The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-03-13


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 it all worked
out like a chess problem. It doesn't
look like a 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 is cut out all right"
Wen did Chief Whitley know the
oaliber Of the man he had so wisely
chosen. Mason did not know the mean
ing of the word fear; he had been
in many a hard-fought scrap with
moonshiners, smugglers and counter
feiters. and carried sears Of more
than one bullet wound. If his chief
had ordered him to arrest a 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 if I know, Cheney. There's
a 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 I 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 were sitting. The sole
leather valise 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 tonight"
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, q
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 chance. Keep your eye
on them, and when we get to St
Joe we may need a little Of your
help" Bellamy had hankering fol
good scrimmage.
"All right, Mason" he replied. q
don't know what it's all about, but
I'm with you whatever it is. I'll put
my head man in that car with or
ders not to leave it. He's all right
You fellows can ride here, and wei
all be on hand when we reach st
Joe"
At five minutes to one Mason anC
Cheney took a position in the rear o
the first car, so they could see ever!
| passenger of the first car alight. Thu
brakeman had purposely locked thu
rear door, so they would, perforce
have to leave by the front Bellamy
the conductor, was near the rear en'
Of the second coach, intending to fol
| low the suspected men as they lef
the car. This literally put them be
tween two fires. Mason and Chene
intended to jump off right after tn
suspects and nab them as soon a
they were met by the third party.
It was a damp dismal night, an
there was a steady rain falling. Tn
train slowly pulled into the old Bul
lington depot. 1t was before the day
Of electricity, and the dim. yellow
fickering gaslight only accentuate
the darkness. Truly, an ideal nigh
J for devilment Of any kind.
AS soon as the train stopped tn
t suspects alighted and started quickl
down the platform Unfortunatel.
} Mason and Cheney were caught in
crowd. AS soon as possible they e,
5 tricated themselves, and scarcely te
c second elapsed before they jumpe
t to the platform, followed BY Bellam.
/. They looked up and down eyerywher
/ but their birds had flown; disappeare
+ as if swallowed up by the earth.
/. was a predicamant and a nasty on
:. They had been ordered to do a certai
d thing, and right on the eve of its a
e complishment they were baked.
d "Well, I'm damned" calculate
I, Cheney
S you will be all right, and 80 WI
S l." said Mason, when the chief hea
c Of this. I've read of mysterious di
i appearances before this, but tho
G. fellows did the fade away act in
o high-class manner" Bellamy was t
d nonplussed to speak.
s. After a careful search Of the dep
v. and the adjoining grounds, Mas
and Cheney checked their valises a.
b went UP town. Bellumy was at t
is end Of bis run and went along. Wal
le Agnew was chief Of police at the tin