Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-11-05

and made me lean as.ip,.-she brake for
| support.
| The man had swung himself out of
the end carriage and was endeavoring
to work his way in face of the terrible
back draft toward rs. Every moment
l expected TO see him torn from his pre-
carious hold and dashed to pieces on the
lines, but with the tenacity of leech
he clung to the handle of the door, while
he leaned forward to grasp some new
| support Suddenly a distant roar burst
ON our terrified ears. My mate turned,
his face as white as milk and the per-
spiration standing on his forehead.
"Merciful powers - he screamed in a
| harsh, discordant voice, "the up MALL
| Heaven have mercy ON himv' And he
| hid his face with his hands as with a
deafening shrek we few toward each
| other and crashed past in the darkness.
But above the din l fancied heard the
| wild scream of terror as the wretched
| man realized his horrible peril. 1t was
full minute before l could turn my
throbbing head to look behind
| With feeling of sickness that was
new to me l peered through the gloom.
THANK Godr' | calculated fervently
| as the blood rushed through my veins
| once more There, with his body pressed
| fat against the oscillating surface, still
stood the man who had been so near TO
an awful death. Slowly he moved his
| head in our direction, and with all ex-
| preston of grim resolution he pulled
| himself together. With bated breath we
Il 10 III do Ac
| far as we could see his way was stopped,
| but, undeterred, he steadied himself,
| and reaching forward felt round the cor
| ner Of the coach. Unexpectedly his hand
| encountered one of the steps by which
| the men mount to the roof, and, though
| we could not see his face distinctly, we
| fancied he set his lips in terrible smile
| of accomplished purpose as he clutched
it and with a despairing effort pulled
| himself to the end of the footboard and
| round into comparative safety on to the
| couplings between the tender and the
| coach.
"By Jove" Bill exclaimed when at
| last, the tension removed from his
nerves, he could speak. Hes good
plucked 'un and no mistake. But what's
his game, L WoDder!
1.-THE mailman is coming on to the
engine, / burst out excitedly, divining
his intention az / saw his head appear
for brief instant above the coal.
Anyhow, we can't see him commit
suicide without raising "a hand to stop
| him, " he returned and began to scram-
BILE over the coal, where l saw him
presently stoop down and grasp the
man, dragging him with an almost su-
perhuman effort on to the tender, where
he Sank down utterly exhausted.
Coming forward, my mate threw open
the stokehole, with the intention of re-
plenishing the fire, and the ruddy glow
from the raging furnace within lit up
the tender from end to end.
"Good heavensp' / ejaculated as my
gaze met the haggard face Of the rescued
delinquent Ernest Duvalr' And my
nerveless hand fell from the polished
lever.
'Benl" he gasped wonderingly, his
wild eyes encountering mine as he
struggled toward us.
My lips refused to frame the questions
that tumultuously arose to them, and
my mate silently handed me his can.
''Take drink, " he said curtly, "and
pull yourself together.
l complied readily. The cool draft
brought me round somewhat, and i re-
sumed control Of the engine.
"Now. Mr.. Duxal, " 1 shol1tod hotly,
perhaps you will be g5Ha enough to
explain the meaning of the little game
you've been playing tonight But let me
tell you, if you think you've furthered
your chances Of escape, you wrong"
eyes, mate" Bill sterDly remarked.
"you haven't done a lot for yourself by
coming here"
Benz he at last jerked forth, gasp
ing for breath, his bloodshot eyes wan
dering round the cab and into the dark
ness AS we flew along. "Ben-I've been
fool. You saw the detective on my
track-he's in the train now. I've been
betting-and you know-the books at
the office-found out this morning-I've
fed for my life-but you'll help me to
give them the slip, Benz And the shiv-
ering wretch fell down helplessly and
clasped my knees
Don't talk nonsense, man." an
tWfItil IDuHIIJ- w Ildb you ehoh 10 au
impossibility. My duty as Il servant Of
the company is to hand you over to the
authorities, who will be waiting for you
at Grove. Besides your own sense
should tell you there is no place to hide
child here"
"Oh, yes" added my mate grimly,
"you re every bit as bad off as if you
was sitting on them comfortable cush
ions in the carriage therel | wouldn't
givo much for your chance. "
"But you can help mo IL you like"
he screamed, his eager face upturned,
and the hunted expression of wild |
animal at bay in his eyes. "Slow up
the train little. You can do it, I've |
money! will give you ESQ, G100-
anything you liker' And he pulled out
a. handful of glittering gol0
"It can't be done, l tell you, / re-
piled, shaking myself free from his !
grasp. "Get up and be man. You've |
made your bed and you will have to |
lie on it, No man on this earth could !
get you out of this scrape. SO make the |
best of it.. -
Seeing that / was immovable, he |
turned his attention to Bill, and / saw
him proffer II handful Of gold. My fire !
man turned his back and busted himself /
with his duties. "Its no use, matey," l |
heard him say. "If Ben says it can't be |
done. il can't, and that's the end on il.
I'm sorry for you, for you're % rattling |
good plucked un. ~"
The despairing creature detected the
tone Of commseration in Bills voice
and redoubled his wild entrcatios.
IF it could be done, I'd do it," Bill
murmurod. "I've got wife and six
kids to look after at homo. and that
brass would como in useful, but theerv
And he cast his eyes around tho tender
Suddenly they lit up with u peculiar
light, and, turning to me, he said apol-
ogotically: Ben. 1 don't ask you to
have any hand in this at all. You
knows nothing about IL. If the worst
comes to the worst, we forced you to
silence, but all / says Is this-will you
give mo chance to get tho bcggar Off?
j think can do it without danger to
you or me. All / asks you to do is to
know nothing aboutit. What say now?"
"Well. BILL" | remarked, II bear
the fellow no love, IA you can SOC, but
IL by keeping silent L can do you good
turn to tho tune Of 600 you can depend
on me, though | must gay | don't t see
hp1y yntt ppr ,,,uaiI,Iy ia, tI,. t,;,I,