Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-04-27

Side OF accomplishment.
This was nothing less than to oper
ate, not from the carriage itself, but
from the main portion of the train
How 1 proposed to do this you shall
learn in due course; sufficient for the
present that when Braggs called sec.
ond time l had fully mapped out my
plan of campaign. He acquiesced, as I
knew he would. in all that proposed
and when we parted all the details were
agreed, and we had drunk a bumper to
success.
On the night in question, therefore,
we met at st. Pancras, and after book
ing first-class tickets to Manchester
walked to the train. 1t was absolutely
necessary that we should have an empty
compartment, and. the travellers by the
train being luckily few in number we
were able to secure one with only an
other passenger compartment and a
guards locker between us and the slip
coach. We could not possibly have been
better situated.
Before getting into the carriage I
took good look at the couplings which
united us to the carriage which was
to be dropped off at Salterton and
watched them put into position ready
for work. In less than five minutes
later we were off. and Braggs and I
were congratulating ourselves that so
lar nothing had happened to interrupt
our plans. We had observed little
parcel being placed in the rear carriage
which seemed to excite slight interest
even in the languid porters and guards
who were hanging about. There was
also detective surveying it with
coldly professional air; and if they had
only known that swo-but that is ''an-
other story" as a celebrated author
has said somewhat frequently.
Now came the real work. Braggs
quickly unfastened one of the bags and
began to extract from it various arti-
cles which l had instructed him to pro-
cure. There was Jenny a skele-
ton key or two, a good. stout cord of
several yards length, with a few fair
sized weights attached to it al intervals,
another bundle of cord and tiny bot
tie of chloroform.
When all was ready and 1 had peck
eted what L wanted, L buttoned up my
coat, and, quietly opening the off-side
door, stepped out on to the footboard.
You do not realize, on simply reading
It in cold print, what this means. but
can say with perfect confidence that
it requires pretty good nerve to travel
in that position.
Fortunately the night was so dark as
to render observation of my movements
Il matter of difficulty, if not impossible
Braggs handed the weighted cord to me
the window. and, thus equipped,
l proceeded with gingerly steps along
the narrow ledge, bending low as [
passed the windows OF the next COM
partment. The great feat was getting
from the carriage on which was to the
slip" vehicle in rear of it; and it was
few seconds before l could nerve my
self to take the little jump which was
necessary. | did accomplish it at length,
and Immediately made fast the cord to
a rail on the door, so that | could easily
obtain possession of it again when l
needed it.
Braggs, I should explain, retained
the other end and paid out the cord as
walked; and the weights served the
purpose of keeping it low and prevent
ed Tapping against the windows, which
might have attracted attention we by
no means coveted.
The next thing did was to break the |
bottle of chloroform over my hand |
l<erchief, and / was then ready for ac- |
ton. l took peep through the win
dow at the guard in the carriage. He |
was calmly reading newspaper, and |
chuckled as l saw how the game was
playing into our hands. Gently I turned |
the handle and allowed the door to |
open. He looked up as the draught of |
cold air caught him; but 1 was too |
quick for him, and had the handl<er-
thief to his nostrils before he had time |
to think, much less make any attempt |
1t resistance. As he sank in an uncon- |
scious heap to the floor I pulled the |
loor TO again, with sigh of inward |
and the hope that no |
vatchful signalman had noticed the |
temporary irregularity.
To gag and bind him was not a task
hat took up much time. and this did |
With the bundle of cord in nv pocket.
was SOIIN lOi II. lStIilIN. Out SELL
.iment is misplaced when it interferes
With business, and, anyhow. the incon-
yenience would be only temporary.
The next step was to secure the
booty. / knew. of course, that il would
De placed in the special locker which
S reserved for valuables. and with the
lid of my tools l soon had this Open
Ny heart gave little thump of excite
nent as l saw the package which had
1een the cause of SO much solicitude.
neatly tied up and addressed to -
Esq, Salterton." and re-
,plendent in blue and red seals; but
here was notime to indulge in self-con-
regulation.
Dropping the window, pulled in sew
raj yards of my cord and attached the
parcel firmly to it, after which l gave
wo pulls, the agreed signal for Braggs
O commence hauling in. | felt it slip
through my hands as he did so; and
Don the return signal came, telling me
hat he had received the precious con-
ignment safely. l had now to perform
mother delicate operation, namely
ttach the end of the cord which was
n nv hand to the chain which the
ruard pulls when he wishes TO release
he carriage.
Doubtless you can divine my inten-
ion. The guard, being obviously I'M
bile to slip the vehicle himself, and it
,eing equally obvious that it must be
dipped at the usual place unless 1
would have my little escapade brought
Inder notice, / proposed to do it my
alf though not exactly in the usual