The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-12-13

poSfte step or the Nadia and ran toward
the commissary stables. Three shots
bit into the silence. and the
fat cook ran on. stumbling and
shrieking- But the man Williams
stopped short and fell on his face. roll
ing over q moment later to lie with
arms and legs Outspread.
"Godr said Ford. between his set
teeth; they saw who they were-they
couldn't help seeing. And there was no
excuse for killing those poor devils"'
But there was no time for reprisals.
if any could have been made. When
Brissac rejoined the two in the for
ward vestibule the stiff bodied snake. /,
with it's tin head and trailing horn. was
crossing the second rail of the inter
vening siding.
We've got to think pretty swiftly"
suggested Adair. still cool and unruf-
fed. Il might be able TO, hit that tin
pose that would only precipitate mat
tiers. What do you say?'
Ford could not say. and Brissac
seemed to have become suddenly petri-
fed with horror. He was staring at
the lettering on the bOxcar opposite
the one unde~ whose trucks the dyna-
miters were hiding
Look he gasped; ITS the car OF
explosives. and they don't know itr'
kitchen. returning quickly with huge
carving knife rummaged from the pan
try shelves. stand back and give me
ROOM" he begged; and they saw him
lean out to send the carving knife
whistling through the air; saw ii sever
the head from the stiff bodied snake
the head and the trailing horn as WELL
Good mani" apPIauded Adair drag
ging the assistant engineer back to
safety before any of the sharpshooters
had marked him down. Where did
you learn that trick?'
1T is my one little accomplishment"
confessed the Louisianan. IAN old
ChicNasaw chief taught me when 1 was
a boy in the bayou country"
The peril was over for the moment.
The severed pole was Withdrawn. and
for what seemed like an endless in
terval the attack paused. The three
besieged men kept watch as they might.
creeping from window TO window. Out
under the blue glare OF the commits
sary arc light the body OF the negro
porter Law as IL had fallen. Once. Ford
thought he heard groans from the black
shadow where the fat cook had disap-
peared. but he could not be sure On
the other side of the private car. and
half way between IL and the 40. 600
pound load OF high explosives. the pc
tard oyster tin lay undisturbed with
the carving knife sticking in the sand
beside it.
What will they try next?" queried
Adair. when the suspense was again
growing intolerable
1T is simple enough. if they happen
to think of It," was Ford's rejoinder
"A few sticks of dynamite in a plugged
gas pipe; cut your fuse long enough.
light it. and throw the thing under the
car. That would settle it,"
Adair yawned sleepily
Well. they've got all night for the
inventive part of IL. There's no rescue
for us unless somebody good husky
army OF somebOdies-just happens
along"
The army is less than eight miles
away-Over at F'rfsbie's camp" said
Ford With Dick to lead them. the
about five minutes. If I could only
get to the wire."
Brisssc heard the "if"
Let me try to run their picket line.
Ford" he said eagerly. IF / can get
around TO our quarters and into the
telegraph tent
You couldn't do il. Roy. There is
the proof Of it," pointing to the body
OF the slain negro But l have been
thinking of another scheme. The track
camp wire is bracketed across the yard
; on the light poles. / have my pocket
relay. 1 wonder if We could manage
TO cut in on that wire?"
Wait a minute" Brissac interrunt-
ed He was gone but a moment. and
: when he returned he brought hope with
|, him.
The wire is down and lying across
the front vestibule.' he announced ex-
citedly They must have cut Il up
: yonder by the telegraph tent and the
slack has sagged down this way"
rf
out any batteries" said Ford gloomily.
r and then: Hold on-aren't there ele@
trio call bells in this car Adair?"
, Yes, several Of them; one in each
, state room"
! Good. that means batteries Of some
sort. said Ford. "Rurlmage for them.
Brissac, while get that wire in
. here"
The wire was successfully pulled in
through the front vestibule without
giving the alarm. Ford twisted il in
two when he had enough Of il TO reach
! the central compartment Adair ala
sentry duty while the two technicians
! wrought swiftly. The bell battery was
! found. the ground connection made
with bit of copper wire stripped from
one Of the staterooms. and Ford quick
: ly adjusted the delicate spring of the
tiny field relay.
What he feared most was that the
a rev uEJ cells OF the Dell battery would
not supply the current for. the eight
miles of line up Horse creek For a
time. which heightened TO dragging
| minutes, the anxious experimenters
: hung over the tiny field instrument.
The sensitive magnet seemed wholly
y dead. Then, suddenly. II began TO tick
. hesitantly in response 10 Ford's tapping
!. OF the key.
:. Thank God. the battery is strong
Y enough, he exclaimed Now IL there
( is somebody within hearing at Frisbie's
v end of the line
He was clicking persistentIy and pa
!, tiently, EFT" EFT EFT" ALTERNATING
a now and then with the Horse creek
n call and his own private code letter
- when Adair came up from his post al
l. one OF the rear windows The COLDER
: youth was the bearer Of tidinzs
but Ford held up his hand FOR
9 silence; some one was breaking in n
!, reply from Frisbie's-Frisbie himself
+ as the minimized tickings speedily an.
: nOunced.
|. Ford shipped out his call for helr
a IN the fewest possible words:
r Arm McGrath's gang and bring II by