Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1916-04-28

but | Can Stop Thefn!"
uties aboard, the conductor from the
rear platform gave Helen her signal.
Helen opened the throttle again and
away went Soda Water Sal, pushing
the loaded coach up the line ahead.
To Soda Water Sal a coach was a
mere toy-a plaything; indeed, she
felt as if she were only now coming
into her own when she had something
| in her hands to push. And without
| showing the slightest appearance of
| strain, Soda Water Sal ate up the
miles ahead of her like city blocks and
| got within sight of Seagrue's two stall
Wart tools, who were trying to run
away with the engine Of the special.
Indeed, the pair in the stolen cab felt
| quite secure in their quick getaway
| until Bill, acting as driver, looking
back, saw a train behind and an omi-
| nous cloud Of smoke pouring from the
stack of Soda Water Sal-the conduc-
| tor was firing for Helen and he I'M
derstood his JOB
| In spite of everything the two out
| laws could do, Helen closed up the
| gap that separated the coach from
them, and on the front end of the lat
| ter the fleeing rascals could make out
| the armed deputies. Had there been
| any doubt in their minds as to the
temper Of the men pursuing them, lit
tie puffs of white smoke rising from
| the coach front, and the whine of rifle
| bullets about their ears would have
convinced Lug and Bill of the danger
threatening them. Safety first was a
| household word with the two. Moth
! ing of the disposition of martyrs had
| place in their makeup, and, abandon
| ing the engine, Lug, with word to
Bill to ease the pace, descended the
| steps of the tender and tumbled down
| a soft bank to the right of way; his
companion followed; a few minutes
| later Soda Water Sal, rounding the
curve behind, shot past them with her
Keeling coach.
Overtaking the abandoned engine on
a grade, few miles ahead, the coach
was again coupled to it by the Rhine
lander party, and when the queer
looking combination reached the first
passing track, the engine of the spe-
cial, almost dead, was vigorously
kicked by Soda Water Sal, together
with the car, out into the clear. And
Helen, with the more venturOus of her
legal lights clinging to the footboard
0Y MN inc hno Tc Of
Sal and others swarming in her ten
der and crowding the cab again
rushed the posse on to the scene of
the trouble.
At the camp Rhinelander's forces
were in trouble Seagrue's strategy
had completely blocked them-every
body was stumped by Seagrue's audac-
ity And while the leaders were try
ing to pull themselves together, Sea-
grue's men we're rapidly extending
| their possession of the disputed
ground.
Storm, realizing that at any cost the
situation must somehow be recOuped,
ran over to where Wood was watching
the enemy and whispered to him.
Whatever the proposal, the old man
was startled when George Storm
made it.
Wood looked toward the camp dubi-
ously. II don't know" he said finally.
That's pretty radical medicine. But
Rhinelander isn't here and I suppose
we've got to do something. It's a
,cinch they've got us beat out Of three
months time in another hour for if
they once get hold of this section,
we've got to drag them into court. II
you think the old man will stand for
it, George, slam away. You know as
well as I do. But | can't take the
responsibility
Il WILL" cried Storm emphatically.
He turned to the foreman of their
switching crew, who stood near, and
pointed to the engine putting at some
little distance. Couple on to that
outfit car, Carly, as quick as the Lord
will let you, and get ready for run"
Carly hurried down the track.
Storm, giving orders right and left,
asked Wood to send a crew of men
to throw everything movable in the
outfit car out on the sand.
SeagEue, watching from distance |
the sudden activity among Rhineland-
er's forces, watched the new develop |
ments with much curiosity and some |
little anxiety. He saw the switch en-
CINE speed down the line, couple to
the outfit car and back away with it |
for a dash. In the cab all was ex-
citement. Under Storms orders, prep
arations were being made for rec
ord dash, and as the engine stopped |
with the outfit car in front of it down |
below the second switch, huge vol
umes of smoke pouring from the stack