The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-03-24


sickening sense of falling and then a
frightful crash as the car struck
squarely in the middle of a dwarfed
pine with enormous spreading branch
es that grew on the slope of the creek
What happened next Horton never
knew, but he eventually found himself
crawling out through the roof of the
car, which lay upon its side, the upper
parts torn out as IL by an explosion.
The young man was deadly dizzy,
and one of his legs lacked strength
and feeling. He groped about for some
object by which he might steady him
self and try to rise, and by chance his
hand touched the oak chest, which
stood as squarely on the turf as if
some one had carefully set 1t down
there.
At the same moment he heard the
voice of Wiggin.
How are ye?" said the voice. Dead
I amt hurt a mite"
Horton leaned against the chest and
held his revolving head in his hands.
When it seemed a little steadier, he
looked up. and by the faint moonlight
that was struggling through the clouds
he perceived Silas. clothed in rags and
| streamers. standing before him.
This amt no time to give in," said
| Silas. we've got business on hand
Ye've got TO run back to the station
| and tell 'em about this. It's a good
| chance that nobody'd miss US for al
hour"
| "RunT' reiterated Horton. Il cam
stand. My legs broke"
| Silas whistled softly and long.
"Say," he cried at last, did We heal
anything said between me an Bank.
| Just before We came into the car? Y,
might "a been on the platform. "
| know"
81 was" replied Horton. 81 know
that there's a hundred thousand dol
lars in gold in this chest I'm leanini
against"
well, well.' said Silas. what ar
we goin' to do? The Creekers probabl
heard us come over the bank. an
they'll be atop of us soon's they cal
get across"
| He pointed TO the lighted cabins o.
the opposite bank of the creek.
you've got gum said Horton.
Silas came up alongside the ches
and whispered as If there might hav
been listeners in the bushes.
"It's broke" he said. 1t won't worl
must a fallen on it somehow. BJ
take it an make the best bluff We cal
Don't let 'em get the chest. ! don
think they could open it anyhow |
time It's got an iron sheath inside
But l tell We what they'd do. They
load II aboard that big punt-see be
tied up to the bank on this side?-al
they'd float down the creek TO som
safe place where they'd have half ii
night TO work in. That would be the
game. Don't let 'em do it. But say,
he added as he turned away, don
push the bluff too far. Don't let 'el
kill ye."
You leave It to me-" said Horton 6
the other started to run up the bank.
Alone. Horton esSayed to drag hin
self up on top Of the chest. To his su
prise. the injured leg seemed great
better Something had struck acroi
the thigh and paralyzed it for the m
ment, but the effect was passing ava
; He could stand. and i'm half a minu
he could walk fairly well.
Suddenly a great wave of thougl
swept over his mind. Disgraced. bran
ed as thief. he w;ss alone with tn
fortune. Suppose he should follow Il
plan so kindly outlined by the trustf
Silas. The chest was heavy. Ii mu
, have weighed something like y
pounds. yet Horton had often lift'
more than that i'm mere pride of b
strength. To drag that weight down