Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-08-10
TW00F A TRADE
Fly ROBERT BARR.
rcopyright. 1859. BY the Author.I

IF man finds himself enduring a
n'Eht journey ON an American railway
| train, there are two or three things ho
may do to make life worth living. If
he has 81 to spare, with % cents extra
for the porter in the morning he may
enrich the Pullman company to the ex-
tent of the 81 and thus get berth in
the sleeping car. This is good way to
spend 81, and if you are on line where
train robbers are epidemic you are just
that much ahead, for what the company
gets you may depend the train robbers
never see, and SO you have the comfort
of the berth and the satisfaction of
knowing that your money has been di-
vlded between two sets of plunderers
OF the two / like the company the bet
ter, for il certainly gives You something
for the money, while the others give
you nothing but bad language. with per
haps an ounce of lead thrown in
If you haven't the So to spare, there
are still three things left for you to do.
Tou may sit bolt upright III your seat,
or you may turn the back of the oppo-
site seat over and stretch your weary
legs across the chasm, or you may try
to lie down on one seat which you will
short Of cash. Entering smoking ear
at night on a through express you will
find men in all these three attitudes,
doing the best they can with the weary
hours that arc ahead of them until day
light breaks.
The smoking car on the night express
of the Texas, Belmont and Crucifer
Air line was well filled with men of all
descriptions, most of whom were en-
deavoring to get some sleep in one or
other of the three attitudes above al
luded to- There was only one sleeping
car on the train at the rear. In front
Of that came two ordinary cars, then
the smoker, the luggage car, the car OF
the American Express company, and in
front of all the engine. On the train
were two very anxious men, and they
sat on camp stools near the big safe in
the express car, fully armed, knowing
that in that safe were gold packages
amounting to over 5000, 600 moving
east from California. These two men
at least made no attempt to sleep, but
listened without saying much to the
express grinding on through the night,
the whistles of the engine breaking
through the continuous roar with an
occasional long toot followed by two
short ones. 1t was now midnight and
in two hours the train would reach
Belmont. After that the two guards of
the safe would feel easier in their
minds They were at present going
through a wild country where anything
might happen, although they hoped
that the secret Of the safe had been
well kept. 1t is astonishing how news
leaks out and how quickly it travels
when large sums of money are being
transported across the plains.
In the forward end Of the smoking
car four bearded men sat opposite each
other playing euchre. They were rough
looking citizens, who might have been
cowboys or anything else. The conduct
or looked aslance at them as be col
lected the money for their ride, for
none of them had tickets, but they paid
their fares without trouble, and that in
itself was boon, for the conductor ex-
pectcd some dispute from the look OF
them. Three others had come on mt the
next station and were now watching
the game There were few more pas
sengers in the car who might have been
suspected of belonging to the same
gang if gang it was. but no sign of
recognition passed between the card
players and the others, who were appar-
emily trying to get some sleep.
al don't half like the looks of that
crowd. - said the conductor to the brake
man. after he had collected the tickets
and the fares.
"What' the matter with them r. ask
ed the brakeman. who was chewing to
bacco, taking bite from black plug
as he spoke "They seem quiet
enough. The brakeman appeared to be
himself about as rough "A customer as
any of the card players and SO perhaps
had n feeling of comradeship for them.
That's just it. They're too darned
quiet. = replied the conductor. ''lf they
were real cowboys, playing real game,
there would have been row before this,
sure. That tall, black whiskered mans
been looking Mt his watch n good deal
lately, and s been trying to peek through
the window $ If he wanted to know just
where we were | don't like the look Of
it,
Think they re going TO hold MS upf'
inquired tho brakeman. with a trace of
anxiety in his voice.
~ shouldn bo a bit surprised. y
"Wby. there amt $50 ON the whole
! train. is there2 How many people in
| the slcoper?''
"Not more n half dozen. Still, there
| may be some rich cuss on board we
don't know anything about. These
| chaps may be on TO him.
"Well. " drawled the brakeman, with
| some delibcration, II give the T.. -. and
| G. company notice that when the firing
| begins ] crawl under a seat. | don
l take no lead in mine for $35 n month .