Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-12-31

can't you start up and run for it,"
Betty asked ~anxiously.
IF I did they'd be out Of the car
and up here before we'd get ten yards.
II Phelps was only alive, he could go
back and hold them with his gun un.
til / got her going SO they couldn't
jump. But"
I'm here" said Betty quietly. She
bent over the body on the floor and
fumbled for an instant. When she
Strengthened up she held the dead
mans revolver.
you can't" began Bell. but Betty
interrupted him with a gesture.
81 can and l WILL" she said deter
minedly. Even If you could walk,
your duty is here. You cant leave
the engine. If those men get clear
away, there's no telling whether
they'll ever be caught. / can shoot
if | have to. You watch. When you
see me in the car door, start, and
don't stop short of the mine"
Bell reached out his uninjured hand,
and she took 1t in both Of hers.
God bless you,' he said simply.
The girl turned away without a
word, and began to make her way
over the tender. The door Of the ex-
press car was open on a crack.
One of the highwaymen stood with
his back to 1t, the revolver in his
hand covering the express messenger,
who was backed up In a corner. The
other man knelt in front of the safe.
transferring notes and gold to a
| gunny.sack on the fionr beside him.
Cautiously the girl descended the
perpendicular ladder at the back or
the tender and stood at last on the
platform. She raised the revolver.
Through the stiffness her voice rang
clear and steady:
Hands up, or I'll shoot"
Instantly the man with the gun
wheeled and SEM a bullet in the d.
rection Of the voice. 1t whistled harm
lessly over the girls shoulder, and
as the report of her own revolver
rang out, the man slowly doubled up
and slumped down into a heap on the
floor. The train started.
With an oath the man at the safe
sprang forward. Then he stopped.
The blue eyes of the girl in the door
way we're blazing into his. the steady
barrel of the revolver never wavered.
A pair Of arms suddenly went
around him from behind, and he was
hurled backward to the floor, where
he struggled in the powerful grasp
of the express messenger.
Take his gun away from him, joe
and tie him up" suggested Betty,
catching up a coil of rope from the
floor and moving into the car.
The train rolled over the long tres.
tie and into the woods beyond
Through the darkness there came a
rapid series of short blasts from the
whistle.
The girl hesitated. Ed must want
her help, but dared she go?
Can you hold him, Joe?" she asked
"Sure. I'm all right" was the re
ply.
Up the steep ladder and over the
tender she climbed, steadying herself
against the rock and reel of the ny
ing train, while the whistle shrieked
again and again.
On the narrow seat Bell was sway
ing unsteadily back and forth. His
ayes were half closed, his clothes
stained red with the blood that
dripped from his wounded arm.
Betty" he murmured.
She could not hear, but In the din
light she saw the movement of his
lips.
I'm here, Ed; it's all right" she
treasured him.
"Tm-I'm all in-1-" his hand fell
forward on his breast. "Stop-her-
at-the-" bis voice trailed off int
silence.
The light of the station was coming
into view. On the little platform Bet
ty could see a knot Of men gathered
Again the whistle sent its Clarion
warning into the night, but this time
1t was Betty who pulled the cord. She
shut off steam and applied the brakes
As the engine came to a %standstill, she
tottered to the gangway. She coult
see the crowd surging into the ex
press car; one or two sprang TOWARD
her. The lights Of the station danced
madly-grew dim, and went out alto
gether.
Doing nicely-just fright ant
overexertion-be all right in a day o.
two"
The disjointed sentences seemed
to mean nothing at all; but Betty wa
somehow conscious that meon wa
talking about her. She opened he,
eyes and looked about. The sun wa
streaming brightly through the win
dows, and she was lying in her owl
bed, with her mother bending owe
her.
Ed" she whispered.
Her mother stopped and kissed he
swiftly, and turned away. Someon,
else was standing beside the bed nov
someone with a white bandag'
around his forehead and one arm In
sling.
"Betty-dear!" he said.
And Betty smiled a contented. hap
by little smile.