The Delta independent., 1912-09-20
Oopyrisht, laii, b II. KFiy %.


'T-t-t-train rob-rob-robbers!"
Silence shut down as If the Who'll.
crowd had been smitten with para,y
sis. From somewhere outside ant
ahead came pop-popping as of fire
crackers. Everybody thought, RE
volvers" The reports were mingled
with barbaric yells that turned the
marrow in every bone to snow.
These regions are full of historic
terror. All along the Nevada rours
the conductor, the brakemen and oIo
travellers had pointed out scene atre,
scene where the Indians had slaken
the thirst of the arid land with white
mans blood Ashton, who had ira ".
eled this way many times, had made
himself fascinatingly horrifying rne
evening before and ruined severa
breakfasts that morning in the dining.
car, by regaling the passengers WIN
stories of pioneer ordeals, men ana
women massacred in burning wagons
or dragged away to fiendish cruelty
and obscene torture, staked out sup1ne
on burning wastes with eyeIids cur
off. bound down within reach of rat.
tesnakes, subjected to every misery
that human deviltry could devise.
Ashton had brought his fellow pas.
sengers to state of ecstatic exclr.
ability, and, like many a recounter OF
burglar stories at night, had tuned
his own nerves to high tension.
The violent stopping of the train
the heart-shaking yells and shots out.
side, found the passengers already apt
to respond without delay to the ap-
peals of fright. After the first hush
of dread, came the reaction to panic.
Each passenger showed his own
panic in his own way. Ashton whirleo
round and round, like a horse with
the blind staggers, then bolted down
the aisle, knocking aside men ano
women. He climbed on a seat, puIIeo
down an upper berth, and, scrambline
into it, tried to shut 1t on himself
Mrs. Whitcomb was SO frightened that
she assailed Ashton with fury ana
selling his feet, dragged him back in.
to the aisle, and beat him with her
nsts, demanding that he protect her
and save her for Sammy's sake.
Mrs. Fosdick, rushing out of her
stateroom and not finding her lus.
cious-eyed husband, laid hold of Jim.
mie Wellington and ordered him Ia
go to the rescue of her spouse. Mrs,
Wellington tore her hands loose, CRY.
ing: Let Lin g, madam. He has a
wife of his OWL to defend"
Jimmie was trying to pour out dy.
ing messages. and only sputtering, for.
getting that he had put his watch in
his mouth to hide it, though its chain
was still attached to his waistcoat.
Anne Cattle, who had read much
about Chinese atrocities to mission.
aries, gave herself up to death. yet re-
3ofced greatly that she had provided
a timely man to lean ON and should
not have to enter Paradise spinster.
providing she could manage to con-
vert Ira in the next few seconds. be.
fore it was eyerlastingly too late. She
was begging her first heather to join
her in gospel hymn. But Ira was
roaring curses like pirate captain in
a hurricane, and swearing that the
villains should not rob him of his
bride.
Mrs. Temple wrung her twitching
hands and tried to drag her husband
to his knees, crying:
"Oh, Walter, Walter, won't you
please say a prayer?-a good strong
prayer"
But the preacher was so confused
that he answered: What's the use or
prayer in an emergency like this?"
"Walter!" she shrieked
I'm on my va-vacation, you know"
he stammered.
Marjorie was trying at the same
time to compel Mallory to crawl under
seat and to find place to hioe
Snoozleums, whom she was warning
not to say word. SnoozIeums, un-
derstanding only that his mistress
was In some distress. refused to stay
In his basket and kept Offering his
services and his attentions.
Suddenly Marjorie realized that
Kathleen was trying to faint in NAL
lory's arms. and forgot everything else
In a determined effort to prevent her.
After the first blood-sweat of abject
fright had begun to cool, the passen-
gers came to realize that the invaders
were not after lives, but loot Then
came panic of miserly effort to con-
ceal treasure.
Kathleen, finding herself banished
from Mallory's protection, ran to Mrs.
Whitcomb. who had given Ashton up
as hopeless task.
What shall we do, oh, what, oh
what shall we do. dear Mrs, Yelling
ton?" she cried.
Don't you dare call me Mrs. Well.
ington!" Mrs. Whitcomb screamed;
then she began to fiutter. But we'd
better hide what we can. / hope the
rah-rah-robbers are ge-gentlemen-
men,"
She pushed diamond locket con-
tanning q small nnrtrait of Sammy In