The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-04-20
Mystery of the 6. L. w. RnIway.
BY Solving It Peter Joyce Cleared Himself of the Suspicion
of Numbering His Superior.

stood around the body examining IL
with awe-struck faces.
Where's Joyce tonight?"
The words we're the ones that the
man had been most dreading, and in
an absent minded manner he turned to
the questioner
Peter" he replied. "Why, sent him
out on an errand to the lower yards
about 8 o'clock, but did not know the
poor fellow had lost his job until later.
| would not wonder IL he was talking
to the men around the shops about
something to do there"
I'VE understand that Joyce made
some threats tonight when he was dis
charged"
How harsh and rasping the voice
sounded.
"Petes been there ever since, for l
talked with him over the phone only
a minute before you came in" he said.
And another thing. Look at the long
red marks on the mans throat. Pete's
hand could never fit those dents, not
on your life"
The men drew aside and stood hesi-
tatingly in the doorway, evidently re-
luctant for some reason to go out again
into the darkness. In a few moments
the railway surgeon came in and ex-
amined the body with puzzled look.
Il have seen many a man killed in
my day." he said, at last, but l never
before saw a man who had been killed
in the way this man was.
IL would have been here sooner, but
as was passing under the railway
bridge at Elm street my horse SHE'D at
something could not see, and had to
drive him back little way, and come
on foot. never knew him to act that
way before"
The men went away together after a
while, removing the body in an ambu.
| lance.
1t grew colder with the morning
hours, and Thompson, lifting some
fresh Goals to the stove, heard noise
at the window behind him. With a
cry of terror, he turned about to look
into the wild and panicstruck face of
Joyce who had crept up behind the
shanty and was looking in to see
whether it was safe for him to enter.
But his clothing was shockingly
torn, his face and hands covered with
blood and SCOT.
Something chased me on the way
back through the yards over the tops
of the fiat cars" Joyce said. 81 hid
once under the old plough near the
water tank, and there it lost me-"
What was it?" gasped the watch
man.
ITS Satan himself. Bill. 1t did not
make any noise, but it kept up with
me all the time.
when | stopped it stopped, and
when | began to run 1t would run, too.
crept under a train of boXcars, and
there it lost me. could not see it,
but heard 1t breath.
"Merciful powers, Bill, it's time now
for No. 4. Hear it whistling in the
distance? Have they struck It, too?
shes coming through the yards
now. Lord see the stream of fire, aad
what does Wilson whistle that way
for?
"I-oar that, Bill, The alarm whistle
Is answering him. Is it a fire?"
The night was still intensely darl;
prd not a sign of fire could be seen as
the two men stood in the door Of the
shanty and looked out. But way
down the limo they could hear the
shrill blasts sounding from the hler as
It passes through the outskirts Of the
place sounding like a human being
screaming in distress and morta
agony.
Instantly all the telephones in Tho
place woke, and Thompson was busy
as lie ran to and from the freight Office
near by answering the calls.
"They all think it is a fire, Pete,
he exclaimed as he came in at last
dripping wet. But the yards are a
black as coal; indeed, you can't see The
second line of freights from here.
never see II worse, beats London fog
isn't that schreeching awful, Pete
You can be sure that there is deatl
and destruction TO pay somewhert
along the line"
When the long night came to an ent
there was a curious crowd gathered
about the superintendent Office
where a bulletin had just been issued
At the sight OF Thompson and Pet
approaching them, there was a suddei
, hush and the men fell back so tha
they could gain access to the bulletin
: and many eyes were watching the mel
! as they stood together on that morning
of fate, and waiting to see what the.
} would do and say.
'You read it, Bill" whispered Pete
! my eyes are sore and | can't read"
Thompson unconsciously held up hi
, hand like a witness to the word as h
/ read out the words
t Engineer Wilson Of No. 4 killed 4
3 his cab by some mysterious agency a
$40 this morning. Train ditchet
, several killed and wounded. Enginee
!. evidently strangled. Further particu
5 lars later on!"
There were already whispers circu
| A.. 2I,N