The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-08-19
CHAPTER SSIL.

CHAPTER XXII.
In a moment the pa ssenGers, more or
less bruised and alarmed. -ere out on
the track. Nothing but complaints and
questions uttered in three or four differ
ent languages. amid general bewilder-
ment.
Faruskiar. Ghangir and the four Mon
gOls were the first TO Jump of the cars.
They are out on the line, kandijar In one
hand. revolver in the other. No doubt
an attack has been organized TO pillage
the train
The rails have been taken up for about
a hundred yards, and the engine, after
humping over the sleepers. has come TO
a standstin in a sand hill.
what, The railroad not finished
and they sold me through ticket from
Tihis 70 Pekin. And I came by this
TranSasiatic to save nine days in my
trip round the world shouted the voice
of the irascible baron.
The baron is mista KEN" srid POpof
the railway is completed, and il a hun
dred yards Of rails have been lifted here.
IL has been with some criminal inten,
ton"
To stop the train exclaim.
And steal the treasure they are send
ing TO Pekin!..' says Caterna
There is 40 doubt Of that" says
Popof. BE ready TO repulse an attack"
1T is kiTsang and his gang that we
have 20 do with p I ask.
kiTsang. The name spread among
the passengers and caused inexpressible
terror.
The major said to me in a low voice.
Why ktTsang? Why not my lord
Faruskiar?'
''He-ths manager of the Transasi-
aticY'
''If IT IS true that :he company had to
take several Of these robber chiefs into
its confidence to assure the safety Of the
ira ms"
Il will never believe that, major"
As you please. Monsieur Bombarnac.
But assuredly Faruskiar knesg that this
pretended mortuary van contained mill
iCus."
Come, major, this is no time for Iok-
ing"
No. it was the time for defending. and
defending ones self coura geously. The |
Chinese officer has placed his men around
the treasure van. They are twenty in
number, and the rest Of the passengers,
rot counting the women, amount TO thir- |
y. Popof distributes the weapons, |
which are carried in ease Of attack. /
Major NoltItz, Caterua, Pan Chao. Eph- /
-iLell, driver and stoker passengers. Ash /
attic and European. all resolve TO fight /
for the common safety.
On the right Of the line about a hun /
ired yards away, stretches a deep.
gloomy thieket. a sort Of jungle. In which /
doubtless are hidden the robbers, await |
ing the signal to pouace upon Us
suddenly there il a burst If shouting 1
the thiCket has given passage to the /
gang in ambush--some sixty MonRols, /
nomads Of the Gobi If these rascals /
beat us, the train will be pillagei. the .
treasure Of the son IF Heaven will be /
stolen and, what concerns Us more in I
.iInately. the passengers viii be nassa- /
red without mercy.
And Faruskfar. whom Major Noltitz \
70 unjustly suspected? l look at him. /
His face IS no longer the same: his fine
features have become pale. his height /
lHs Increased, there Is lightning in bis .
.Tes.
The bandits FIRE volley. and begin
their arms and shouting /
Raruskiar. pistol in one hand. kaudfjar in
he other, has rushed on to them. his
-Tes cleaning, his lips covered With
light foam. Ghangir Is at his side. fol
owed by four hongols whom be is ez.
.itinz By word and gesture.
Major Noltitz and I throw ourselves
alto the midst Of our assaiIants. "a.
erna is in front Of "a, his mouth omen
is white teeth ready to ute, his eyes
linking. his revolver Hourishing about.
The actor has given place to the Old sail.
n who has reappeared for the occasion.
These beggars want to board US
aid he. Forward, forward, for the
lonor Of the flag. To port. there. fire.
To starboard. there. 6rel All together.
ire
And 1t waE with no property daggers
le was armed, nor dummy pistols loaded
Sith inOhensiye powder No. A revolver
n each hand, he was bounding along, fir
ng right and left, and everywhere.
Fan Chao also exposed himself brave
:, smile on his lips, Rallantly leading
N the other Chinese passengers. Popof
md the railway men did their duty
,ravely Sir Francis Trevellyan, Of
lFevellyHn Hall, took matters very
DOLLY, but Ephrinell abandoned himself
:" true Yankee fury. being no less irri-
ated at the interruption to his marriage
han as to the danger run by bis forty.
W9 packages Of artificial teeth.
faruskiar, my hero cannot call him
Inything else-displnys extraordinary in
fepidity' bearing himself the boldest In
he struggle. and when he had exhausted
iis revolver. using his kandfjnr like a
nan who had often faced death and new
r feared H.
Already there were few wounded on
10Th sides. perhaps a fsw dead among
he passengers, who lay on the line. 1