Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1906-01-25
TWO in
THE CAR
BY Henry BerffnSboG

y
Is to hold up your carr
Il was only fooling," he laughed. 81
didn't mean to scare you, dear"
She turned from the poster announc-
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 Jessies 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 800 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 a face very
like his own, bleeding from 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 face
upturned toward his 1t was too late to
jump down and go in search of her, and
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 50 busily occupied that
he never heard a footstep until a pair
of hands were clasped over his eyes.
With cry he sprang to his feet and
reached for the shotgun in the rack by
taking it down when a 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 defantly, "but l just know
that there is trouble ahead for you to-
night, and 1 wanted to be with you"
''There'll be trouble enough ahead If
a. l..
dead against the rules for any one to be
permitted to ride in the express cars"
You didn't permit ne she argued
with feminine iutsic.- stole ride, and
you can't very well put me off That's
ALL"
II wish it We're" he said quietly as he
turned to his seat again,
Joe" she cried penitently, "I'll 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 snuggled down.
1t was a long run, and there was much
work to be done. Suddenly Halliday
gave a 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 n 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.
To- oh Il, . Il
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 n holdup. Then Jes-
sic crcpt off to her nook again, and
Halliday went on with his work. Sud
denly, with n screech and a jar, the
engine came to q stop. Joe sprang to
the partly opened door to close it, but
he was half Il minute too late, for two
burly forms sprang through the open
Ing, and while one covered him with
u pistol the other 1oored him, securely
binding him with the bell rope.
Before he had concluded the engine
had started again, and Joe knew that
they were taking 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 safe?" they demanded
81 haven't any," was the cool re
sponse. That's the through safe. I'm
not supposed to unlock It,"
'IIe must have the key somewhere"
suggested the second man. Lend a
hand"
They knelt beside him on the floor
and unceremoniousIy rolled him over
as they searched his pockets. SO oc-
cupled were they that they gave heed
10 nothing else until stern command
of Drop thatp' rang through the car,
and they sprarg TO their feet TO con-
front a short barreled shotgun In Jes-
sle's hands.
Instinctively they threw up their
hands while they commented upon tho
situation with vigor Of language that
led Jessie TO remark that she would
shoot anyway unless they kept silent
Still covering them with gun, she
moved forward to where Halliday lay
and with one hand cut the cords which
bound him. 1t was an easy 35k after
that TO bind and gag the two men, aud
together she and Joe, who had armed
himself from the outlaws belts, drop
ped 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 car
were backing down the grade TO pick
up the train, while Jessie, now that the
danger had passed, sat in Joe's chair
her gIrllsh frame alternately shaken
with laughter and tears.
ut was easy" she explained. 81 was
asleep until the train stopped. That
woke me up, and l was just going to
ask what was the matter when l heard
the two men.
II thought IL would be best to wait II
moment and see what was happening,
then / remembered how you jumped
for that shotgun In the rack.
"It was right over my head, and they
were so busy with you that they never