The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-01-25
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BY MOLLY ELLIOT sEAwELL.
ID Two lSdrfs.

ImImImImImImImImImlmImIm NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
By the time the words were out Of
his mouth a fusillade of shots ratified
against the side of the cab.
Lie down. lie DOWN. cried Blum
don, throwing himself fat on the floor,
and Laurie promptly followed suit.
Then three ghostly figures leaped on
the train, and two Of them catching
Blundon and Laurie, held them fast,
while the third brought the train to a
stop.
Get up, "/said the first robber to
Blundon, who scrambled to a sitting
posture with a pistol at his ear. The
second robber had likewise established
close connections between Lsurie's
a and another pistol, but allowed
him also to sit up on the floor. The
third robber jumped off, and presently
the crash Of dynamite showed that
the express car was broken into. Then
there was a wait Of ten minutes, while
the robbers, of whom there were sew
eral, rihed the safe.
During this time Blundon showed
such perfect GOODNESS that it claimed
Laurie's natural excitement, and won
the admiration of the highwaymen.
"Euchred, Mr.. Vane, sir!" was
Blnndon's only exclamation, as he sat
CROSS legged, looking at Laurie.
To this Laurie replied, 81 told you
it was a good place for a train rob-
berry"
Young man." remarked the gentle
man who covered Laurie with his pis
toll, Il am afraid you haven't had the
advantages Of good society, like me
and my pal there. You hadn't oughter
call names, especial on a social occa
sion like this"
Perhaps 1 oughtn't," meekly an
swered Laurie.
1--WE are gentlemen, we are" contin
ued this facetious bandit. I'VE don't
go in for robbing ladies of their hand
begs-we don't want your little silver
watch, sonny. We are opposed to the
bloated corporations that rule this
country, and we are doing our best
20 maintain the rights of individuals
against them by cleaning out their
safes"
Laurie, without arguing this impor-
tant question, remarked, 'If you have
so much regard for the rights of indi-
viduals, I wish you'd let me scratch
my eye."
Il will do it for you with pleasure"
amiably remarked the bandit, and with
the cold mUzzle of the loaded pistol he
gently scratched Laurie's eye, to that
young gentleman's intense discomfort.
In a few minutes more several of the
gang who had gone through with the
safe came to the cab.
Bring one of those gents out here"
said the man who seemed to be the
leader. I'VE have got the express car
and the engine disconnected from the
rest of the train, but we don't exactly
understand the brakes, and We want
them set"
A CLEAN of intelligence passed be-
tween Blundon and Laurie which
served the purpose of words
THAT yonng Teller" said Blundon,
indicating Laurie, lis a famous brake
mon. He invented al air-brake once,
only it wouldn't work"
Laurie still covered by the pistol
in the hands of his friends, got out of
the cab, and o o the sound of ham,
mering and knocking reverberated,
showing he was working with the
brakes. In a little while he was
brought back, and Blundon and him
self were then marched to the passen-
ger car, hustled in and the door locked
IN them. The first person Laurie's
eyes rested on was his father. The ex-
cited passengers gathered around the
two, but before a word was spoken Mr..
Vene recognized Laurie. In another
minute the two were in each other'e
arms. Laurie's first words we're:
Daddy, / was wrong. I beg you will
forgive me"
But his father could only say,
broke My, my boy-my boy ~