The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1897-03-04
Suddenly was startled by an ejacu-

into the dim light which surrounded
the train like haze, "the fool will Kill
himself!"
turned, and though prided myself
on my steely nerves, the sight that
met my eyes sent cold thrill down my
back and made me lean against the
brake for support.
The man had swung himself out of
the end Of the carriage and was ell
deavoring to work his way, in face OF
the terrific back draught, toward us
Every moment l expected to see him
torn from his precarious hold and dash
ed to pieces on the lines, but with the
tenacity of leech he clung to the
handle of the door while he leaned for
ward to grasp some new support. Sud
denly a distant roar burst on our terri
fed ears. My mate turned, his face
as white as milk, and the perspiration
standing on his forehead.
"Merciful powers" he screamed in a
harsh, discordant voice, "the up mail!
Heaven have mercy on him! and he
hid his face in his hands, as with n
deafening shrek we flew toward each
other and crashed past in the dark
ness, but above the din 1 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 behind.
With feeling Of sickness that was
new to me peered through the glass.
"Thank Godr' 1 calculated fervently,
as the blood rushed through the veins
once more. There, with his body press
ed fiat 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 an expression of grim resolution
he pulled himself together. With bat
ed breath we wondered what he would
do next. AS far as we could see his
way was stopped, but, undeterred, he
steadied himself, and, reaching for
ward, felt around the corner 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 a terrible
smile Of accomplished purpose, as he
clutched it and with a desperate ef-
fort 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 a good
plucked 'un, an no mistake. But
what's his game, wonderT
"The madman is coming on the en-
gine," 1 burst out excitedly, dlvining
his intention as 1 saw his head appear
for a 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 I saw him
stoop down and grasp the man, drag
ging him with an almost superhuman
effort on to the tender, where he sank
down utterly exhausted.
Coming forward my mate threw open
the stoke hole 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 heavensT' calculated, as my
eyes met the haggard face of the res
cued delinquent. ernest Devalv and
my neryeless hand fell from the polish
ed lever.
Benz he gasped, wonderingly, his
wild eyes encountering mine, as he
toward us.
My lips refused to frame the ques-
tions that tumultuously arose to them
and my mate silently handed me his
can.
Take drink" he said, curtly, "and
pull yourself together"
1 complied readily. The cool draught
brought me round somewhat and re-
sumed control of the engine.
"Now, Mr.. Deval," shouted, hotly,
perhaps you will be good enough to
explain the meaning Of the little game
you've been playing tonight, but let
me tell you, if you think you've fur
thered your chances Of escape you're
wrong"
"Yes, mate" Bill sternly remarked,
"you haven't done lot for yourself by
coming here"
"Ben! 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
a fool-you saw the detective on my
track-he's in the train now-I've been
you know-the books at
the office-found out this morning-Fve
fled for my life-but you'll help me to
give them the slip, Benz" and the shiv-
ering wretch fell down helpless and
clasped my knees.
Don't talk nonsense, man." l an
swered, roughly; "what you ask is an
My duty as a servant
Of the company is to hand you over
to the authorities who will be waiting
for you at Crewe; beside, 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
were sitting on them comfortable cush-
ions in the carriage there. 1 wouldn't
give much for your chance"
But you can help me if you liker'
ne screamed, his eager face upturned
md the hunted expression of a wild
lnimal at bay in his eyes. "Slow up
he train little-you can do it. Eve
will give you 5O-E1O0-any-
hing you like and he pulled out a
handful of glittering gold.
1T can't be done, 1 tell you," 1 re-
Piled, shaking myself free from his
grasp. Get up and be man. You've
made your bed and you will have to
lie in it. No man on this earth could |
get out of this scrape, so make the best |
If It."
Seeing that 1 was immovable, he |
urned his attention to Bill, and I saw
,i,n nroffar a ha pdfu1 of cold Nv fra