The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-01-23

loor was shattered. The messenger
was struck down. and in short time
the train robbers had rolled the ex-
press safe out Of the car and carried
It into the woods.
All Of this time the two men who
shot the engineer and fireman remained
IN the engine cab. The engineer had
fallen near Mikes hidden place. He
was groaning with pain. and Mike
cFept to him.
Are you killed." asked Nike. i
amt no robber. I am tramp and was
riding on the platform"
NO." said the engineer, 4 am not
killed. am shot through the arm, and
guess my leg is broken"
Just then one Of the robbers. who
seemed to be the leader, cried out:
Here some Of you fellows. Throw
those ties of the track"
Get a good look at that fellow,
whispered the engineer to Mike. Look
at him good and hard, so you will
know him again. Look at all Of them.
They tagged me in the cut, and / had
to stop"
Mike singled out the leader and
mentally photographed every feature
OF his face. his clothing and hat
"Ill know him again, he said
BY this time the ties we're thrown
into the ditch, and the leader, giving
shrill whistle. yelled to the two men
in the cab:
Give her steam and jump"
The engineers pale face grew ehalky
white. He struggled to rise 10 his feet
gut his leg bent under him Falling,
with a groan. he whispered to Mike
DO you know anything about an en-
gine?"
Mike nodded II know how to fire
and know how to use the air, said he
"Get on that train Get on the
front plfform Hurry the train is
moving. Climb aboard and over the
tender. shut of steam, and give her
every hii 81 air."
Nike darlad from the bushes. and
catching hold OF the railing, swung
himself 70 The lower step Of the front
platform AS he did this the two men
in the engine sprung to the ground.
One OF them saw Nike.
Come out Of that" he cried. and
with q quick motion he leyeled his re-
volver and fired.
Mike felt something hot across his
cheek, and then his face felt as though
some one had drawn a red-hot iron
across his skin. He put his hand to the
place, and when he drew it away 1t was
covered with blood. The engine puffE
we're coming faster and faster, and the
train was gathering speed rapidly
Mike swung himself out from the steps
and looked back. and saw the two men
disappearing in the woods. Then he
clambered over the tender. and In 9
few minutes was In the cab.
The train was rushing along at full
speed. and the locomotive rocked and
swayed like a boat in a storm. Mike
had spent the fifteen years Of his life
around railroad yards All Of the rail-
road men at the junction had come "a
his fathers funeral. for Mikes father
had been one Of the best-known sec.
tlon bosses on the line That was two
years back, and Mike had been gath
ering railroad knowledge ever since
So he looked at the steam gauge al
soon as he reached the cab. Il showed
125 pounds Of steam Next he looked
at the water glass and saw that there
was plenty Of water in the boiler.
He seated himself on the greer
cushion which spread over the en-.
gineer's bench. The throttle valve wai
wide open, and he pushed In the lever
until the locomotive senslbly lost
speed. Then be pulled the reversing
lever back a few notches and the huge
machine was under control.
He made up his mind to run to the
next toNn. and after a twenty-minutG
ride he could just see the smoke Of q
factory IN the place. A shout behind
him caused him to look back He in
voluntarily lowered his head. for on
the roof Of the mail car were two mail
clerks, brakeman and the conductor
Of the train, each pointing a revolver
toward his head.
Don't shoot" he cried. 4 am no
train robber / am only doing what
the engineer told me to do" and be
reached for the whistle cord and
sounded the station whistle.
In a few minutes ali Of the men were
In the cab. and Mike began setting the
air-brakes. He did Il 20 well that the
long train came to a fun stop ct the
platform. and the passengers aocked
out Of the cars and surrounded the en-
gine. The mail clerks told them about
Nike. and a passenger took up a con-
tribution for him.
In the meantime the conductor had
telegraphed the story Of the hold-up
to the train dispatcher. and ten minutes
after a freight locomotive. which stood
on the siding. steamed toward the
place where the robbers had stopped
the train.
The engineer and fireman we're
brought back to town, where the doctor
said neither was badly injured. and the
next day Nike was taken % the once
Of the general manager Of the road hv