Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-12-31
cHApTER xxv-(Continued)

CHARIER AAF-lSoutiuuoul
Then we have three more chances
IN the hat. Much obliged for the dyna-
mite hint, Stuart. I'll herd these three
cartridges pretty carefully. Back TO
your sentryboxes, you two, and make
a noise if you need the artillery"
Another interval of suspense follow
ed, thickly scored with prickllngs or
anxiety for the besieged. Then an at
tempt was made from the rear Ford
saw a lodging shadow working It's
way from car to car in the yard and
signaled softly to Adair
Hold low on him. he cautioned.
when the New Yorker was at his ell
bow, "those cheap guns jump like
scared cow-pony." Then he added
and pray God you don't hit what he's
carrying"
Adair held low and bibed his time.
There was another musket-like roar,
and an instant though harmless reply
from two rifles on the other side OF
the Nadia. But the lodging shadow
was no longer advancing.
1--WE stopped him for the time be.
ing, anyhow said Adair. exulting like
a poy IF we only had decent wea-
pom we could get them all, one at
time
This was crude" Ford commented
Ec!Sstein will think up something bet-
ter for the next attempt
1t was q prophecy which found its
fufllment after another sweating in
terval of watchfulness This time it
was Brissac who made the discovery,
from tbs forward end Of the Nadia
The nearest of the material cars was
q box. lying broadside to the private
car on the next side-track but one.
From behind the trucks Of the box-car
a slender pole, headed with what ap.
peared to be an empty oyster tin. and
trailing black line of fuse. was pro-
jecting itself along the ground by
slow meetings., creeping across The
lighted space between the two cars.
Brissac promptly gave the alarm.
This is where we lose out pointed
ly and definitely predicted Adair.
still cheerful. anybody want to try
run for it?''
1t was Ford who thought of the two
negroes.
Tel them, Roy he said to Brissac.
Perhaps they would rather risk the
rifles
Brissac crept back to the central
compartment, and the two watchers
Rarked the progress of the inchina
po1eS 9TH its dynamite head and the
ominoGs> black thread of communica
ton trailing like grotesque horn be
hind it. At the crossing of the inter
vening track it paused, moving back
and forth along the steel like living
thing seeking a passage. Finally the
metallic head Of it appeared above the
rail, hesitated and came On slowly. Al
that moment there was & shout, and
the two negroes, hands N&eld high
tumbled from the opposite Sep of tbs
Nadia and ran toward the cohtmissary
stables. Three shots bit into Me sill
ence, and the fat cook ran on, stumb
ling and shrieking. But the man Will
Jams stopped shot and fell on his face
rolling over moment later to 'it
with arms and legs outspread.
Cod" said Ford, between his Sc
teeth; they saw who they were-theA
couldn't help seeing! And there wa!
no excuse for killing those poor deY
ils!'
But there was no time for reprisals
IL any could have been made WheI
Brissac rejoined the two in the 70.
ward yestibule, the stiff-bodied snak,
with its tin head and trailing horn wa
crossing the second rail of the inter
vening siding
We've got to think pretty swiftly
suggested Adair, still cool and un
ruffled. y might be able to hit tina
tin thing at this short distance, bu
suppose that would only precipitat
matters. What do you say?"
Fred could not say and Brissa
seemed to have become suddenly pc,
rified with horror. He was staring a
the lettering Oh the box car OPPOSITE
the one under whose trucks the dy
nanaiters were hiding.
Look he gasped; its the car .
explosives. and they don't know it,!
Then de darted back into the Nadia
kitchen, returning quickly with a hug
carving knife rummaged from the par
try shelves. Stand back and Civ
me room" he begged: and they say
him lean ont to send the carvins
knife whistiing through the air: saw
sever the head from the stiff bodie
snake-the head and the trailing horI
as well
Good mani applauded Adair, drag
ging the assistant engineer back t
safety Ssang any OF the shaxp shoe;