The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1913-09-12
against the seats and one another. the


train came 20 a halt
Thank God, We stopped IN tims.-
Mallory gasped. rs be tried 10 olsen
gage himself and Marjorie from kath.
leen.
The passengers began 10 regain
their courage with their equilibrium.
Little Jimnss~ Wellington had flown
the whole length OF the car. clinging
10 his wife as IL she were Francesca
da Rimini, and he Paolo. fitting
through Inferno. The fight ended at
the stateroom door with such a thump
that Mrs. Fosdick was sure a detec-
tive had come for her at last, and
with a battering ram.
But when Jimmie got back breath
enough 10 talk, he remembered the
train-stopping excitement OF the day
before and called out:
Has Mrs. Mallory lost that pup
again?"
Everybody laughed uproariously at
this. People will laugh AT anything
or nothing when they have been
frightened almost 10 death and sud
denly relieved OF anxiety.
Everybody was cracking a Joke at
Marjorie's expense. Everybody felt a
good-natured grudge against her Tor
being such a mystery The car was
ringing with hilarity, when the por-
ter came stumbling in and paused az
the door. with eyes all white, hands
waving frantically. and lips tapping
like flannel, in "A vain effort 10 speak.
The passengers stopped laughing at
Marjorie, 10 laugh AT the porter. Ash.
ton sang out:
What's the matter with you, por-
ter? Are YOU trying 10 crow
Everybody roared at this. till ths
porter finally managed TO articulate:
"T-t-ttrain rob-robrobbers!"
Silence shut down as If the whole
crowd had been smitten with paraly-
sis. From somewhere outside and
ahead came a pop-popping as of fire.
crackers. Everybody thought, Re
yolvers," The reports were mingled
with barbaric yells that turned the
marrow IN every bone 10 snow
These regions are full OF historic
terror All along the Nevada route
the conductor, the brakemen and old
travellers had pointed out scene after
scene where the Indians had slaked
the thirst OF the arid land with white
mans blood Ashton. who had trav.
eled this way many times, had made
himself fascinatingly horrifying the
4
breakfasts that morning in the dining.
car, by regaling the passengers with
stories of pioneer ordeals. men and
women massacred in burning wagons,
or dragged away 10 hendish cruelty
and obscene torture, staked out supina
on burning wastes with eyelids cut
off, bound down within reach of rat.
tlesnakes, subjected TO every misery
that human deviltry could devise.
Ashton had brought his fellow pas
senEers TO a state OF ecstatic eXcit-
ability, and, like many a recounter OF
burglar stories at night, had tuned
his own nerves 10 high tension
The violent stopping Of the train.
the heart-shaking yells and shots out
side, found the passengers already apt
10 respond without delay 10 the ap-
peals OF fright After the first hush
of dread, came the reaction 10 panic.
Each passenger showed his own
panic in his own way. Ashton whirled
round and round, like horse with
the blind staggers. then bolted down
the aisle. knocking aside men and
women.\ He climbed on a seat, pulled
down an upper berth. and. scrambing
into il, tried TO shut II on himself.
Mrs. Whitcomb was so frightened that
she assailed Ashton with fury and
Selling his feet, dragged him back IT,
TO the aisle. and beat him with her
fists, demanding that he protect her
and save her for Sammys 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 10
go TO the rescue OF her spouse. Mrs.
Wellington tore her hands loose, cry
ing: Let him go. madam. lie has q
wife of his own 10 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 il. though its chain
was still attached 10 his waistcoat
Anne Cattle who had read much
about Chinese atrocities TO mission
aries, gave herself up TO death, yet re-
joiced greatly that she had provided
a timely man 10 lean on and should
not have TO enter Paradise spinster,
providing she could manage 10 con-
vert Ira in the next few seconds, be-
fore It was everlastingly too late She
was begging her first heather 20 join
her in a 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 Aaung her twitching
hands and tried 10 drag her husband
20 his knees. crying:
oh. Walter, Walter. won't you
please say a prayer?-a good strong