The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-06-13
A Red-Facsd, Excited Man Rushed Up

A Red-Faced, Excited Man Rushed Up.
amazed when l learned that this pre-
cious consignment represented near
ly million dollars.
was notified to meet a freight at
Hopeton at noon one day and present
ed myself to find the train stationary
on a switch at the end of the yard.
Beyond this was the residence sec
ton and open country. My car was
No. 1921 A, recall. / saw to the
seals, made memoranda of the
transit card and mounted to my post
on the top Of the car. 1t had a small
grated window at either end and a
movable ventilator trap about the GEN.
ter Of the car. / opened this and in
vestigated the interior of the car, for
it was slow run of some eighteen
hours. In case of rain was at liberty
to go inside. l flashed my electric
light tube down into the dark void be-
meath, made out what from expert
ence l took to be a shipment of bro
cades and velvets and marked out
the spot where l would rest If driven
to shelter by the elements.
A call from the brakeman down the
track sent me toward the iron ladder
at the side of the car. Just as l
reached the edge of the roof to de-
scend l drew back. A stranger, as
cending, fairly forced me back. In
wonderment faced beautiful young
OF ri Nd to4u
ing. She was gasping for breath and
directed frightened glance back over
her shoulder. She sank to the car
roof as though exhausted. / noticed
that the filmy dress she wore was
torn as If by brambles or fence wire.
She wore no hat or wrap and her hair
was disheveled.
"Does-does this train start soon?"
she painted out.
why, yes," l answered, but not
with regular passengers"
q know, l know" she breathed hur-
riedly, but couldn't stay here and
ride just little? l wouldn't make
any trouble. I'd keep real quiet" she
added. with eyes full of piteous en-
treaty that stirred my heart Just
then the signal whistle was repeated.
81 will be back in a minute and see
what l can do for you" said, marvel
ing greatly, for at glance discerned
that this was no girl tramp or that
genus and l was at loss to sense the
cause of her distraction.
When l got to the ground down
near the caboose the conductor was
waving a paper. 1t proved to be or
| ders to belt road the car / was In
when we reached certain junction.
Just as l completed reading it red
faced, excited man rushed up. Pomp-
ous, irascible. ] think he had the
meanest countenance and the most
treacherous eyes l have ever seen.
You, men!" he shouted. Have you
seen anything of girl?" and he rat
tied out description of the very per-
son whom had left on top of my car.
Look in the caboose-there's six
way fares there" observed the con-
ductor, and l hurried back to my car
to find no trace Of the mysterious
young lady who had so recently ap-
pealed to my chivalry and sympathy.
She was gone. / scanned the level
stretch beyond the tracks, expecting
to glimpse her flying form, for doubt
ed not that she was a runaway.
pitied her if the man / had just seen
was her guardian or relative.
She did not drift soon out of my
mind. So wildly had she impressed
me that l could reproduce her mental
ly with clearness. We made our run
and dusk came on just as we reached
the junction. AS we made up new
train and got well on to the belt spur
l determined to open the trap in the
roof and get inside and by the aid OF
my fashlight enjoyed the lunch l had
tossed among the packages below.
We were just passing an overhead
bridge when 1 caught a fieeting
glimpse of a descending form. In q
fash my suspicious were excited, and
rightly. A man had dropped to the
roof of the car from the Orders. He
bore down upon me.
/ OF course / realized what was do
ing. A gang were after the contents
of the special car, and here was the
forerunner of the group. He made for
me and we collided. ! went fiat, and
he. too. He was intent on throwing
me of the car and later cast the pre-
cious freight to confreres awaiting