The Washington times., 1920-04-11


on one side and the engine OF the wrecker
on the other cooped up the only able en-.
CINE on the track. ana made advance or
retreat impossible as long as the wrecker
couldn't turn 70 and haul itself up on the
track But the Man refused TO compro-
mise. The division superintendent hnaly
gave II up and started overland for tie
next telegraph station. ten miles away.
In the meanwhile matters we're coming
to q. desperate crisis in the parade befCle
the station at Solitsria. II was growing
dark. Under the circumstances there was
cause for excitement, although there was
line OF brakemen, armed with lanterns,
stretched out half mile either way.
1t was generally agreed that the lamps
In the cars should be left unlighted in def.
erence to the opinion OF the women, who
thought lights would afford too good a
mark, supposing the Man should decide 10
turn his attention to a little target prac-
tise. The engineers and express messen-
gers lit theirs. however. and the headlights
on the two middle engines were started
and threw q yellow glare on the cars be-
fore them. The Man paid no attention to
they did not interfere with his plans for
operating his road.
About this time . couple OF brakemen
put their heads together and. getting in
back Of the tender Of the express engine,
began to nre chunks Of coal through the
A. ~ ~
graphing. They figured that It would
make the Man mad and that he might sx-
haust his ammunition upon the tender. Il
did set him going for while. and. the
sound Of smashing glass. the crack Of the
revolver. and tho spat Of the bullets u1
against the tender reused considerable IN
terest. especially among the women. Then
the Man made up his mind not to shoot
any more; they couldn't do him much
harm. anyway, from behind the tender. and
he decided to devote no moro Of his OH
cial time to them. SO they know no more
about his supply Of ammunition than be-
fore. Besides, the thing was beginning to
be too much for the women In the cars,
who got an idea from the noise that some
thing was going on or was about to, and
the conductors called the brakemen OF.
They were afraid they might get the Man
too much excited.
As It got darker, however, the ideas Of
the men on the outside began to crystalize.
About everything possible had been tried
and failed. At $3.50 o'clock a determined
minority decided to 60 cunning for the
Man. It seemed q rather inhuman thing
to do, but there was no knowing what was
going to turn up. II was really case Of
self-defense. Accordingly a messenger
was sent across the fields to farmhouse
for shotgun.
pened. The Man went to sleep. This
seems incredible until 1t is remembered
that he had been up very late the night
before arranging the schedule for his road.
As for the men on the outside, they
thought at first he was merely leaning for
ward over his instrument; then some one
suggested that he might be asleep, but the
crowd was against him, the popular theory
being that he was probably playing some
trick.
The beams OF one Of the headlights
streamed in the front window Of the sta
ton and showed him very plainly. He
made an interesting, IL not entirely charm
ing picture in the yellow light-especialy
his white face and his straggly black hair.
II he had made the slightest move the
crowd would have seen It: but he didn't
So after he had lain perfectly still for ten
minutes many said that they we're COM
fortably sure that he was really asleep.
A young physician who watched him
. while said they couldn't wake him with
. ciub-it was one Of the peculiar symp-
toms Of what allied him-and suggested
that now was the golden opportunity for
those whose business it was, to gather him
In without the slightest danger to them
selves. There was long and unanimous
silence. during which the theory Of sub
terfuse on tho part OF the Man gained
ground. Finally the doctor said he would
be one Of two men to 60 in after him; a
freight brakeman said he would be the
other. ...
they went to the fear Of the station and
opened a catch In a window where piece
Of coal had broken out light. RAISED the