The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1912-01-18

! the rails a short distance from where
| the locomotive stood aud carried it to
| the express car.
had not noticed this tie and my
| heart stopped beating as | realized tina t
1t would have spoiled my plan and re-
! suited in Ily death The robbers took
| the tie up onto the front platform Of
| the express car aud began an attempt
to use it to break in the door. But
| the tie was six feet long or thereabouts,
| while the distance between the tender
| and the car WAS not as much The
| consequence was that the robbers had
| not sufficient space in which to work
with it. Nevertheless they persevered.
Another plan. far more desperate than
| the first, must needs pop into my head
! If | could run down to it, unCouple
! the ear, then dash forward into the cab
| | could move on. carrying with me the
express car But | must take the rob-
| bers with me. They would climb II
| over the tender and shoot me down.
| Yet there would be chances for me-
! Firstly. on finding the train moving
they might be Disconnected and get off.
But even if they did | could hardly
! hope to acquire speed in time to leave
! them behind. Again, having put on
| steam | could fight | had no arms.
| but | could use Jumps of coal. All
this was folly, but | had been seized
| by a mania for carrying out my
scheme. and 4 hundred devils could not
| have stopped me. Besides was push
| ing forward. Happenings in my favor
might arise.
Anyway. | resolved to go to the rear
| of the express car. What would do
| when | got there | didn't know
found the conductor and several men
passengers who. freed from the pres
| ence of the robbers, had got together
what arms We're on the train and were
debating Il possible use for them, But
it was evident they had not got their
courage up to a point where they could
use them, and they had no plan or
leader. Without stopping to inquire as
to their armament said:
Here, you men! I'm going fosward
to get on the locomotive, which is de-
serted. One of you go up there where
you can see me. and when | give
signal uncouple right here. Then all
who have firearms go forward. and
when | put on steam send all the bull
let's you can in among the robbers on
the front platform"
''Good"' cried the conductor, who
would have done something before
this if he had had a plan.
l scurried forward, keeping close I'M
der the car, passing the front platform
in the same way, and in a quarter of
a minute was in the cab. A man
stood where he could see me- | nod
ded to him and waited 1t seemed to
me an eternity before the car was IN
coupled l knew when it had been by
seeing my supports advance on both
sides OF the train. They had been
added to by the messenger. with
whom they had succeeded in commu-
nicating, and had got more arms from
the express car l gave jerk on the
whistle. threw back the lever and let
on steam.
The moment my supports heard the
whistle they opened fire, the locomO-
tive and express car moving at the
same time. The robbers were taken
by surprise. One man fell dead. two
We're shot while jumping off the plat
form, while fourth got away. l did
not know, Of this at the time. | only
knew that no one interfered with me.
| had the express treasure behind me
and did not stop till had reached the
next station. There armed men got
aboard the locomotive, it was switch
ed away from the express car and
rushed back. But the fracas had all
been over before l had made a hun
dred yards.
So it was that the maddest scheme
that ever entered the brain of a farm
ers boy was made practicable by cir
cumstances. Indeed. when the rob- !
bers left the rear door of the express
car to concentrate their efforts on the
forward platform - possibly because
there they could be near the engine
victory was in the hands of the fright
ened group who afterward supported
me. But they had no one with suffi-
Gent pluck or plan to fuse them and
put them in action.
My exploit was not long in reaching
the general manager of the road, and |
received an invitation from the presi-
dent to visit him there. | found my
self on my arrival an object of curl
osity, the employees craning their
necks to get look at me. When !
reached the presidents office he grasp
ed my hand and asked me to be seated.
When we were alone be said:
What can do for your
II don't know"
Leave it to me. We have need of |
such men as you on this road and we |
want you. If you like, | will educate
you to fill any position we have"
That's exactly what | would ask
! replied
But to do that you must begin at |
the bottom and work up. You will |