The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1900-03-03


one OF our wa tches. ss III 5:s5 D.
took good share Of my money
and yaluables and piled themsin a little
heap on the floor. Then Tom followed
my example, under express orders from
the voice and trying: hard to make a
few one dollar bills look like big
roll. But all the time I kept thinking
that there was something odd about
the situation, though I couldn't tell
what it was. On such occasions man
doesn't think with that brilliancy that
the uninitiated might expect. But the
difficulty presented itself after a
while. f.: -.
Tom said under my breath, this
game looks queer. Why doesn't one OF
them search us?"
"'Sh-h-h!' said Tom; and knew he
was thinking Of the same thing.
Now, gents lresumed the first
voice, when Tom had unloaded, there
Amt room for all of us here. Being
as me and my friends were here first,
Well have to ask you two to get off
the train. Now, hurry, please; jump
straight out, and you probably won't
get hurt.
we were running at twenty-five
miles an hour, SO, of course, jump
was almost certain death. But Tom
was as cool as ever. He muttered to
me to keep still and wait, and then
he said aloud:
"'What'n you do if we refuse?'
Don't get gay, now, answered the
| voice. I'll shoot, and you know it..
will Bill shoot, too?" asked Tom
carelessly.
Il will that came Bills voice from
the front end of the car.
And Jim?''
| You bet!" said the other voice
up forward.
| ~ thought So said Tom under his
breath. Then he stretched out his
hand and caught mine lik~ i vice as
though in a silent forewell.
DO as tell you, now! he whispered
and don't fail for your life. Walk up
to the edge of the patch of light as
though you were going to jump. When
l pull your arm dive into the dark end
OF the car, flat on the floor. Do you
near? Then roll as far as you can;
anywhere, but keep still.
All right, my FRIEND he continued
aloud, addressing the voice again.
You've got the drop on us; but let
me tell you this, distinctly: We've
both kept our guns, and if you didn't
have your friends with you we'd shoot
this game to a finish Then before any
of them could speak or reply he said
to me: Good-by, old man; I wish you
) luck At the same instant he stepped
to the edge Of the light space and
frightened his grip on my hand.
Now he said, be sure and roll
and keep still.''
with that he gave me pull that
sent me sprawling to the floor severa
feet beyond the doorway. He struck
the floor near me almost at the same
moment, and we both rolled in oppo.
lsite directions.
strange to say, no pistol shot follow.
ed us-at least didn't hear any--so
lay there and waited further develop
ments. And want to tell you, I've
experienced pleasanter sensations thar
Il those of the next five minutes when
, lay there wondering what part of m,
body the bullets were going to strik
and from which direction to expec
them. Finally I couldn't stand it an,
longer, so got up and began to craw
in the direction Tom had taken. "
Keep quiet said Tom when ]
Preached him. q want to hear wha
The is doing II 5ss
But his friends whispered
scarcely moving my lips. We must b
/ close to them
Sc" DAN said Tom, there's only on
LOT him. that's plain. And furthe,
Everything goes to show that he
7 not armed, Just keep quiet and wait
J, We lay there for perhaps half a.
J. hour, but there wasn't a sound from tn
9 other end of the car. knew that Tor
had planned way out Of it, but hi
y next move surprised me. The trail
had just begun to slow for our STATIC
| when he jumped to his feet and erie
, out:
Now. my friend, we will troubl
you to come out Of that and get OF
this train. Hurry, now; you're cover
ed g. "a
Then there was a scraping and
i. shambljng from the darkness, and tn
voice. now changed 70 Il pleadin
- Whine* said, Don't shoot, gents
I'm coming right out And he did
and there never Was sneaker loOkjn
scoundrel dropped off the freight trai,
Nov that's all Tfiere is to tina
story concluded the shoe drumme
but it goes to show that time an
> money saved by beating ones way ma
sometimes be false economy. But i
!. nevertheless. you should ever be pei
z suaded to try it, remember one thing
Beware of the box car with the partl
] opened door; it's almost sure to be ir
habited."