The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1907-12-02
The Phantom Train.
fO-igtraLl

agent-noth!ng. no one-on tlat GlsDdl
winter morning except myself. Unshei-
tered. the wind driving the loose
snow past me in sheets. | had TWEEN
" minutes TO wait for the train. which
must flag myself. The engineer.
however. in so sparsely settled coun-
try would have no objection 10 stop
ping for TIE purpose of taking on u
single passenger.
Half the time had elapsed when.
hearing footstep crunching on the
snow behind me. turned and saw "A
man approaching As be neared NE |
noticed that he carried his right arm
in q sling and had his overcOat but
toned at the throat over the arm. \
felt hat was drawn down TO cover his
face. so that | would not see much of
his features. When he came and
stood beside me. looking up the track
for the train, | saw that he had dark,
sandy hair and red beard. rather
unusual combination.
Train on time. sir?' he asked.
Don't know" | replied. Il don't
/ fancy waiting long for it here"
| The man seemed nervous. He cast
| a glance at me that made me uncOm-
Portable. He was an ugly looking fell
/ low. and if he were prepared TO do SO
| il would be an excellent place TO muir
! der and rob me. then hide my body in
! the srow and escape by the train when
! ii came.
81 don't like the looks of this mist
in the air." he remarked.
singular, isn't it? | don't know
that / ever saw anything just like ii
before. Hello, there's the train COM
ing"
1t sprang suddenly into sight with
out a sound TO give us warning.
jumped off the track on which ! was
standing. then waved my handkerchief
for it to stop. which it did, but some
200 feet before it reached US. Selling
/ my satchel, which | had set on the
end of a tie, | ran up the track 10 get
aboard. followed by the man who had
Joined me. But before we had covered
a quarter of the distance the tain dis
appeared as suddenly as if it were q
ghost train run by ghost officials.
stared for a few moments at the place
where it had been. then glanced ut my
companion. He was looking up the
track with the most terrified expires
sion | have ever seen on any mans
face.
Did you see it," | asked.
He didn't hear me. He was mutter
ing incoherently and acting in othel
respects like one demented. tried Il
reassure him by telling him that w
both were so anxious for the train t
come that we had created it in on
ina ginatiOns--a very lame explanation
by the way-but was unable to quie
him. Suddenly | saw him looking on
over the snow with a new and height
ened terror in his eye. | followed it
! direction. and there out on the prairi,
was the train running along as smooth
ly as if it were still on the rails.
So intense was my astonishment, 81
eerie the feeling the phantom train
gave me, that forgot my companiol
completely till, hearing grOan, look
ed about and saw him lying within.
in the snow. This startled me- and
forgot the train in the responsible.
of being out on a broad prairie with
, man who might be in Il death struggle
There was little | could do for hin
except get his head on my knee and
taking a flask from my satchel. pou
a drink of whisky down his throat
While he revived. he did not recove
his head even twelve minutes late
when the train-the real train-preced
ed by a rafting on the rails and tn
usual clatter. steamed up and at m
signal stopped beside us. The conduct
or, standing. on platform. saw me bt
side the sick man and, jumping off. as
sisted me 10 get him aboard.
A number of persons were crowdin
around the invalid. gaping at hin
| when one of them. a trainman. e,
claimed:
.'I'll bet that's Dan Horgan"
! who's Dan Horgan?" / asked
Zone of the men who threw the -
train of the track two weeks ago. xii
ing the engineer. fireman and severe
/ passengers. Then they robbed III
express car. One of the gang is
Jail. has turned states evidence an
named Horgan as their leader"
> But why do you suspect this ma
10 be Horganf'
The informer has described him g
having sandy hair and Il red bearC
Besides. he says that Horgans rig.
arm was shattered by shot from IL
conductor. We've had the deScriptio
on this train ever since il was circuia
ed 10y the company ten days ago"
= The invalid had not regained b
head when we reached the next tow
where the sheriff. advised by telegraph
entered the train and took him int
custody. He did not know that 1
had been betrayed hy his fright
the phantom train. which he doub
less supposed was the one he ha
wrecked coming back Ia haunt hin
Had ii not been for this he could cas-
ly have concealed his identity for II
short distance be had intended 10 ri-
a ride.