The Press., 1906-03-21
TWO IN
THE CAR
Copyright, 1906. bp Mcclure. Phillips d C
BY Henry BsrISnSboO

The girls face went white.
Joe" she cried, grasping his arm,
do you mean to say that they are like
~ to hold up your carr"
81 was only fooling," he laughed. Il
didn't mean to scare yOu dear"
She turned from the poster annoupc-
ing $1,000 reward for the arrest of each
of the three men who had been holding
up the trains on the r. and g., and
they went across the street from the
station to where the polished marble
of the soda fountain cleaned attrac-
lively in the light. -.
Halliday did not commence his run
until nearly midnight, and there was
still an hour before the train should
roll in from the east.
They said nothing more about the cir
cular but Jessie's face was clouded,
and, try as he would, Joe could not
coax smile from her.
The Denver Red gang was operating
along a line some 300 miles to the
south, and Halliday had given no par
| ticular thought to the poster. Even
now he did not realize that Jessie was
conjuring in her brain visions OF an
| express car shattered by dynamite and
| an express messenger, with face very
| like his own. bleeding from a dozen
wounds.
| When the whistle of the limited
| sounded far down the valley they arose
| and retraced their way to the station
| and in the rush of checking his lists
| Halliday lost sight of Jessie. When at
last he stood in the doorway of the car
watching the loading of the baggage
| car behind he did not see the eager race
| upturned toward his. 1t was too late to
| lump down and go in search OF her, ana
as he stood in the door Of the car while
the train ratified through the yards he
wondered what had become of her
| Usually hers was the last face he saw
| as they pulled out on their long run
| over the divide.
Then he turned to his invoices again
and soon was so busily occupied that
he never heard a footstep until pair
of hands were clasped over his eyes.
With cry he sprang to his feet and
reached for, the shotgun in the rack by
the door. He was in the very act Of
taking it down when cry caused him
to turn again and he confronted Jessie.
81 know it's wrong and it's against
orders and all that sort of thing" she
announced defiantly, but l just know
| that there is trouble ahead, for you to-
night. and l wanted to be with YOU
"'There'll be trouble enough ahead if
L AZ hn %
dead against the rules for any one to be
permitted to ride in the express cars"
You didn't permit me-" she argued
with feminine logic 81 stole a ride, and
you can't very we'll put me off. That's
ALL"
Il wish it WERE" he said quietly as he
turned to his seat again.
"Joe," she cried penitently, ''pll be
very good and won't bother you at all. -
She crept back to the end of the car,
where, aided by the dim light, she had
concealed herself and Struggled down.
It was long run. and there was much
work to be done. Suddenly Halliday
| gave low whistle, and she sprang to
| his side
What is it, dear?' she asked anx-
iously. He pointed to an entry in the
| invoice
| IF Denver Red and his gang knew
Of that they'd be up here in a hurry"
he declared. There should be $4,000
worth of diamonds in that safe"
| "You don't suppose they can find out,
do you:" she asked anxiously.
Joe shook his head. 81 don't suppose
So" he said; but, all the same, they
have been lucky in picking up only the
cars with rich loads. That's probably
why the shipment was made over this
line"
For twenty minutes they talked OF
the possibility Of holdup. Then Jes-
sic crept Off to her nook again, and
Halliday went on with his work. Sud
denly, with a screech and a jar, the
engine came to stop. Joe sprang to
the partly opened door to close it, but
he was half a minute too late, for two
burly forms sprang through the open
ing, and while one covered him with
a pistol the other tioored him, securely
binding him with the bell rope.
Before he had concluded the engine
had started again, and Joe knew that
they We're baking the car down the road
to where they could work with greater
freedom. They were climbing a grade
and while they were headed for the
top the other cars were probably slip.
ping back.
Presently there was another jerk as
the engine slowed down, and the two
robbers turned to Joe. "Where's the
key to the safer" they demanded.
81 haven't any," was the cool re
Spouse. That's the through safe. I'm
not supposed to unlock It."
"He must have the key somewhere D
suggested the second man. Lend q
hand"
They knelt beside him on the fool
and unceremoniously rolled him ovel
as they searched his pockets. SO oc
cupied were they that they gave heec
to nothing else until a stern command
Of Drop thatr' rang through the car
and they sprang to their feet to con
front short barreled shotgun in Jes
sizes hands.
Instinctively they threw up theil
hands while they commented upon the
situation with vigor of language thai
led Jessie to remark that she would
shoot anyway unless, they kept silent.
Still covering them with a gun, she
moved forward to where Halliday lay
and with one hand cut the cords which
bound him. 1t was an easy task after
that to bind and gag the two men, and
together she and Joe, who had armed
himself from the outlaws belts, drop
| nod from the car and got to the aid of
the fireman and engineer, who were
under the guard of the third member
Of the party.
Here they were four against one, and
ten minutes later the engine and cal
were backing down the grade to picI
up the train, while Jessie, Aow that the
danger had passed, sat in Joe's chair
| ..i.lis.L, olta,na talU sha ken