Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-04-29

"You oone-you Dor
Of black substance inside, closed e up
placed it against the far wall, un
twisted the coil, stood back near the
door and then pressed the button. The
result was extraordinary. The whole
of the: far wall was blown out and. fol
SOME distance in front tho, ground
was furrowed up by the explosion
Quest replaced the instrument in his
pocket, sprang through the opening
and ran fer the tower house. Behind
him On its wey to New York he could
see a freight train coming along. He
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
sounded ip Quests ears, He glanced
around. Red Gallagher and his mate
were racing almost side by side to-
wards him. Hesrushed up ths narrow
stairs into the. signal room, tearing
open his coakto 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 1rishman'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 Pm in earnest
or not!"
A bullet passed. within a,fow 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 1rishman
continued sayagelv, wye, want the
cop, and we're going to have him"
Quest had stolen a. yard OF. two
nearer during this brief colloquy. Oak
lagher's mate4froh behind shouted out
a warning just. q second too late. With
q audden kick, Quest sent the re-
volver flying across the room and be.
fore the Erishnldn5 could recover he
struck him fullsin the face; Notwith,
standing his huge size and strength
Gallagher reeled. The operator who
had just begun to. realize. what was
happening fl,:gg biaiself bodily against
the two thugs. "A shot from the tan.
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 a
supreme effort, crawledtout on the lit
tie steel bridge and5poisedf himself for
a moment. The hast car was just be-
meath. The gap between it and the
previous n was slipping by. He set
hts teeth and jumped on the smooth
top.
Back behind the tower Red Gala.
CHER and his mate bent with Mortified
faces, overtthe body OF the signalman.;
What the helEdid you want.to plug
him for??" the latter muttered. He
amt in the show at all. You've done
us. Red he's cOokndI" t&
Red Gallagher staggered to his feet,
Already the horror Of the murderer
was in his face as he glanced furtive-
ly around.
Il never meant to drop him." he
muttered; II got mad at seeing Quest
get off. That man's.a devil"
What are we going to do?" the
other demanded hoarsely.
There's the auto" Gallagher shout
ed. Come on, old man! I can fix
the wheel. If we've got to swing for
this job, We'll have something Of our
own back first"
They crawled to the side of the
road, Gallagher's rough, hairy fingers
were still trembling, but they knew
their job. In; a few minutes the wheel
vas fixeG Clumsily but successfully,
the great Irishman turned the car
around away from the city.
She's a hummer" he muttered. "Ill
make her go when we get the hang Of
it. Sit tight"
They drove clumsily of, 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.
CHAPTER xl. +,
Mrs. Rheinholdt welcomed the in
spector with q beaming smile as he
stepped out Of his ONCE and ap-
Ia a - --