Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1915-05-05


of black substance INSIDE. closed It up.
! placed it against the far wall, I'M
| 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 for
some distance in front the ground
was furrowed up by the explosion.
| Quest replaced the instrument in his
pocket. sprang through the opening
and ran for the tower house Behind
him on its way to New York he could
see freight train coming along. He
could hear. too. Red Gallagher's roar
Of anger II was less than fifty yards,
yet as soon as he reached the shelter
of the tower the thunder of the freight
sounded in Quests ears. He glanced
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
detectiye-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 noti7
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 we 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 a second too late With
/ a sudden kick. Quest sent the re-
voiver 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 re llize what was
! happening flung himself bodily against
| the ;wo 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, crawled out on the lit
tie steel bridge and poised himself for
a moment The last car was just be-
meath The gap between it and the
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. He
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-
ly around.
81 never meant to drop him." he
muttered Il got mad at seeing Quest
get off That mans a devil"
What are we going to do?" the
other demanded hoarsely
There's the auto" Gallagher shout
ed. Come or. old man! | can fix
the wheel. If we've got to swing for
this Job, Wen have something of osr
own back first"
They crawled to the eide of the
road. Gallagher's rough, hairy fingers
were still trembling. out they knew
their job. In few minutes the wheel
was fixed. Clum5!ly but successfully.
the great Irisbman turned the car
around away from the city.
shes a hummer" he muttered. "Pll
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 fat on his stomach,
was struggling for life with knees and
hands and feet.