Connecticut western news., 1908-01-02
The Phantom Train.
.Original.l

waiting for train. lnere was nc 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 twen- ty minutes to wait for the train, which I 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 a single passenger.
 Half the time had elapsed when, hearing a footstep crunching on the snow behind me, turned and saw man approaching. As he neared me l noticed that he carried his right arm in a sling and had his overcoat but toned at the throat over the arm. felt hat was drawn down to cover his face, so that I would not see much of his features. When he came and stood beside me, looking up the track for the train, 1 saw that he had dark, sandy hair and a red beard, rather unusual combination.
 Train on time, sirY' he asked.
 
 fancy waiting long for it here"
 The man seemed nervous. He cast a glance at me that made me uncom- fortable. He was an ugly looking fel- low, and if he were prepared to do so 1t would be an excellent place to mur- der and rob me, then hide my body in the snow and escape by the train when 1t came.
 "I don't like the looks of this mist in the air." be remarked.
 Singular, isn't 1t? I don't know that ever saw anything just like it before. Hello, there's the train com ing!"
 It sprang suddenly into sight with out a sound to give us warning. jumped off the track on which I was standing, then waved my handkerchief for 1t to stop, which 1t did, but some POO feet before 1t reached us. Seizing my satchel, which I had set on the end of tie, I ran up the track to get aboard, followed by the man who had joined me. But before we had covered a quarter of the distance the train dis appeared as suddenly as If 1t were ghost train run by ghost officials. stared for a few moments at the place where 1t had been, then glanced at my companion. He was looking up the track with the most terrified eXpres- sion I have ever seen on any mans face.
 Did you see it?" I asked He didn't hear me. He was mutter- irpCr nd in nth respects like one demented. I tried to reassure him by teAing him that we both were so anxious for the train to come that we had created it in our ina ginations-a very lame explanation by the way-but was unable to quiet him. Suddenly 1 saw him looking out over the snow with a new and height ened terror in his eye. I followed its direction, and there out on the prairie was the train running along as smooth | ly as if 1t were still on the rails.
 So intense was my astonishment, so eerie the feeling the phantom train gave me, that I forgot my companion completely till, hearing groan, look ed about and saw him lying writhing in the snow. This startled me, and forgot the train in the responsibility of being out on broad prairie with a man who might be In d death struggle. There was little l could do for him except get his head on my knee and, taking a flask from my satchel, pour a drink of whisky down his throat. While he revived, he did not recover his head even twelve minutes later when the train-the real train-preced- ed by q rattling on the rails and the usual chatter, 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, claimed:
 ''Tl bet that's Dan Horganr'
 "Who's Dan Horgan?" I asked
 "One of the men who threw the - train off 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 a shot from the conductor. We've had the description on this train ever since it was circuat 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 al the phantom train. which he doubt less supposed was the one he had ) wrecked coming back to haunt him Had it not been for this he could easi ly have concealed his identity for the short distance he had intended to risk a ride.
 learned that tho DhoOtnD1 troio woe