Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-09-09

speak as soon as l have seen Zinca
l<lork. The poor girl must be told with
consideration. The death of her be-
trothed mist not come upon her like a
thunderclap. Yes, tomorrow, as soon as
we are at Pekin.
After all, if / do not say anything
about Kinko. l may at least denounce
Faruskiar and Ghangir and the four
Mongols. l can say that l saw them go
through the van. that l followed them,
that l found they were talking on the
eangway. that l heard the screams of
the driver and stoker as they were
strangled on the footplate. and that l
then returned to the cars, shouting,
Back Backw or whatever It was.
We are now standing at the head of
the train, Major Noltitz, the German
baron, Caterna, Ephrinell, Pan Chao,
Popof-about twenty travellers in all.
The Chinese guard faithful to their
trust, are still near the treasure, which
not one of them has abandoned. The
rear guard has brought along the tail
lamps. and by their powerful light we
can see In what a state the engine Is.
If the train. which was then running
at an enormous velocity, had not stopped
suddenly and thus brought about its de-
struction it was because the boiler had
exploded at the top and on the side.
The wheels being unchanged, the engine
had run far enough to come gradually
TO a standstll of itself, and thus the
passengers had been saved violent
shock.
OF the boiler and its accessories only a
few shapeless fragments remained. The
funnel had gone, the dome, the steam
chest; nothing but torn plates, broken,
twisted tubes, split cylinders, and loose
connecting rods-gaping wounds in the
corpse of steel.
And not only had the engine been de-
stroyed, but the tender had been rem
dered useless. Its tank had been cracked
and its load of Goals scattered over the
line. The luggage van, curious to re-
late. had miraculously escaped without
injury.
at is only too evident said one of
the passengers, that our driver and
stoker have persisted in the explosion"
Poor fellows" said Popof. But
wonder how the train could have got
on the Nankin branch without being no
ticedT
1.-The night was very dark" said Eph-
rinel 'and the driver could not see
the points"
''That is the only explanation posi-
hle," said Popof, "for he would have
tried to stop the train, and, on the CON
trary, we were travelling at tremendous
speed"
But" said Pan Chao, 'how does it
happen the Nankin branch was open
when the lion viaduct is not finished d?
Had the switch been interfered within"
Undoubtedly" said Popof, "nnd prob
ably out of carelessness."
Up to now Major Noltitz had taken
no part in the discussion. Now he in
terrupted Popof, and in voice heard
by all, he asked:
''Where is Faruskiar"
They all looked about and tried to dis
cover what had become of the manager
os the Transasiatic.
"And where is his friend Ghangir ~
asked the major. There was no reply.
And where are the four Mongols who
were in the rear van?" asked Major
Noltitz.
And none of them presented them
selves.
"Well, then" said Major Noltitz, "the
rascal who sent us on to the Nankin
line, who would have hurled us into the
Tjon valley, to walk off with the impe-
rial treasure, is Faruskiar."
"Whatw said POpOf. THE manager
of the company, who so courageously
drove off the bandits and killed their
chief, Ki-Tsang. with his own handT
Then l entered on the scene.
THE major is not mistaken. Ii was
Faruskiar who laid this trap for u.s."
And amid the general stupefaction
told them what l knew, and what good
fortune had enabled me to ascertain
told them how l had overheard the
plan of Faruskiar and his Mongols
when it was too late to stop 1t, but
was silent regarding the Intervention OF
Kinko. The moment had not come, anG
l would do him justice In due time
Now that all danger had disappeared
we must take immediate measures fol
running back the cars on to the Pekir
line.
"The best thing to do Is to go to tn,
nearest station. that of Fuen-Choo, ant
telegraph to Tai-Youan for them to sent
on relief engine" suggested.
Twelve of us, including Pan Chao
Caterna and myself volunteered to &C
company Major Noltitz. But by com
mon accord we advised Popof not t
abandon the train, assuring him that We
would do all that was necessary a
Fuen-Choo.
Then, armed with daggers and revolv
ers-it was one o'clock in the morning
we went along the line to the junction
walking as fast as the very dark nigh
+ permitted.
In less than two hours we arrived a
Fuen-Choo station without adventure
Evidently Faruskiar had cleared off. Tn,
Chinese police would have TO deal will
the bandit and his accomplices. Woul,
they catch him? l hoped so, but doubt
ed it.
At the station Pan Chao explaine,
I matters to the station master, who tele
} graphed for an engine to be sent iron
, Tai-Youan to the Nankin line.
: At three o'clock, just at daybreak, W
, returned to wait for the engine at tn
= junction. Three-quarters Of an hour af
[ terward its whistle announced its ap
e proach and it stopped at the bifurcatioi
I Of the lines. We climbed up on to tn
! tender, and half an hour later had re
Joined the train.
The dawn had come on sufficiently 70
us to be able to see over a considerable
. distance. Without saying anything 4
anybody, l went in search of the bod.
/ of my poor KinkO. And L could not fin,
2 1t among the wreck.
I As the engine could not reach tn
n front Of the train, owing to there bein
$ only single line, and no turning table
e 1t was decided to couple It on in the rea
$ and run backward to the junction. Ii
T this way the box, alasl without the Rou
/ maniQn in II In tho last Qorria re