Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-07-15


tirne--and he had missed it! How far
along those three miles from Burles
Sizing to where the Butcher was
waiting had the train already come?
He tried again, coolly. methodically
--lnd again he missed.
L guess I'm out or practice to fall
down on a tin box like this" he NUT
tered grimly. But the first two are
right. that's sure--it's the last turn
that's wrong somewhere. Give me an
other minute or two"--he was twir-
ling the dial knob with deft, quick fin
gers once more---"that's all | ask,
and
a sudden jolt flung him forward
against the safe. Came the scream of
the whistle, the screech of the Tight
set brakes, the bump, and jerk, and
pound, and grind of the flying train
coming to an emergency stop. The
limp form of the messenger sliding
down, was almost doubled over the
arm Of the chair.
In an instant the Hawk had recoy-
cred hts balance, and, his face set
like iron, his jaws clamped hard, he
srlatched at the knob, and with des-
perate haste now made another at
tempt. There were few seconds left,
u few seconds before The train would
come finally to a st;rndstill and--no.
they were gone now. those seconds
and he had missed again!
His automatic was in his hand as
he stood up. 1t was no longer .ques-
ton of twenty thousand dollars
worth of unset diamonds--it was a
question OF his life. There was Bit
ter smile on his lips, as he ran for the
forward door. 1t looked as tho the
pitcher had at last gone once too Of
ten to the well! The train had stop
ped now. He reached the door, and
opened 1t guardedly o. little way A
great red flare from somewhere ahead
lighted up the night. He heard and
recognized the Butchers voice. men
acing, raucous, punctuated with VII
ctous oaths:
Get out of that cab. and get out
damned quick! Down YOU come
jump now! Now. boys, run EN- back.
and keep firing down the length of
the train Us you co.. and II these guys
don't run faster than you do, let EN-
have It In the back! Beat 1t now
beat 1t like hell! I'll pull out the min :
ute you're uncoupled. You two grab
the rear end az she moves, there's
room enough for YOU, and you can
bust in the door, and
A fusilade OF shots rang out.
Flashes cut the black. The Butchers
two companions, evidently driving the
engineer and fireman before them,
We're coming on the run along the
tiackside from the cab. The Hawk
rntreated back a step, and closed the
car door. He heard the men rush past
outside. The fusilade seemed to re-
double in intensity: AND, now, added
Il, 1t, were shouts and yells from the
renr of the train itself. and--if he
were not mistaken--answering shots.
His hand on the doorknob, he stood
waiting tensely. With the Butcher on
guard out there in front, it woulc
have been equivalent to suicide to
have opened tho door again nntil he.
knew the other was back in the cab
against the background of the
Lighted interior he would have made q
raost excellent mark for the Butcher.
His eyes swept pest the huddled
form of the young messenger in, the
chair, and fixed speculatively on the
safe. He nodded suddenly, grimly.
Twenty thousand dollars! Well, he
wasn't beaten yet-not till he threw
down his own hand O; his own accord
mot till he lost sight OF the safe for
keeps!
Over the shouts and revolver shots
came the sharp, vicious hiss of the
air hose, as 1t was uncoupled: and
then, with q violent jerk. the car
started forward, as the Butcher evil
IDENTIFY whipped the throttle open
And, coincidently. there was a smash
upon the rear door-and the Hawk
opened the forward door and slipped
out again.
IA din internal was in his ears. Like
g. maddened thing under the Butch
er's .unscientitic spur, the big ten
wheeler was coughing the sparks
heavenward in a volleying stream,
while the huge drivers raced like pin
wheels in another shower Of sparks
sls the tires sought to bite and hold.
And now the rear door of the car
crashed inward; the shots came fast
ss gatling, and shouts, screams and
Sells added their quota to the up
roar.
The Hawk, crouclled by the door,
moved suddenly TO one side, as he
caught the dull, omlnous spat of a
bullet against one of the panels The
train crew and those of the passen-
sers who We're armed were, very OBJ
viously, keeping UP a running fight
from the stalled section Of the train
and pumping their bullets thru the
broken rear door and up the aisle OF
the express car as long as they could
hold the range: and, from within, he
could distinguish the duller, muffled
reports of the Butchers confederates
firing in return, preventing any at
tempt being made to rush the rear OF
the car.
And then the sounds began to re-
cede and die away. The men inside
the car ceased firing, and he could
hear them now moving the safe GU,
from the side of the car. 1t seemed as
tho very long interval Of time had
been consumed in the hold-up; but
in reality he knew 1t had been little
more than a matter of seconds-the
time it had taken the two men tc
run the length Of the car, uncouple it
and leap on the rear end. The fight
afterwards could hardly count, fol
once the express car began to pull
away the thing was done
They were moving fast now. and
with every instant the speed was in
,,reasing. The Hawk clutched at the
,nandrail, and lowered himself to the
ron foot .rllne which On thu exnraSr