The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-06-02

| the brake cord, was whipped out over the
| switch 10 the main track; I'm another 1t
| was sent spinning back to the waiting
| treasure car. Raglan saw what was COM
| ing. gathered the girl in his arms and
| braced himself. He was none too prompt.
With a crash which was little short of a
| collision the 'Esmeralda" was hurried
against the heavy express car; the auto
| matte couplers interlocked with a snap;
| and in the very rebound OF the collision
the two cars drawn by the captured loco
motive, shot away from the station.
Then rail lengths of the meteor flight
made the swaying, lurching platform of
the "Esmerald1" untenable. and Raglan
retreated with lis charge to the central
compartment. Here they found return
to primordial chaos.
The shock of the collision had over
turned everything movable. The three
women were crouching terror-stricken In
a corner; the lieutenant and the two negro
servants were struggling to free them
selves from the wreckage Of upset furni-
ture at the rear end of the compartment;
afoot and alert.
What has happened. RaglanT' he de-
manded. shouting to make himself heard
above the rafting clamor of the meteor
fight.
Raglan's answer was shorn OF euphe-
mism, 1.-The worst that could happen.
Train robbers have captured our engine
and they are running away with the 'Es-
meralda' and the specie car"
"wha-what's THAR quavered the lieu
tenant, extricating himself in time to hear
the latter half of the astounding an
nouncement.
Raglan said II again. and Helen Lang
ham turned away that she might not see
the unmiEtakable fear signals flying in
the eyes of the young officer-see them
and be moved to contempt of the bitter
est.
But If Bisby quailed, the president did
not. He was no more than a peaceful in
dustry colonel, this white-haired old man,
but there was blood Of proof in his
veins.
I'VE must stop them" he said calmly
"They have sandwiched us in between
| because they knew that otherwise the
specie guard could pick them off through
| the loopholes in the end of the armored
money car. How many of them are
| there?"
"a dozen, I should say"
"All on the engine"
IAN but the two who are standing
guard on the front platform of the 'Es-
meralda.'"
you've tried the airbrakes?"
Yes. They were disabled under both
cars before the attack was made
The president glanced az his watch and
then up at the speedrecorder. The hand
on the dial already pointed to 80 miles an
hour and the heavy private car was
creaking and plunging like an overladen
lumber schooner in a tempest. I'VE must
think quickly. There are fifteen we'll
armed men in the money car. Is there
any way they can get to us?'
Raglan shook his head. Mot unless
we can stop. II they try to climb along
on the foot-rai from the side doors, they
will be picked off one at a time"
Exactly. Have you any idea what
these miscreants will try to dor"
Raglan tried to make the young
woman at his side go to the three terri
fed ones in the corner. but she would
not. mo" she said, IT want to hear
the worst" and he let her hear 1t.
Il have an idea, though it's only
guess. They mean to wreck both cars,
killing as many of us as possible"
Can it be done without involving the
engineer"
Yes. There is a high embankment at
Buckhorn Gulch, with a mile-long grade
leading down to 1t. They will uncouple
in mid flight at the top of the grade run
down ahead Of us. obstruct the track. and
go on out of the way"
And the remedy?"
rs TO keep them from uncoupling They
can't go on indefinitely; and If they stop.
the speoie-guard will be upon them"
The brave old man stripped off his
coat.
There are three OF u.s." he said. They
mustn't be allowed to uncouple the en-
CINE while any OF us are olive"
Raglan rightsd a chair and put Miss
Langham into 1t. Then he stripped to his
shirt sleeves and spoke to the lieutenant.
1T is you and l for It, Bisby and
there is no time to lose. Hear that? They
are hammering at the coupling-pin now.
Give me your sword or the pistol, which,
ever you please, and let US be at It,"
But the lieutenant hung back.
Don't you-don't you think we'd better
try to make terms with themT'
"Terms" roared the ex-captain of post
garrisons. what is your notion of
train wrecker? Give me one of those tools
and come on"
The lieutenant handed over the sword,
and Raglan flung away the scabbard,
tried the steel right and left in his hand
and darted into the passage leading TO
the front platform. He went alone. The
lieutenant was still standing irresolute.
fumbling nervously in his pockets for the
revolver cartridges which wers not there.
Two rife shots and then a scattering
fusilade crashed out above the tcoin clam
or, and Helen Raglan sprang up with the
slate-blue eyes ablaze.
They are killing himv' she said "Will
you never go?"
But the Lieutenant only fumbled the
more desperately. III haven't any
cartridges" he protested; but the scorn
in her eyes sent him forward with the
empty weapon.
His half-hearted sally was too late Be
fore he could reach the vestibule Raglan
was back with a bullet score across his
temple, and the brightness gone from the
polished sword. Esther Carothers Shrek
ed ana tainted. but Helen ran quickly to
him.
"Oh." she cried. 81 said they would kill
you. and they have"
mo, It's only a scratch" She remem-
bered afterward that In all the fierce tur-
moii OF II he had this first word for her
''Mr. Carothers. get the women together
here in this corner, where they will be
out OF range from the vestibulc-that's
right. The pin is TANNED. and they
know they have US to reckon with before
they can break the coupling They'll
charge US IN n minute and we must de-
fend the passage at all hazards. What's
thatY'-the question 10 Bisby, who was
again suggesting treaty.
Miss Langham was looking on-she was
the only one OF the budding auarteite OF
women who dared TO look on-snd she