The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-01-02

! station. no station agent, baggage
agent nothing. no one-.on that dismal
winter morning except ,nysclf. unshel,
tered. the wind driving tho loose
snow past mo IN sheets. ! had twen'
ty minutes to wait for tho train. which
III must flag myself. The engineer,
however, In no spnrsely settled coun.
try would have no objection " stop.
ping for the purpose OF taking ON o
single passenger.
Half tho time had elapsed wncn.
hearing footstep crunching Oh the
snow behind me. turned and saw d
man approaching. Az he nenred me
noticed that hc carried his right arm
In sling aud had his oyercoat but
toned at tho throat over the arm. A
felt hat was drawn down 10 cover his
face. so that would not see much or
his features. When he came aud
stood beside me. looking up the track
for the train. saw that he had dark.
sandy hair and rcd beard. rather
unusual combination.
'Train on time, sirY' he asked.
'Don't know" | replied, II don't
fancy waiting long for II here"
Tho man seemed nervous. iIe cast
a glance at me that made me uncom-
Portable. Hc was an ugly looking fel
low. and II hc were prepared to do 40
II would DO an excellent place to mur.
der and rob me. then hide my body In
the snow and escape by tho train when
II came.
II don't like the looks Of this mist
In the air." he remarked.
singular. isn't ~ don't know
| that ever saw anything just like II
before. Hello. there's the train com.
ing."
II sprang suddenly into sight with.
out sound to give us warning |
jumped or the track on which ! was
standing, then waved my handkerchief
for II TO stop. which II did, but some
200 feet before II reached us. Selling
my satchel. which | had set on the
end OF tic, ran up tho track 10 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 II Il were n
ghost train run by ghost officials.
stared for few moments at the place
where II had been. then glanced ut my
companion. He was looking up the
track with the most terrified expires.
sion | have ever seen on any mans
face.
"Dld you zee III" I 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 10 anxious for the train TO
come that We had created II In our
lmaglnations-a very lame explanation,
by the way-but was unable to quiet
him. Suddenly saw him looking out
over the snow with new and height
encd terror In his eye. followed Its
direction, and there out on tho prairie
was the train running along as smooth.
ly as IL II were still on the rails.
So intense was my astonlshment, so
eerie the feeling the phantom train
gave me. that forgot my companion
completely TIL, hearing groan. look
cd about and saw him lying wrIthlng
In the snow. This startled me. and
forgot the train In the responsibility
OF being out on broad prairie with
man who might be In death struggle.
There was little | could do for him
except get his head on my knee and,
taking flask from my satchel, pour
drink OF whisky down his throat.
While he revived. he did not recover
his head even twelve minutes later
when the traln--the real traln--preccd-
cd by u rattling on tho rails and the
usual clattcr, steamed up and at my
signal stopped beside us. The conduct
or, standing ON platform, saw me be.
side the sick man and, jumping of, as
sisted me to get him aboard.
A number OF persons were crowding
around the invalid, gaping at him,
when one OF them, a trainman, ex.
claimed.
"I'll bet that's Dan Horganw
"Who's Dan Horgan?" | asked.
zone Of the men who threw the -
train or the track two weeks ago, kill
Ing the engineer. fireman and several
passengers. Then they robbed the
express car. One of the gang Is in
jail. has turned states evidence and
named Horgan as their leader"
But why do you suspect this man
to be Horgan?"
"The informer has described him as
having sandy hair and a red beard. |
Besides, he says that Horgan's right |
arm was shattered by shot from the
conductor. We've had the description
on this train ever since It was circulat-
cd by the company ten days ago."
The invalid had not regained his
head when we reached the next town,
where the sheriff. advised by telegraph,
entered the train and took him into
custody. He did not know that he
had been betrayed by his fright at
the phantom train, which he doubt
less supposed was the one he had
grnrkad pnminp harly IN haunf him |