The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-06-04
The Phantom Train.


track on desolate prairie OF Manitoba
waiting for train. There was 40
station. no station agent, baggage
agent-nothing. no one-on that dismal
winter morning except myself. unshel-
tered. the wind driving the loose
snow past me in sheets. 1 had TWEEN
ty minutes to wait for the train. which
l must flag myself. The engineer.
however. in SO sparsely a settled coun-
try would have no objection to stop
ping for the purpose OF taking on u
single passenger.
Half the time had elapsed when.
hearing n footstep crunching on the
snow behind me. l turned and saw
man approaching. AS he neared me |
noticed that he carried his right arm
in sling and had his overcoat but
toned at the throat over the arm. A
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 a red beard. rather
unusual com bination
Train on time. sirT' he asked
Don't know" l replied. II don't
fancy waiting long for it here"
The man seemed nervous. He cast
q glance ut me that made me uncom-
Portable. He was an ugly looking fell
low, and If he were prepared to do so
1t would be an excellent place to muir
der and rob me, then hide my body in
the snow and escape by the train when
1t came.
Il don't like the looks of this mist
in the air." he remarked
singular, isn't 1t? don't know
that l ever saw anything just like it
before. Hello, there's the train COM
ing!"
1t sprang suddenly into sight with.
out sound to give us warming.
jumped off the track on which | was
standing. then waved my handkerchief
for 1t to stop. which it did, but some
2oo feet before it reached us. Selling
my Satchel, which l had set on the
end OF tie. 1 ran up the track to get
aboard. followed by the man who had
joined me. But before we had covered
quarter of the distance the train dis
appeared as suddenly as If it were n
ghost train run by ghost officials
stared for n few moments ut the place
where it had been, then glanced at my
companion. He was looking up the
track with the most terrified express
sion l have ever seen on any mans
face.
Did you see it?" l asked
He didn't hear me. He was mutter.
ing incoherently and acting in other
respects like one demented tried to
reassure him by telling him that we
both were so anxious for the train to
come that we had created it in our
lmaginations-a very lame explanation
ny the way-but was unable to quiet
him. Suddenly l saw him looking OUT
over the snow with n new and height
ened terror in his eye. followed its
direction, and there out on the prairie
was the train running along as smooth
ly as If it were still Oh the rails.
SO intense was my establishment so
eerie the feeling the phantom train
gave me. that l forgot my companion
completely till. hearing n groan, l look
cd about and saw him lying writhiu.
in the snow. This startled me, and
forgot the train in the responsibility
OF being out on Il broad prairie with u;
man who might be in il death struggle
There was little ! could do for him
except get his head on my knee anu,
taking flask from my satchel. pour
drink Of whisky down his throat
! While he revived. he did not recover
ms head even twelve minutes later
| when the train-the real train-preced-
| ell by rattlinG on the rails and the
| usual clatter. steamed up and at my
signal stopped beside us. The conduct
or. standing on !; platform. saw me be-
side the sick man and. jumping OFF. as
sisted me to get him aboard
\ number of persons were crowdiu..
around the invalid. gaping at him.
/ when one of them. II trainman, ex-
claimed:
/ III bet that's Dan Horsan,"
'Who's Dan IIorganE" | asked
( 'One of the men who threw the -
train Off the track two weeks ago. kill
ing the engineer. fireman and Sevcr:il
! passengers. Then they robbed the
! express car. One of the gang is in
| Jail. has turned states evidence and
named Ilorgan as their leader"
But why do you suspect this man
! to he Horgan:
THE informer has described him as
! having sandy hair. and IL red beard
/ Besides. he says that uorgum's right
arm waS shattered by Il shot from the
conductor We've had the description
on this train ever since it WAS circula I.
ed by the company ten days ago"
The Invalid had not regaincd his
head when we reached the next town
where the sheriff. advised by telegra phi
entered the train and took him into
custody. He did not know that he
had l,...,,