The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1915-05-05
hx atis-E Wood-o

| see freight tra.l coming along. ia
could hear, too, Red Gallagher's roar
! Of anger. 1t was less than fifty yards.
! yet as soon as he reached the shelter
| Of the tower the thunder Of the freight
around. Red Gallagher and his mate
were racing almost side by side to-
wards him. He rushed up the narrow
stairs into the signal room, tearing
open his coat to show his official badge;
stop the freight" he shouted to the;
operator. Quick. I'm Sanford Quest
detective-special powers from the
chief commissioner"
The man moved to the signal An
other voice Numbered in his ears. He
turned swiftly around. The Irishman's.
red head had appeared at the top Of
the staircase.
Drop that signal or I'll blow you
into bits" he shouted.
The operator hesitated, dazed
walk towards me-" Gallagher,
shouted. Look here, you guy, this,
will show you whether I'm In earnest;
or not!"
A bullet passed within a few inches.
of the operators head. He came slow
ly across the room. Below they could
hear the roar of the freight.
This amt your job" the Irishman,
continued savagely. I'VE want the
cop, and we're going to have him."
Quest had stolen a yard or two:
nearer during this brief colloquy Gal;
lagher's mate from behind shouted out
a warning just second too late. With
a sudden kick Quest sent the re-
volver flying across the room and be-
fore the Irishman could recover he
struck him full in the face. Notwith-.
standing his huge size and strength,
Gallagher reeled. The operator who,
had just begun to realize what was.
happening flung himself bodily against
the two thugs. A shot from the tam
gled mass OF struggling limbs whis-
tied past Quests head as he sprang;
to the window which overlooked the
track. The freight had already almost !,
passed. Quest steadied himself for al
supreme effort, crawled out on the lit J;
tie steel bridge and poised himself forI
q moment. The last car was just be- |;
meath. The gap between 1t and thei
previous one was slipping by. He set
his teeth and jumped on the smooth
top. !;
Back behind the tower Red Gala.
CHER and his mate bent with Mortified :,
faces over the body Of the signalman.
What the hell did you want to plug |
him for?" the latter muttered. "Hel
amt in the show at all. You've done
us, Red, he's cooked"
Red Gallagher staggered to his feet,
Already the horror of the murderer
was in his face as he glanced furtive-l
ly around.
Il never meant to drop him." he
muttered. Il got mad at seeing Quest
get off. That mans a devil"
+. What are IKE gutng tofo? ~ the;
other demanded hoarsely. IL i
There's the auto" Gallagher Shouts
ed. Come on, old man! can fix:
the wheel. II we've got to swing for!
this job, We'll have something of our;
own back first"
They crawled to the side of thes
road Gallagher's rough, hairy fingersl
were still trembling, but they knew
their job. In few minutes the wheel
was fixed. Clumsily but successfully!
the great Irishman turned the car
around away from the city.
She's hummer" he muttered. I'll
make her go when we get the hang OF
it. Sit tight" ,
They drove clumsily off, gathering
speed at every yard. Behind, in the !
shadow of the tower, the signalman /
lay dead. Quest, half way to New
York, stretched fiat on his stomach,
was struggling for life with knees and /
hands and feet.
Ito be continued.)