Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-10-15

of steel and managed to get his I'm
gers about the chauffeur's throat az
an added insurance against a cry FOL
help.
He choked him literally into insensi.
bility. Then, with q strength that he
did not seem to possess. he picked up
the limp. blue-faced body and carried
it OF the road and around the car.
In the baggage car, the baggage
man was smoking a surreptitious pipe
OF powerful tobacco between stations
and contemplating the scenery
thoughtfully through the open door
AS the engine slowed up to take a
curve and a grade, Bailey. who had
now and then taken a peep out of
little grated window above him. crept
out from his hiding place. Already he
had slipped dark silk mask over his
face.
As he made his way among the
trunks and boxes, the train lurched
and the baggage man. who had his back
to Bailey, heard him catch himself. He
turned and leaped to his feet. Bailey
closed with him instantly.
Over and over they rolled. Bailey
had already drawn his revolver before
he left his hiding place. A shot. how
ever, would have been fatal to his part
in the plans and was only last resort.
for it would have brought the train
men.
Finally Bailey rolled his man over
and getting his right arm free, dealt
the baggage man q fierce blow with
the butt of the gun.
The train was now pulling slowly up
the grade. More time had been spent
In overcoming the baggage man than
he expected and Bailey had to work
quickly. He dragged the trunk marked
"E. Dodge" from the pile to the door
and glanced out.
Just around the curve in the rail-
road Del Mar was waiting. straining
his eyes down the track.
There was the train. pdfing up the
grade. As it approached he rose and
waved his arms. 1t was the signal
and he waited anxiously. Had his
plans been carried out?
The train passed. From the baggage
car came trunk catapulted out by
strong arm. It hurtled through the
air and landed with its own and the
trains momentum.
Over 1t rolled in the bushes, then
stopped-unbroken. for Elaine had had
it designed to resist even the most
violent baggage smasher.
Del Mar ran to 1t. As the tail light
Of the train disappeared he turned
around in the direction from which he
had come. placed his two hands to his
mouth and shouted.
From the side of the road by Del
Mars car the bearded motorcyclist had
just emerged. buttoning the chauf-
feur's clothes and adjusting his Cog
giles to his own face.
As he approached the car, he heard
q shout. Quickly he tore OF the black
beard which had been his disguise and
tossed it into the grass. Then he drew
the coat high up about his neck.
All right" he shouted back. start
ing along the road.
Together he and Del Mar managed
to scramble up the embankment to the
road and, one at each handle of the
trunk, they carried it back to the car.
piling 1t in the back.
The improvised chauffeur started to
take his place at the wheel and Del
Mar had his foot on the running board
to get beside him. when the now un-
bearded stranger suddenly swung
about and struck Del Mar full In the
face. 1t sent him Keeling back into
the dust
The engine Of the car had been run
ming and before Del Mar could recover
consciousness the stranger had shot
the car ahead, leaving Del Mar prone
in the roadway.
The train, with Bailey on it, had not
gained much speed, yet It was q peril
GUS undertaking to leap. Still. It was
more SO now to remain. The baggage
man stirred. 1t was now q case Of
murder or q getaway.
Bailey jumped.
Scratched and bruised and shaken.
he scrambled to his feet in the briers
along the track. He staggered up the
road. pulled himself together. then
hurried back as fast a. his barked
shins would let him.
He came to the spot which he recog.
nized as that where he had thrown OF
the trunk. He saw the tramped and
broken bushes and made for the road.
He had not gone far when he saw,
far down. Del Mar suddenly attacked
and thrown down. apparently BY his
own chauffeur. Bailey ran forward.
but 1t was too late. The car was-xone.
As he came up to Del Mar lying out.
in the road, Del Mar was
just recovering consciousness.
What was the matter?" he asked.
WAS he q traitor?"
He caught sight Of the real chauf.
feur on the ground, stripped.
Del Mar was furious. NO." he |
swore, 1T was that COMPOUNDED gray
friar again. I think. And he has the |
trunk, tool"
Speeding up the road the former