Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-04-09
BY John Russell
A Railroad Wreck Robbery; More Robbery and Surprises

phrase. "Only a common tramp. But
II I was a train wrecker. why. I'd be
q train wrecker. you Bee. And il
was a yegg. I'd be yegg. And such
being so, IL any guy interfered. why,
1 suppose I'd naturally get rid of
that guy and be on my way"
How"
"Croak him, of course"
The chiefs face was a twitching
mask.
You think we wouldn't dare?"
Maybe you would" said Boston,
carried away by a flush Of conviction
and assured triumph. only you
couldn't. AS you told your old pal
Strombel-you need a specialist. For
one thing, the jobs too difficult. And
then it's SO blamed messy. You're
only la-di-da operator. You
couldn't"
Thanks" said the chief CURLY.
| He began to snap orders about him
like cuts with a whip. And like crea-
lures under the whip his people
jumped to do his will
"Hendry, you raise that connection
now If it takes all night Counter
mand those telegrams-all except the
one-word cipher messages. You fol-
low me?"
Eyes, chief"
Make central destroy the others
understand? No alarm goes out. No
body must even know we've been
here. Miss Marvel, see that the car is
ready and study your map. We leave
by the north road to avoid being seen
again in West Wulliver. And-close
the door behind you, please
He waited until the girl had gone.
Richard! And you-Ssven.'
Here, SIR
Gag this man."
They accomplished it.
81 noticed some kind of shed out
back"
"A caretaker might perhaps visit
this house. but he wouldn't bother about
shed"
NO. sir
That shed will probably not be in
spected again before next summer"
NO. sir
Garry this fellow out the rear way,
put him in that shed, and leave him
there
The two retainers breathed hard.
Cavorces stoobed and peered into
the eyes of the prisoner, who glared
and strained impotently at him from
the bench.
Now, l don't find that difficult at
all, do you notice? And not a bit
messy. either, Ell? 1 must say were
much obliged for the advice"
x x <
WHEN Boston came to himself
again from a choking swoon of
rage he was lying alone in darkness.
But he was still able to wriggle
and his bonds gave a trifie some
where. He worked one hand under
loop and tested it. The stuff was, or
binary line. Quarter-inch line, cot
ton line, frayed and stetchabIe and
well-rotted line-clothesline!
Inside of three minutes he was free
He stood up and CROPPED about him
There was something about the place
that seemed curiously familiar. He
found tilted ladder in one corner, a
box and nests and troughs such as
furnish forth a coop-the kind he had
so often broken into in the course Of
his career, and might therefore rea.
sonably expect to break out of with
the same .ase-in short, chicken
coop.
Once more in the open. the whole
wide night invited him. He had only
to go at large and give thanks for
his escape. Desiring vengeance. he
had only to drop a line or a whisper
30 the proper authorities and leave
the law to track down a pea-green
automobile. But Boston Blackie re-
memNered the suitcase. and he crept
back toward the house. The automo-
bile was Mill humming on the drive.
He caught M instant's silhouette of
Miss Marvel, but the rest of the crew
were not in 2ght, and when he en-
tered by thu rear door he heard the
faithful H/ndry at his weary task.
Evidently that fried egg at West
WullivIr was still holding up the
busiDess of conspiracy. Pausing only
long enough to prepare his trusty
matchbox, Boston Blackie turned off
from the kitchen and found his way
down the cellar stairs.
Where the flame of his match
twinkled before him there he saw a
massive device that barred one whole
wing of the cellar. 1t was built of
wood a foot thick. and it had a pom
derous door with brass hinges and a
huge brass lock. 1t closed off a
vaulted, well-venti1ated chamber that
could have held small army in per-
feet condition.
1t had been used for storage It
might again be used for storage. Bos-
ton had often had experience with
such structures. though none quite SO
magnificent as this, and the good
things they sometimes kept in storage
in a word, a refrigerator