a goner for certain"
said Bill. We We're never under fifty |
since we left Willesden
I'm look along the track for him go
ing back l remarked. Are you go
ing on or back with the morning
mail?"
Il hardly KNOW" he returned, dis
well. thank you, any
how. Good night, or, rather, good
and he made his way to the
telegraph office.
We returned his salutation and
off to the sheds.
What did I tell yer?" said Bill.
joyously. I'VE drop him outside and
let him take his chance"
Then he is on the engine?" asked,
as we pulled up.
For answer Bill got off and went to
see if the coast was clear. Returning
in five minutes, he proceeded to the
rear of the tender and carefully lifted
lp large piece Of coal. Underneath
was the head of Deval, Bill had art
fully walled him in against the SIDE
md in such a manner as to defy sus- {
licion, little bits being scattered about {
n the most natural way possible.
quickly he was rescued from his I'M $
position, and stood up as r
black as a sweep. Bill gave him a II
rink from his pannkin, and then l
him off the engine and a
ound the back of the sheds. t
Did / ever hear from him again? q
Oh, yes. About two years afterward ! q