El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-02-16

7 INSTANTLY the mans feet crashed
to the floor, and he sprang erect
- facing them with the startled ter
ror Of complete surprise.
'What!' he demanded.
Sayville repeated his words.
stop the express?7 The man was
reEaming control Of himself, and Say
VILE saw his ewes measure them up and
then glance around the room with a
quick reconnaissance of its possibilities
as scene of battle. stop the eX-
press? What for2'
Unfortunately, we cannot explain
or rather, we prefer not to. But ] viii
say this much: we are not bandits or
hOld-up men by profession-in fact We
are considered rather respectable
Yes, you look it,
The mans tone contained an unmis-
taxable sneer. His terror was gone
with his first surprise, and he looked
them up and down with whitening con-
tempt There was something clean ana
clear and wholesome in his calm self
possession I'm the fact of this emer-
gency. Sayville liked him.
''Y on look it," the man repeated, and
then added bitingly, mott!
Sayville glanced at Lardener-at the
dirty overalls, the tsttered swearer, the
grimy wooden cap and the disreputable
goggles He knew that he himself pre-
scented no prettier picture.
Nevertheless" he said firmly, 'cir-
cumstances compel us to ask you to see
the signal against the express, and hOld
her IN only long enough for us to get
a man off. Then she can go on again.
Yes Who is the MANI Why do
you want to get him Off?
"He-he is q friend Of ours His
his mother has died suddenly, ana we
want to take him to her"
The name lin ri1Tlgd in fine ScOIn-
You're a liar" he observed
yes. Yes of course I am say
villes voice was unperturbed even Al
the insult Nevertheless, as 1 say, we
are compelled to ask you
Suddenly the man spranB across the
chair he had Just vacated and threw
open n little drawer in the table Like
q flash. the meaning Of the action came
TO the two intruders simultaneously.
Look OUT He's got a gum! cried
Lardener.
With a leap. Sayville reached the
mans side and shot his right fist out
and up from the hip. II landed 1lush
on the side of the mans Jaw. lie dlG
not even moan His body stitfened,
shuddered as the nerves deadened az
the base of the brain, and swayed over
on the chair, rolling from lhere Aul4
length on the floor.
tiles out-you needn't count" Lard
ener said. Nice, clean work, Sayville.
Where'd you learn the game
But Sayville did not answer. he
drew the little blue revolver from the
drawer. broke it, saw that the cart
ridpes were good. and snapped it shut
again. Then ne slipped II INTO
pocket of his overals.
Wen tie him in his chair he an
nounced.
noeifed him in the seat. Lardener
eound a coil of strong insulated tele-
graph wire under the table, and a rev
turns of this left the prisoner helpless
and secure. The towerman's eyes nut
tered open as the binding was Ilnlsheu-
Lardener first notice It, ,,.,,
Gag him." he cried. he Il can LOT
help" ,,n e..
nrisoper e-roWled. There's no one with
in a mile of this God-forsaken dump 70
helm me if I did call. What's your
name, anyhow - e-,o.., o.
e,.,',.iiIo sesnred him. 1--WE are really
tbe most harmless hold-up men the
I'D Lss ever known. We simply wish
- oct our friend off Of the express.
Ills wife has just given birth to twins,
and we want him to come home and see
them After that the train may go its
ygav rejoicing. Now, which lever do
7 null-or push--to stop it2'
Tho towerman glared at him sullenly.
You go to hell" he said.
quite So" Sayville agreed calmly.
"Rut first-which lever2'
The towerman's eyes met his I'M
f1inchingly. SayVille drew the little
revolver from his pocket and caressed
Il menacingly.
(which lever he repeated
The t0wcrman's eyes faltered and
then dropped.
THE last one he said with sullen