Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1916-02-10

Of black substance inside. closed 1t up,
placed it against the far wall, IN.
twisted the coil, stood back near the
door and then pressed the button. The
result was extraordinary. The whole
Of the far wall was blown out and for
some distance in front the ground
was furrowed up by the explosion.
Quest replaced the instrument in his
pocket. sprang through the opening
and ran for the tower house. Behind
him on its way to New York he could
see a freight train coming along. He
could hear. too, Red Gallagher's roa
Of anger. 1t was less than fifty yards,
yet as soon rs he reached the shelter
Of the tower the thunder OF the freight
sounded in Quests ears. He glanced
around. Red Gallagher and his mate
were racing almost side by side to-
wards him. He rushed up the narrow
stairs into the signal room. tearing
open his coat to show his official badge.
stop the freight" he shouted to the
operator. Quick. I'm Sanford Quest,
detective-special powers from the
chief commissioner"
The man moved to the signal. An
other voice Numbered in his ears, He
turned swiftly around. The Irishman's
red head had appeared at the top Of
the staircase.
Drop that signal or I'll blow you
into bits" he shouted.
The operator hesitated. dazed.
Walk towards me-" Gallagher
will show you whether In in earnest
or mott"
A bullet passed within a few inches
OF the operators head. He came slow
ly across the room. Below they could
hear the o of the freight.
This amt your job" the lrishman
continued savagely. We want the
cop. and we're going to have him."
Quest had stolen a yard or two
nearer during this brief %colloquy. Gal.
lagher's mate from behind shouted out
a warning just a second too late. With
a sudden kick. Quest sen the re-
volver flying across the Dom and be-
fore the Ir!shman could recover he
standing his huge size and strength,
Gallagher reeled. The operator who
had just begun to realize what was
happening flung himself bodily against
the two thugs. 4 shot from the tan
gled mass of struggling limbs whis.
tied past Quests head as he sprang
to the window which overlooked the
track. The freight had already almost
passed. Quest steadied himself for a
supreme effort. crawled out on the lit.
tie steel bridge and poised himself for
a moment. The last car was just be.
meath. The gap between it and the
previous n Vas slipping by. He set
his teeth and jumped ON the smooth
top.
Back behind the tower Red Gala
CHER and his mate bent with Mortified
faces over the body of the signalman.
What the hell did you want to plug
him for?' the latter muttered. HE
amt in the show at all. You've done
us, Red, he's cooked"
Red Gallagher staggered to his feet,
! Already the horror of the murderer
was in his face as he glanced furtive-
ly around.
II never meant to drop him. he
muttered. q got mad at seeing Quest
get CT. That mans a devil"
"W.at are We going to do" the
other damanded hoarsely.
There's the auto" Gallagher shout
ed. Come on, old man! | a fix
the wheel. II we've got to swing for
this job, we'll have something Of our
own back first"
They crawled to the side OF the
road. Gallagher's rough. hairy fingers
we're still trembling. but they knew
their job. In a few minutes the wheel
was fixed. Clumsily but successfully,
the great Irishman turned the car
around away from the city.
She's a hummer" he muttered. "Ill
make her go when we get the hang Of
it. Sit tight"
They drove clumsily off. gathering
speed at every yard. Behind, in the
shadow of the tower, the signalman
lay dead. Quest. half way to New
York. stretched fiat on his stomach,
was struggling for life with knees and
hands and feet.