Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-07-11

Ouuey les, out 6pO6en tney onOulu
come" to which I wouldn't listen, but
shivered at the thought and snuggled
closer under the blanket.
don't know Just how long we had
slept. but l woke up suddenly at Duff
fey's plnching me. l could feel TINT
In front of the shanty could just
make out the forms of four men. The
door was open and the light from the
lantern shOne out across the track.
could hear Mr.. Stuntz's snores plain
ly.
Then three of the forms stepped in
to the glare Of the lantern and went
and were armed. The fourth man kept
his place outside. All at once there
was the noise Of a short scufi1e from
the shanty-a muffled yell, a confusion
Of low Oaths, the lantern was kicked
over and smashed and we could hear
q body falling to the floor, and then
we heard a strange voice say: "Tie him
up and gag the old cuss." Then fol-
lowed some muffled swearing.
Were we scared? We were fairly
stiff with fright. My hair stood on end
and whole breezes ran up and down
my spinal column. 1t was awful
they might be numbering Mr.. Stuntz.
Somehow we didn't even once think
Of making an attack on the robbers
We just slid out from under that b!an-
ket as fast and as quietly as we could
working our way, feet first, on our
stomachs, down the hill. We would
have been IN a dreadful fix II one of
us had started a stone to rolling or
had snapped a twig. But none of
these things happened and the man
who kept watch at the door never saw
us or heard us at all.
At the bottom Of the gully we stop
ped and took hold Of each other for
company l still held my revolver and
Duffey the bowie knife. My teeth were
chattering and Duffey shook like a
leaf.
They're going to wreck the 2 O'Clock
express and we've got to stop EN-"
said Duffey. his voice trembling.
). This is where he made a little mis-
take. The robbers did not mean to
wreck the train, because 1t would have
been very easy to flag 1t. just as II
something were the matter with the
bridge, and then rob the express car
before the train crew really knew
what was the matter.
Now, we didn't know what time It
was nor how many confederates the
robbers might have strung out along
the track to keep watch. But we
guessed that 1t was near 2 o'clock and
that We would have to go through the
woods for long way and be mighty
lively If We were going to stop that
train. So we felt for the barbed- wire
fence that lined the right of way.
crawlt.l under 1t into the black woods
and started toward town. 1t was SO
dark that you couldn't see your own
hand. and we were nearly scared to
death as we ran into trees and caught
on prickly bushes time and again.
After quarter Of a mile Of this we
pushed out toward the edge of the
woods and found that the railroad
track had made a turn and that the
shanty was out of sight.
Just then we heard the train whis-
tie. We slipped under the fence again
into the ditch and then stumbled up
onto the track. Already we could hear
the steady roar Of the big. hoarse
smokestack and the steady sh-sh-sh as
the monstrous six-foot driving wheels
pounded the ras.s. She was coming
a-nying. Not eighty rods away she
rounded the curve and the fierce eye of
the headlight glared at rs and a red
band Of whirling smoke appeared in
the air as they opened the door Of the
Hrebox. 1t was like standing In front
Of Q roaring. dery dragon that comes
at yoa at the rate Of fifty miles an
hour.
How were we to stop hsr2 We hadn't
thought Of that before. 1t wouldn't do
10 stand in the middle Of the track till
the engineer should see us, and we had
just two matches and nothing to make
blaze with. 1t was here that Duffey
showed his genius. Quick - q nash
he had jerked or his coat and touched
q match to the fimsy cotton lining. Tho
Arst match went out. He tried the
second. 1t caught; a dny fame erept
up and grew larger and larger. In ten
seconds that coat was one solid flame
and Duffey was swinging 1t wildly
around his head.
The engine was bearing down on Us
with frightful screech. The engi-
neer saw us. and not second too soon.
There was a swapping Of air brakes, 4
grinding Of wheels and 4 eroanlng and
shaking Of the whole train as she
slowed up. But even then we had to
jump quick to save ourselves.
The train came to a standstill and
crew and passengers poured out to see
what was up. I suppose We were .
funny looking couple. 1 was still grip
ping my revolver, and II I looked half
as queer as felt must have been .
sight. And as for DufIey. the bowie
knife was sticking conspicuously out Of
his back pocket. His face was pale
beneath the smoke. his eyebrows were
singed and his hand blistered. The
coat was a ruin.
We told our story - well a. we
could. which wasn't very veil. because
we were still frightened. but .hay un-
derstood what the trouble was wen
We said Robbers. bridge and Killed
the watchman."
They put N into the train and .
crowd Of men with guns and Fsvolvers
piled onto the engine and front cars.
But BY the time the train reached the
bridge ths robbers had GkiD0s1 With