The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-09-09

1
to gain the footplate. kill the driver
and stoker, slow the train and get of,
leaving the steam on full 70 work mp 70
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 Tjon
valley. There, amid the wreck Of the
train, they expected to and the fifteen
millions Of gold and precious stones, and
this treasure they could carry OF with
out fear Of surprise when the night en-
/ abled them to consummate this fearful
crime. Well. they have been robbed,
these robbers, and hope they win pay
for their crime with their lives. at the
least. alone know what has passed,
but win tell the story, for POOR KinkO
Is no more.
Yes. my mind l. made up. I viii
speak as soon as l have seen Zinea
klOrk. The poor girl must be told with
consideration. The death Of her be-
trothed must not come upon her like a
thunderciap. Yes. tomorrow, as soon as
we are at Pekin.
After all, II do not say anything
about kinko. l may at least denounce
Fsruskiar and Ghangir and the four
Mongols- can say that saw them go
through the van. that l followed them,
that l found they were talking on the
gangway, that l heard the screams Of
the driver and stoker IS they were
srrangled on the footplate. and that
then returned to the cars, shouting.
Back BackF' or whatever Il was.
We are now standing at the head Of
the train, Major NOltitz. the German
baron, Caterna, Ephrinell. Pan Chao,
PopOf-Gbout 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 ls.
II the train. which was then running
at an enormous velocity. had not stopped
suddenly and thus brought about its de-
struction II 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 4 standstin Of itself. and thus the
passengers had been saved q 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
dersd useless Its 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.
1T IL 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
ticed?'
The night was very dark" said Eph-
rinell, ''and the driver could not see
the points"
That is the only explanation posi-
BILE" said Popof, "for he would have
tried to stop the train. and, on the con
traFy. we were travelling at tremendous
speed"
But" said Pan Chao. ''how does It
happen the Sankin branch was open
when the Ton Viaduct Is not finished
Had the switch been interfered within
Undoubtedly" said Popof, "and prob
ably out Of careIessness."
Up to now Major Soltitz had taken
No part In the discussion Now he in
terrupted Popof, and In q voice heard
By all, he asked:
where Is FaruskiarP'
They all looked about and tried to dis
cover what had become Of the manager
% the Transasiatic.
"And where Is his friend GhangirY'
asked the major. There was no reply.
And where are the four MouRols who
were in the rear VanY' asked Major
Noltitz.
And none of them presented them
selves.
swell. then" said Major Eolti,z. SHE
rascal who sent us on TO the Nnnkin
Tjon valley, to walk of with the impe-
rial treasure, Is Faruskiar,"
WHAT said Popof 1.-THE manager
Of the company, who 30 courageously
drove of the bandits and killed their
chief, ktTsang. with bis own handf'
Then l entered on the scene.
NV H1@9A AAbA mistaken IL WNH
Faruskiar who laid this trap for rs"
And amid the general stupefaction I
told them what knew. aud what good
fortune had enabled me 10 ascertain.
l told them how | had overheard the
plan Of FaruskiaP and his Mongola.
when IL was too late to stop II, but /
was silent regarding the Intervention Of
kinko. The moment had not come, and
l would do him Justice IN due time.
Now that all danger had disappeared,
we must take immediate measures for
running back the cars on TO the PekIn
line.
The best thing to do Is 70 20 to the
nearest station. that Of Fuen-Choo, and
telegraph to Tai-Youan for them To send
on relief engine" / suggested.
Twelve Of u, including Pan Chao, |
Caterna and myself. volunteered TO &C
company Major Noltitz. But By com
mon accord we advised Popof not 10
abandon the train, assuring him that we
would do all that was necessary at
Fuen-Choo.