The labor world., 1900-03-03

Tom, and we ought to save at least
one of our watches
Il took good share of my money
and valuables and piled them in 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.
| rom, said ! under my breath, this
game looks queer. Why doesn't one Of
them search us?'' t
Sh-h-h!' said Tom; and l knew he
was thinking. of the same thing.
| q" Now, gents, iresumed the first
voice, when Tom had unloaded, there
amt room for all Of us here. Being
as me and my friends were here first
We'll 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, a jump
was almost certain death. Buts 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 Bilps voice from
the front end of the car.
And Jim 90
! 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. ! 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 We're going to jump. When
pull your arm dive into the dark end
! OF the car, fiat on the floor. Do you
hear? 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 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
tightened his grip on my >hand..
Now he said, he sure and roll,
and keep still.''
With that he gave me a pull that
Isent me sprawling to the floor several
feef beyond the doorway. He struck
the floor near me almost at the same
moment, and We both rolled in oppo-
lsite directions.
i s Strange to say, no pistol shot follow
i ed us-at least I didn't hear any-so j
lay there and waited further develop
i ments. And I want to tell you, I've
experienced pleasanter sensations than
those OF the next five minutes when I
i lay there wondering what part Of my
body the bullets We're going to strike
and from which direction to expect
them. Finally couldn't stand lit any
longer, 50 got up and began to crawl
in the direction Tom had taken.
/. Keep quiet, said Tom when /
reached him. want to hear what
he is doing
i " But his friends whispered
scarcely moving my lips. We must be
close to them
Dam, said Tom, there's only one
Of him. that's plain. And further
i everything goes to show that he is
not armed. Just keep quiet and wait.
We lay there for perhaps half an
hour, but there wasn't sound from the
other end of the car. I knew that Tom
J had planned a way out of it, but his
I next move surprised me- The train
hadjust begun to slow for our station
when he jumped to his feet and cried
i out:
Now, my friend, we will trouble
l you to come out of that and get off
TINS train Hurry, now; you're cover
ed
Ihen there was a scraping and a
shambllng from the darkness, and the
Voice, now changed 70 Il pleading
4 whine said, Don't shoot, gents:
I'm coming right out. And he did:
ana there never was sneaker looking
scoundrel dropped off the freight train
Now that's all there is to that
story, concluded the shoe drummer
but it goes to show that time and
money saved by beating ones way NAV
sometimes be false economy. But if
nevertheless. you should ever be per.
suaded to try it, remember one thing:
Beware of the box car with the partly
opened door; it's almost sure to be in.
habited' z
Not According to Rcgula tfons.
Lord Roberts, the British commando,
.. IN south Africa, is very. popular amons
the rank and file, relates the Saturda7
. Evening Post. He began his career il