The Lamar register., 1915-03-03

great wave OF horror swept over her.
He was dead For a moment she
knelt faint and sick; then she crawled
to Bells side and L eyed herself to
her feet,
He Stirred rneasily and groaned.
Thank heaven, he SIN lived. although
he might be seriously wounded.
Ed" she whispered. Ed"
He opened his eyes and looked up
at her, vacantly at first. then with a
dawning light of recognition.
Where's Phelps?'' he asked weak
ly.
Betty shuddered and pointed to the
huddled figure on the floor.
Are you badly hurt. Ed?" she
whispered.
MY left arms broken. and I've got
a crease alongside of the head; but
I'll be all right. You're not hurt?"
mo. They didn't see me. They're
in the express car after the money.
What shall we do?"
81 don't know. My head is spinning
80 l couldn't walk a step to save my
life. II we were only nearer the
minei We've got the pay-sack-oyer
twenty thousand dollars-in there!"
Cant you start up and run for it?"
Betty asked anxiously.
IF / 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 I'M
til l 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 | WILL she said deter
minedly. Even If you could walk.
your duty is here. You can't leave
the engine. II 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 It 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.
10 L., Tho
other man knelt in front of the safe.
transferring notes and gold to a
gunny-sack on the foor beside him.
Cautiously the girl descended the
perpendicular ladder at the back of
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 sent a bullet in the d.
rection OF the voice. II 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 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 were 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 fly
ing train, while the whistle shrieked
again and again
On the narrow seat Bell was sway
ing unsteadily back and forth His
eyes were half closed, his clothes