Amador ledger., 1906-02-23


said Jessie wistfully, I'VE would not
have to wait until you got your raise"
"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 they are like
ly to hold up your carr"
81 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 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 800 miles to the
south, and Halliday had given no par
ticular thought to the poster. Even
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 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 so busily occupied that
he never heard a footstep until a pair
Of hands were clasped over his eyes.
With a 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 1t down when a cry caused him
to turn again and he confronted Jessie.
II know it's wrong and it's against
orders and all that sort of thing" she
announced defantly, "but 1 just know
that there is trouble ahead for you to-
night, and I wanted to be with you"
"There'll be trouble enough ahead if
the super finds out" he agreed. ''It's
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 well put me off. That's
ALL"
81 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 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 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, dearH 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 a 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
pistol the other foored 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 safer" they demanded.
Il haven't any," was the cool re-
sponse. That's the through safe. I'm
not supposed to unlock It."
He must have the key somewhere"
suggested the second man. Lend a
hand"
They knelt beside him on the floor
and unceremoniously rolled him over
as they searched his pockets. So oc-
cupied were they that they gave heed
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 their