Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1907-12-17
CHAPTER XIII.
A Piece of Strategy.

in our overcoat pockets where the
weapons lay.
Where's the train?" / asked, look
ing at the bare track
"Yonder," grunted a native, point
ing his thumb lazily up the road where
the engine lay by the watering tank.
shaking it's thirst
We'll, Just let me and Lockhart
walk ahead" said Fitzhugh grufiy, as
we started along the track. Il
shouldn't have the first idea what we
was here for il you was to be knocked
over"
Fitzhugh could not be much more in
the dark on this point than /, but let
him have his way. II some one was
to be shot, was ready to resign my
claim to the distinction in favor OF the
first conner.
There were perhaps a score of peo-
pie about the car.
There's Abrams" said Lockhart.
There's no danger, then" said Fitz-
hugh with a grin. See, he's beckon-
ing to u.s." tA
We fastened forward eagerly.
What Is it?" / asked.
There's no one here" said Abrams,
with a puzzled look.
went forward to the engine. The
engineer was as close-mOuthed as
though words we're going at a dollar
apiece and the market bounding up
ward. When l tried to question the
fireman the engineer recovered his
tongue and had so many orders to be
attended to that my words were lost
in rattle OF coal and clang of iron.
And the engine, having drunk its
fill, changed it's labored breathing to
kissing and swishing of steam that
sent the hot vapor far on both sides,
and then gathering speed, pulled it's
swift way back the road by which it
had come, leaving the car deserted on
a siding.
Here's a go!" cried Fitzhugh "A
regular puzzler!"
THE first thing is to to visit the
telegraph Office at once" said l. y
The operator was just locking his
little room in the station as we came
up.
mo, sir, no kilograms" he said;
none for anybody"
That is a new way of running
trains" l said with show of indif-
ference, nodding toward the empty
| car.
"Oh, there was a party came up"
said the agent; "a dozen fellows or
more Bill said they took fancy to
get off a mile or more down here, and
! as they We're dn usy -iUuidns crew ne
didn't say anything to stop them"
IL don't see what they can be doing
up in this part of the country" re.
turned innocentIy,
81 guess they know their business
anyway, it's none of mine" said the
agent. do you go in here, sir? Well,
it will save you from a wetting."
We had been walking toward the
hotel, and the chatty agent left us
under its veranda just as the light
drops began to patter down in the dust
of the road, and to dim the outlines 81
the distant hills.
The home guard Of our party re.
ceived the news calmly.
Wainwright had established a
modus vivendi with his young charge
and | saw that he managed to get a
word out of him now and then. l had
to abandon the theory that the boy
was dumb, but l suspected that it was
fear rather than discretion that bird.
led his tongue.
DO you think the gang have got
into town." asked one.
They'll have wet jackets if they are
on the road" | returned, looking at
the rain outside.
Hadn't We better find out?" in
quired Wainwright
Are you in a hurry?" l asked in
turn. THE landlord has promised to
send up a good dinner in a few min
| ues'
But you see"
Yes, / see, l interrupted. 'T see
this-that they are here, that there
are a dozen or more OF them, and that
! they are ready for any deviltry. What
more can we find out by roaming over
the country"
Wainwright nodded his agreement
with me.
And them | continued they won't
try to do anything until after dark
not before the middle of the night, /
should say-or until the townspeople
have gone to bed
You're right, sir" said Abrams. "A
dark night and clear field suits that
gang best"