The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1912-11-29

thought he heard the station door
creak. but he was too busy to pay any
attention to it, The clicking of his in
strument went on. drowning any ilGht
sound that might he made. Suddenly
he heard click, not of his instru-
ment. but Of an entirely different kind.
! II came from behind him. He turned.
and there stood n masked man cover
Ing him with a revolver.
Young man." said the intruder. an
other touch on that key and pulls on
this trigger Is the westbound express
IN time:"
| For few moments jim could not
and voice to reply. Then another pc
rod slipped by, during which ne was
| thinking what he could do to save the
express from robbery. In al perhaps
twenty seconds passed. The man ad-
vanccd step and placed the muZZle
Of the revolver against the agents
cheek
Its twenty-five minutes late" said
Jim.
| What"
jim repeated what he had said Had
the train been on time ii would have
been due in ten minutes. hOldup
at or near the station was undoubted
ly intended. and this lapse OF time was
not relished by the masked man. He
was joined by two more men. also
masked, and. having ordered the agent
away from the instrument. they held
conference Then the one who had
entered first turned TO Jim and was
about to say something when he saw
lantern Of red glass sitting beside
the operating table.
"Oh. there it is" he said. and, taking
up the lantern. he put lighted match
to the wick. Pulling silver watch
from his pocket. be glanced ut it and
remarked to the others that they were
obliged to wait half an hour. Then he
said:
"One Of you will have to take care
of this young man"
Cant we put him out Of the way?'
suggested one Of the others. There's
only three OF us to do the job. and we
can't spare man for that Can't we
lock him up somewhere"
He glanced about and. seeing the stair.
! way leading 10 Jim's room above
seized the lantern and ran up with it,
In n few minutes he returned and told
the others that there was u room on
the second story to hold the operator
If they could make 1t safe. Then he
hunted about till he found q hammer
and some nails and. returning. securely
nailed the windows. Jim was put in
the room and the door nailed 80 firm
ly that he could not possibly open it.
At this Jim was delighted. Not fear
ing to be interrupted. he seized his tele-
phone instrument But. hearing the
men below, he paused. Had he not
No. They would go out only to stop
and rob the train, and that would be
too late. Covering his head and the
receiver with his bedclothing, he called
Kitty.
What is it?'
"Robbers. who are going to hold up
the westbound express. Take a Ian
tern and run as fast as you can by
the road-don't light the lantern-to
the trestlework The woods will screen
you. Light the lantern and stop the
train"
There was a quick step on the stairs
and some one stopped at the door
Those below had evidently heard
sounds and had come up to see wha,
they meant. But they had nailed VI
the door and couldn't get in After
listening a few minutes the man wen,
down again.
Jim knew that his wife had time tC
reach the place he had indicated. where
she was not likely to be observed by
the robbers. for he could still hear
them downstairs and concluded that
they would signal the train from the
station. AS the time passed and he
still heard them moving about below
he gathered confidence. He stood look
Ing at his watch till 1t was nearly time
for the train to arrive, then heard the
men go out together.
; There was an anxious wait for Jim
nailed up as he was, for another TWEEN
ty minutes, not knowing whether Kitty
or the robbers had succeeded. Then
came ring at his telephone bell.
us it you, Kit?" he asked.
"Yes." came the voice Of one gasp
ing for breath.
did you stop emp
"Yes"
"Well?"
"They went back two miles to G. to
get some firearms"
What else?"
That's all know"
"Good for you, little girl. Our for.
tune Is made"
why"
This train carries treasure You
have saved it. can ask for better
position"
When Jim was let out of his prison
he learned that after getting an addi-
tional supply Of arms the train had
come on. been signaled to stop. had
obeyed the signal. and when the rob-
bers advanced to kill the express
| 10 hv,