Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1905-11-22
copyrlght. ls90. Lby stFeet ana smItG

Smithers as far as it is possible.
He is already figuring in his mind
what his course may be later on,
should they succeed in their chase
What win General Toledo do?
Can it be possible he has had wind
of the truth concerning the dynamite
plot andthat his design is to prevent
I the threatened catastrophe?
That rs not without the bounds of
reasona and yet Jack hardly believes
it to be the true nature of his mis-
sion.
More than likely he bears secret
! but important orders to the officer in
command Of the soldiers regarding
some move he is expected to make
against the Insurgents.
After all what does it matter SO
long as their end is assdred, and the
girls saved?
So he continues to plan ahead, be-
lieying that in this way time may be
saved. z
Fortune seems kind, for although
their speed is Increased and they fly
around dangerous curves, nothing in
the shape of disaster has as yet over
taken them.
The general has his watch in his
hand, and as they flash by another
station he looks at the time, the fire.
door being open and the cab flooded
with light.
"six-thirty-nine," Jack hears him
say
That means nine minutes since they
left Havana behind.
How far is this station out?o he
questions, anxious to know Just the
distance they have come.
Between seven and half and
eight miles, senor,' replies General
Toledo, with a broad smile, as though
the honor Of the enterprise rests
wholly upon his shoulders.
Nearly eight miles in nine min
utes! Why it is almost incredible"
he exclaims; while Smithers says,
hollowly: M
Simply suicide, Senior Jack"
Evidently he has slight hopes of
coming out Of the adventure alive
No one asks the opinion of poor All
Sin, who crouches there and be-
'seeches his Joss to tide him over this
new emergency. so that he may burn
many packages of sacred paper in the
house of the gods as a penance.
1t is a period of intense excitement.
They are reasonably sure that the
track is in fairly decent condition,
since the special has just passed over
it ahead of them But for this it would
be doubly dangerous to advance at
such a speed, as misplaced rail
would send them into eternity, and
there are thousands of men among
the insurgents desperate enough to re-
sort to such means in order to gain
their end,
The country is growing more level
now, and they will soon be able to
see whether their furious pace has
borne fruit
Another station
Twelve miles out.
Jack has chill at the thought that
not more than ten or twelve more in
tervene before the scene of execution
Will be reached.
Patience, senior; we turn curve
here, and issue upon a plateau. The
next station is then in sight. I be-
lieve we will find our train at that
point says the general.
His words fall like music on the
heart Of Trayers, for that usually
hopeful individual has begun to de-
spair lest they may. after all, be too
late-lest the awful crash comes to
tell them the vengeance of the insur-
gents has fallen.
Aroused with new hope, he leans
out of the cab to look ahead, his heart
beating in anxiety, his eyes keenly on
the alert.
AS long as he lives Jack can never
forget the strain Of the next thirty
seconds. Why, it seems to him as
though his very heart has ceased to
perform its customary function.
Then they speed around the-last
curve. The hills are left behind, and
the engine dashes out upon the pla-
teau.
Every eye is on the watch, and from
several throats ring out shouts that
tell of victory
The train is in sight
Even the wretched All Sin staggers
to his feet, and feasts his eyes upon
the sight.
THEY are going aheadp exclaims
.thers as he discovers that the
train is certainly in motion
The experienced engine driver, as
he gradually reduces their own mad
pace, ventures to contradict this pos
tive assertion.
mo, no-iust pulling into the sta
Llon, senors," he afilrms, eagerly.