The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-03

cavernous assure in some nearby
rocks. Over one shoulder this vii
lainous-faced prowler bore burlap
sack which gave out a clank1ng
sound as he felt his way step by
step along the rough trail.
The captain made up in va1or what
he lacked in discretion, and. tugg1ng
out his heavy service revolver, he
rushed after that skulking gangster,
loudly calling on him to surrender ir
the name of the law. But One-Lamp
Louie had no apparent intention Of
surrendering either himself or the
coveted bag of loot to that wrathful
guardian of public morals. Instead,
he coolly dropped to one knee and
lived up to his reputation of being
the handiest gunman in Legar's
hard-shooting gang by sending a bull
let neatly drilled through the police
captains shoulder.
With a below of mingled pain and
rage the bulky officer went down in
a heap, while One-LaInp Louie quiet
ly restored his weapon to his padded
hip pocket and scurried away like a
rat with q pilfered biscuit.
But he did not know as he lodged
his way among the shadowy tree
trunks that youthful figure armed
with a, heavy police revolver, reso-
lute-faced girl. and an elderly white
haired man were rapidly closing in
on him. AS he broke from cover and
started up the railroad embankment
ha h
ms pursuers emerging from the
woods a short distance below him.
AT the same moment they saw that
SINISTER figure with the burlap sack
and came toward him on the run.
One-Lamp Louie instantly reached
the conclusion that it was safer to
run than to fight, and he pounded
up the ties with rapid strides, his
one good eye seeking some avenue OF
escape. Handicapped by the sack of
heavy plate, he realized that unless
some chance opportunity presented
ltself he must be eventually over
taken. But that opportunity came
sooner than he had anticipated.
Fifty yards UP the track the gang
ster saw battered old switching en-
CINE standing by a dripping water
the outstretched nozzle-arm of the
tank into the vitals of that iron vet
eran salvaged from the scrap heap.
The blue-overalled engineer and the
fireman were standing off to one side
of the track exchanging the days
gossip of the road over their pipes.
AS this picture flashed into the
vision of the racing gunman he
quickened his pace, and before the
astonished railroad employees could
interpose any objection One-Lamp
Louie had scrambled up the side of
that kissing engine like cat seal
ing back yard fence. Dropping the
burlap sack to which he had chung
so tenaciously on the floor of the
engine-cab, he grabbed the nickeled
starting lever and yanked it out to
the last notch.
AS the self-constituted posse came
to baffled stop close by the water
tank they saw an evilly grinning fig
ure leaning out from the cab of the
fast receding engine, figure whose
hand waved a hooking signal of fare
we'll in true railroad style.
A few feet distant from the water
tank was o small, bcxlike shanty con-
tanning the levers manipulating va
rious switches. In front of this
shanty stood distraught engineer,
volubly cursing the bold depredator
who had robbed him of his iron
charge. Suddenly new look Of con-
sternation flashed into his eyes and
he turned in frenzy Of excitement
to his grimy-f faced assistant.
y
..u,o, 80 - +hrow +ha+ aevi, or
WV 81 ~ - ~, $500 -. -
Inc niaiil Ing, uuo, ..,,,1
cove INTO the poANAo M rs,,',
overland IS ou' dry so.o
crash together mead on.
Almost as ne spoke the last words
he damned over one OF the shining
levers with all his strength. At that
moment came long-drawn screech-
ing whistle, accompanied by the
grinding sound OF hastily applied air
brakes. Down the level stretch of !
track the onlookers. gripped in an
agony of suspense, saw the heavy
Overland express rushing at top
speed straight for the, numbering
freight engine. The intervening
space between those speeding IRON
clad monsters lessened with every
second.
With set faces the little group by
the water tank steeled themselves
for that seemingly Inevitable crash
Of collision. But at that crucial in
slant the outlaw engine swerved
press Numbered past with its dozen