The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1920-06-25

| partners:"
Il did hear the rest" he answered
sharply. THAT'S how / knew YOU were
partners"
"All right, mud-lark." cautioned
Jake. ''Don't sing so shrill." In the
same instant the moonlight was re-
fiected from bright barrel he held
in his hand. IF you heard the rest
you tunlbled. that we had planned a
little picnic Tor tonightp'
YES"
"An' that my partner is too sick to
make one?"
YES"
San that you came along just in
timei"
"In time for whatY
"As you've heard what's afoot, it's
that or--s'
Jake fingered his revolver with med
itatiye Indifference.
Anderson's heart was beating like
riveting machine.
"Well. don't you fancy holding up
a train?" persisted Jake.
Il would rather hold up train"
said Anderson mechanically, "than-"
he stopped short and blushed.
"All right, then" went on Jake,
not noticing the hesitation. "You've
saved your life, even if you hang for
it. Now listen. In twenty minutes the
Chicago fller, with a cargo of mil
lionaires aboard, will be along. We
put this red lamp on the track. an
board the train as she comes to a halt.
While they're Investigating we slip
into the rear car where my infOrma-
ton is that the milli0naires an their
families are travelling, it being a pri-
vate car.
eth only be about nine o'clock,
an no berths will be made up among
that bunch, which makes it easier. l
go first an persuade 'em to put their
hands in the air. Then you back me
up.
THAT'S all you got to do-hold a
gun an look devilish. Think you can
do ito"
81 think I can" gasped the million
aire. ''if I have mask"
''You will. Now look here. I want
to explain to you that there amt to
be no double-crossing. I'm quicker'n
flashlight. D'you ever hear Of Dead
Shot Dan, the king-pln scribe of the
pistol world?"
Eve heard the name" murmured
Anderson.
can now you see the man." pro-
claimed Jake grandly. Besides, the
gun you've got amt loaded"
At the first statement Anderson was
stung into jealous impotence. The Sc
cret pride of his heart in the sfeats
and chronicles of Dead Shot Dan was
great in proportion to its secrecy; but
the last insult was the worst.
It brought Anderson's mind from
stupor to instant activity. Like flash
his resolve was made. He would
achieve his ambitiOn--emascula in
form as it was-to hold up a train,
and then, by his superior dexterity
with the trusty weapon that nestled
in his own pocket, he would capture
the bandit, thus obtaining a double
adventure, q double glory and a four
fold satisfaction. Revenge and ro-
nance should go hand in hand.
1t was not until he found himself
in the private car holding a pistol over
the c0wed occupants. while Jake &C.
quired their property, that the full
flood of JOY met his uncOnquered in
Stinct.
He became facetious. and smiled as
he pointed his pistol at first one and
then another of his victims, more than
one OF whom had been host and guest
to him. Here was life at last.
Jake kept up constant patter.
'Now be careful, gentlemen" he was
saying. "My-partner there is terrible
blOod-thirsty. He'd sooner shoot than
eat, an he scarcely ever misses. AS
for me-" his hand patted the chained
pistol Mt his side, "aS for me-rm
Dead Shot Dan. He's a pupil of mine"
Liar" he snapped. I'm no pupil
OF yours.
Everybody in the car from honest
man to thief, gasped and stared. They
could not understand it.
"You ain't?" queried Jake for lack
of other ideas. "Then who are you?"
His hand was creeping to the swing
Ing pistol. Anderson was eyeing him
keeny, his left hand resting in his
coat pocket
"I'm Dead Shot Dan" he said, with
tense QuietnesS, and before the de-
scending hand reached the butt of the
hanging pistol the intelligence that
had been Jalle's had slipped into the
ether.
AS The shot echoed, Anderson
laughed with hysterlcal JOY. then
dragged the mask from his face and
staggered as if he himself had been
shot.
But the sweet sense of precision