Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1905-09-09

to his secret, l shall be sorry if l keep
it, If he defrauded the Grand Trans
asiatic it is thanks to that fraud that
a whole train has been saved. We were
lost we should have persisted In the most
horrible of deaths if Kinko had not been
there.
went beck to the line, my heart
heavy, my eyes full of tears.
Assuredly Faruskiar's scheme, in the
execution of which he had executed his
rival, Ki-Tsang, had been cleverly con-
trived in utilizing this branch line leading
to the unfinished viaduct. Nothing was
easier than to switch off the train If an
accomplish was at the points. And as
soon as the signal was given that we
were on the branch all he had to do was
to gain the footplate, kill the driver
and stoker, slow the train and get off,
leaving the steam on full to work up to
full speed.
And now there could be no doubt that
the scoundrels, worthy the most refined
fortunes that Chinese practice could de-
wise, were Fastening down into the lion
valley. There, amid the wreck of the
train, they expected to find the fifteen
millions of gold and precious stones, and
this treasure they could carry off with
out fear of surprise when the night en-
abled them to consummate this fearful
crime. Well, they have been robbed,
these robbers, and l hope they will pay
for their crime with their lives, at the
least. 1 alone know what has passed,
but 1 will tell the story, for poor Kinko
is no more.
Yes, my mind is made up. l will
speak as soon as I have seen Zinca
Klork. The poor girl must be told with
consideration. The death of her be-
trothed must not come upon her like
underclap. Yes, tomorrow, as soon as
we are at Pekin.
After all, If l do not say anything
about Kinko, l may at least denounce
Fsruskiar and Changer and the four
Mongols. 1 can say that 1 saw them go
through the van, that 1 followed them,
that l found they were talking on the
gangway, that l heard the screams of
the driver and stoker as they were
strangled on the footplate, and that
then returned to the cars, shouting,
Back Backr' or whatever 1t 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 standstill of itself. and thus the
passengers had been saved a violent
| shock.
OF the boiler and it's 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. It's tank had been cracked
and it's load of Goals scattered over the
line. The luggage van, curious to re-
late, had miraculously escaped without
injury.
sit is only too evident" said one OF
the passengers, that our driver and
stoker have persisted in the explosion"
Poor fellowsv' said Popof. but
wonder how the train could have got
on the Nankin branch without being no
ticed?"
1.-THE night was very dark" said Eph
, rinell, 'and the driver could not sec
the points"
THAT is the only explanation posi-
ble," said Popof, 'for he would hav,
, tried to stop the train, and, on the con
trary, we were travelling at tremendous
speed"
, But" said Pan Chao, chow does +
I happen the Nankin branch was oper
when the Tjon viaduct is not finished
; Had the switch been interfered with p
Undoubtedly" said Popof, "and prob
I ably out of carelessness."
, Up to now Major Noltitz had taker
no part in the discussion. Now he in
terrupted Popof, and in a voice hear,
by all, he asked:
"Where is Faruskiar?'
! They all looked about and tried to dis
o cover what had become of the manage
os the Transasiatic.
q "And where is his friend Ghangir ?
= asked the major. There was no reply
"And where are the four Mongols VIII
were In the rear vanT" asked Majo
: Noltitz.
n And none of them presented them
A selves.
"Well, them" said Major Noltitz, eth
b rascal who sent us on to the Nanki
line, who would have hurled us into tn
s Tjon valley, to walk off with the impe
rial treasure, Is Faruskiar."