Evening star., 1897-03-27
ties to ask you to settle the matter at

ties to ask you to settle the matter at
once"
What have We got to do with his in
vestments?" asked Fisk. with a scowl.
''One member OF a firm binds the rest in
Kansas. suavely remarked the stranger.
And If We refuse to settler l asked in
qu:F'ng!y.
''raelI I'll have to serve an attachment
on the outfit that's all said the man.
Let us see your papers, said Fisk, step
piEg up to the side of the buggy. The man
uEbuttoned his coat and began to tumble
in his pockets. As he did so / noticed a
sheriff's shield pinned on his vest front.
.'ConfouEd the luck he exclaimed an
grily. I've left them back at Fort Scott.
but never mind: its all straight enough
anyway. l don't think you will doubt my
authority" and he exposed his shield 10
us.
Well" cried Fisk. wrathfully. II don't
think you VIII attach anything here with
out the papers-perhaps not then
'ForewarreG-for1ar armed" laughed the
sheriff as he glanced at the steam Kissing
from the crack around the cylinder head.
Il don't think that You will be apt to run
away with the property before 1 can serve
the papers," and then he drove quickly
away in the direction of Fort Scott.
Say, sheriff" 1 called after him. He
stopped his horse and looked back. rs
this bill of Gleasons all straight or is it
game of his to fleece us?"
The sheriff laughed little at this. and
then he said: We'll. to tell the truth, his
ways are a little dark. I know him. he
| likes to catch a tenderfoot occasionally.
| but he's got the advantage of you fellows
| all right, because he's got the law on his
| side
| Fisk was about to make some warm re-
| ply. but / shook my head warningiy at him
| and the sheriff went on.
| 1T won't do to make him mad" said.
| we are in a bad fix, and it will only make
matters still worse to get the officials down
on us
| But" groaned Fisk. "to think what
/ DreciOnS of fools w
| Yes, it's pretty tough, old man.. I re-
| marked. sadly. "All our money and all our
prospects gone at one sweep. and all owing
| to the rascality of that Gleason and our
| greenneSs.
| Clayton I exclaimed moment later
| sprinsing up electrified with an idea. bring
me your rubber boots. and step quick, too
| He brought them wonderngly, and 1
| quickly slit open the legs and then drew
| several circles upon the rubber and began
cutting them out with my knife.
| Il guess this will work all right for a
| little while If 1t does, ! cried. we may
| give them the slip yet. Break up that old
| tar barrel and stick it into the fire box.
II can get the cylinder to hold its steam.
III bet five to four that We can out-travel
| that apology of a horse the sheriff had
Not breath of air was stirring. and the
| dense black smoke from the burning tar
| barrel rose from our funnel perpendicu-
| lary in the clear morning sunshine giving
| our pursuers inkling OF intentions
| before they could have otherwise imagined
| II possible Tor us 10 escape. Ihe smoke
| could he plainly seen at Fort Scott. which
! was about three miles away. l soon had
the packing rings cut out and the cylinder
| heads boited back into place again. and
| all could do now was to wait for the
| steam to rise before we could start. and it
| seemed as if the indicator never moved so
| slowly before If We could only get back
| over the ine into Missouri, the laws there
| would protect us and We would the
| Comic Only twelve miles lay between us
and the border line-couId we reach it be-
| fore they overlook us?
The gauge showed 100 pounds pressure.
l ran the governor belt off, so that we
could travel 10 the full capacity of our
power without being automatically checked
then l pulled open the throttle. and the
next moment We were rolling out across
| the open prairie toward Missouri, in d race
| with the stake of 81 200.
| The Comic did nobiy. With roar like
| small! thunder she belched up huge clouds
| of black smoke and steam. and fairly Guiv-
ering with the full pressure upon her, as
she rolled along. Now and then rar
| afoul line of barbed wire fence. but we
| tore through 1t like 4 network of twine.
! l looked back Just after we had got vel
started. and saw on knoll about a mile
back the pursuing party-three OF them
| the sheriff and two men with him in his
| buggy. and their horse at run. and then
opened the throttle a little wider. II wa.
now all a question of speed-if they over
took US before We reached the state line
they might take us and our machine. too
| If. however, We crossed first, We would bt
beyond their jurisdiction, and they coulf
not serve the attachment. One. two, fou
miles We passed over, our engine at full
speed, with an average of SO pounds o.
steam on. and we could plainly see that w,
were still holding our own against them
| Eight miles had travelled now and
| was beginning to feel pretty highly elatet
| over the success of our scheme when
| heard Fisk utter cry of dismay.
The Goals all gone." he exclaimed.
1t was true. for, In the excitement
. | had not noticed its rapid depletion unit
a | now. and not more than four or five shovel
: | fuls remained. This new calamity almos
E | stunned us both for a moment-perhaps W.
S ! might be able to make 1t hold out-but
{ | doubted IT greatly. Ten miles-the coal wa
all gone now, and emptied one Of the oi
cans into the fire box to keep up the steam
. and then we began to break up the wood
| work about the tender.