The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-04-07


portant on hand now"
Mason handed Cheney his chiefs
letter and together they studied its
contents carefully.
No mistaking the chiefs intent: is
there. Chuck?" said Cheney.
That's true" replied Mason. The
old man appears to have II all worked
out like chess problem 1t doesn't
look like very pleasant job. though.
That train leaving Shenandoah at
eight p. m reaches st. Joe at one in
the morning. There the two men are
to be Joined by third party, and we
are to pinch the whole crowd. Our
work 10 cut out all right"
Well did Chief Whitley know the
caliber of the man he had SO wisely
chosen. Mason did not know the mean.
inS of the word fear. he had been
in many a hard-fought scrap with
moonshiners. smugglers and counter.
feiters, and carried scars of more
than one bullet wound. II his chief
had ordered him to arrest dozen
men he would have made the attempt.
Truly did he possess the Balaklava
spirit:
Theirs not to reason why:
Theirs but to do and die"
What case do you reckon this is.
Mason
Hanged II | know. Cheney. There's
whole slew Of them on now. You
can bet the old man knows what he's
talking about He's the best long
distance detective | know"
Two days later they took a train
and reached Shenandoah after dark
At eight p. m. they boarded the St
Joe train, and at the first station
south two men, one carrying a sole
leather valise," got aboard Mason
and Cheney saw them enter the car
Immediately in rear of the one in
which they We're sitting Tho sole
leather valisc appeared to be rather
heavy, and was carefully guarded.
The train conductor, Jack Bellamy.
knew Mason quite well. in fact, had
served with him during the war, and
greeted him pleasantly.
Hello, Mason, what's on to.night?"
Go through your train" replied
Mason; then come back here and
I'll tell you. Watch out for two men
in the next car" Briefly he described
the men.
When Bellamy returned he sat
down opposite Mason and Cheney,
| and quietly Mason told him the lay.
Now, Jack" continued Mason, Il
don't want those birds to get on to
either me or Cheney They may know
us, and they may not; but we won't
give them a chance. Keep your eye
on them, and when we get to st.
| Joe we may need little of your
help" Belamy had a hankering for
good scrimmage.
"All right, Mason" he replied 81
| don't know what it's all about, but
I'm with you whatever 1t is. Ill put
my head man in that car with or.
ders not to leave it. He's all right.
You fellows can ride here. and well
all be on hand when we reach st.
joe"
At five minutes to one Mason and
| Cheney took a position in the rear of
the first car, so they could see every
| passenger of the first car alight The
brakeman had purposely locked the
rear door, so they would perforce.
have to leave by the front. Belamy,
the conductor, was near the rear end
of the second coach. intending to fol-
low the suspected men as they left
the car. This literally put them be-
tween two fires. Mason and Cheney
intended to jump off right after the
suspects and nab them as soon as
they were met by the third party.
1t was a damp dismal night, and
there was steady rain falling The
train slowly pulled into the old Bur,
lington depot, 1t was before the days
of electricity. and the dim. yellow
nickering gaslight only accentuated
the darkness, Truly, an ideal night
for devilment Of any kind.
As soon as the train stopped the
suspects alighted and started quickly
down the platform. Unfortunately
| Mason and Cheney were caught in a
crowd. As soon as possible they ex
tricated themselves, and scarcely ten
second elapsed before they jumped
to the platform. followed by Bellamy
They looked up and down everywhere
but their birds had flown; disappeared
as If swallowed up by the earth. II
was a predlcament and nasty one
They had been ordered to do certain
thing, and right on the eve OF its ac
complishment they were baked.
"Wol, I'm damned" calculated
Cheney.
"You will be all right. and 30 will
l." said Mason, when the chief hears
OF this. I've read of mysterious dis
appearances before this, but those
fellows did the fade away act In &
high-class manner" Bellamy was toS
nonplussed to speak.
After a careful search of the depo
and the adjoining grounds Masor
and Cheney checked their valises anC
went up town. Bellamy was at tn,
! Of fg 4 al Il