Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1906-02-08
TWO IN
THE CAR
BY Henry BeriiTsbotC
Copyright, 1906. IN Mcclure, Phillips & Co

| UiiNt w W ar uliit ; oh STp' N'ti isAiot.
I'm more likely to meet the robbers
than the reward. laughed Halliday.
| The girls face went white.
Joe" she cried, grasping his arm,
do YOU mean TO say that thcy are like
| ly to hold MP your carr
Il was only fooling he laughed. II
didn't mean 10 scTTre you, dear"
She turned from the poster announce
| ing 5000 reward for the arrest of each
| OF the t, rec men who had been holding
| IN the trains on the K. 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
| nntil nearly midnight. and there was
| still an hour before the train should
| roll in from The east.
They said nothing more about the cir
! c'-'ar, but Jcssie's face was clouded.
| and. Try as he would, Joe could not
! coax smile from her.
| The Denver Red gang was operating
| along liue some 800 miles to the
south. and Halliday had given no par
tieular thought TO the poster. Even
now he did not realize that Jessie was
| conluring in her brain visions Of an
express car shattered hy dynamite and
an express messenger with 4 face very
| like his own bleeding from Il dozen
wounds
When the whistle of the limited
sounded far down tie valley they arose
and retraccd their way to the station.
and in the rush of checking his lists
Halliday lost sight of Jessie. When ut
last he stood in the doorway of the car
watching the loading Of the baggage
car behind he di1 NOT see the eager face
upturned toward his 1t WA too late To
jump Gown and go in search of her and
rs 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
az they pulled ont on their long run
over the divide.
Then he turned to his invoices again
and soon was so busily occupied that
he never heard footstep until pair
Of hands were clasped over bis eyes.
With Il cry he sprang to his icet ana
reached for the shotgun in the rack by
the door. He was in the very act Of
taking it down when a cry caused him
to turn again and he confronted Jessie.
Il know it's wrong and it's against
orders ana all thar sort Of thing" she
announced defantly, but | just know
that there is trouble ahead for you to-
night, and | wanted to be with you"
"1herell he trouble enough ahead if
the super finds out" lie agreed, Its
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 u stole ride, and
you can't very well put me off. That's
ALL"
Il wish it were he said quietly as he
turned to his seat again.
Joe" she cried penitently. 'I'll be
very good and won't bother you Mt all"
She crept back TO the end of the car,
NhNlf' uItt,i ~ tbt vim lIEul, size iidu
concealed herself and Struggled down.
1t was long run, and there was much
work to be done. Suddenly Halliday
gave low whistle, and she sprang 10
his side.
What is il, 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 n hurry"
he declared. There should be $4,000
worth of diamonds In Ihat safe
You don't Suppose they can find out
do YOU she asked anxiously.
Joe shook his head Il 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 tue shipment was made over this
line"
For twenty minutes they talked of
me possibility Of n holdup. Then Jes-
SIC crept off to her nook again. and
halliday went on with his work Sud
aenly, with screech and q Jar. the
engine came TO a stop. Joe sprang to
lhe parity opened door to close it. but
ne was half minute too late, for two
curry forms Sprang through the open-
lng, ana while one covered him with
y pistol the other foored him. securely
Dlhding him with the bell rope
Before he had concluded the engine
uad started again, and Joe knew that
they were taking the ear down the road
!. where they could work with greater
freedom. They were climbing grade,
ann while they were headed for the
top lhe other cars were probably slip
ping back.
presently there was another jerk rs
me engine slowed down. and tho two
ta.lris tWHe4 go Joe where's The
Key the sdir3' they demanded
Il haven't any" wa. the cool re-
7p"n,r That's the through safe. I'm
h't supposed TO unlock IT,"
lie must have the key somewhere"
SUGGESTED the second man. Lend
hand"
llioE knelt beside him on the hoor
ana unceremoniously rolled him over
as Jhey searched his pockets. 50 oc-
cupipd We're they thar thcv g.vn hood