Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1924-08-08
When Engineer
Outwitted the
Bold Bandits
By GEORGE ELMER COBB


W. As4t. western Ne"spaper lnioh-l
NH ANDS of that throttler'
A signal had halted the train.
comprising a locomotive and a single
express car. Now, at the side Of the
truck, a sturdy Mexican of the des-
perado type held a magazine revolver
in either hand.
The engineer raised both hands; the
fireman backed up against the coal
heap in the tender and followed suit.
The terminus Of the branch line was
Ixtael and here there was a little
bank. II was owned by Henry Morse,
who operated a larger institution in
good-sized city Just over the Texas
state line. The engineer OF the pres
ent special was not an engineer.
However, for two years, back in his
life, he had worked on the road"
The anxious banker tried to get the
railroad company to send a special to
Ixtacl to bring thence the little bank
safe containing important documents
and cash, and found no one willing to
undertake the dangerous mission. Al
bion Marvin stepped to the front.
The railroad company agreed to fur
nish an engine and steel express car
Ben Wharton, a skilled fireman, under
took to run the gauntlet with the not-
fee engineer on a promise Of quadruple
pay.
They had made the run to Ixtacl
tVgfhnut T1Ha ffttf. a.. g. f,,,a
been put aboard the train.
AT Ixtacl no attack or outbreak was
attempted. A pretense was made by
the legal authorities to protect the re-
moyal of the safe. They laughed in
their sleeves, however.
THAT loot will never leave ldexlcan
territory" they predicted.
Ten miles, fifteen miles. twenty
miles the train progressed. Then the
signal, the armed Mexican and engi-
neer and fireman challenged and help
less, as seen.
The Mexican did not speak further
He kept his weapons. leveled as If
posing for a picture. Suddenly he gave
shrlll, piercing whistle. Its echoes
had scarcely died away when half
dozen armed men descended from
covert.
The fireman, closely scrutinIzlng his
comrade, faneied he traced a quick
glitter In his clear, scrutinizing eyes
The engineer seemed calculating
Their challenger was just in rnnge of
the exhaust cock. In fact, his face
was directly upon a level with it.
Suddenly, but quite naturally, 1t
looked, the engineer gave lurch. His
elbow met the extending valve.
Straight into the face of the unsus-
peetlng Mexican went scalding del
uge. Blinded, blIstered, in agony, he
dropped both revolvers. His hands
went up to his tortured eyes.
'Now. theni" shouted Marvin, and
he sprang to the lever.
A dozen shots from the bandits rat
tied against the cab. A curve was
turned.
"Savedr" uttered the fireman, with
grin and chuckle.
Hardly" qualified Marvin. 'If we
can only make SOnomai" he repeated,
in a buslness-like tone that sounded
hopeful to his puzzled assistant. Il
thought soi'' he added half an hour
later and slowed up Just In time TO
avoid dashing into barrlcade of rail
road ties piled across the rails. This
time six rough characters surrounded
the engine.
"Cut off that CARP ordered their
leader. and Marvin obeyed.
Now, then, go on about your busl-
ness" was the added command, and ut
a wave of the speakers hand his sub
ordinates removed the obstacle on the
tracks,
open-mouthed, detected, the fireman
stared at Marvin as he resumed his
duties.
"see here" he finally observed,
they've got what they were after"
"Yes, the express car" nodded Mar
win gayly. ut will take them an hour
to burst in that steel door to get into
the big safe"
''well. then"
by that time we shall be at So
noma."
''You keep saying 'Sonoma,' rather
irritably observed the fireman. "What's
Sonoma got TO do with 1t, anyhow
This much: To the advancing. mysti-
fication of the fireman, as they neared
sonoma, instead of running on the
main track, Marvin slowed up, set
switch to a long siding running to a
mahogany forest mile or two distant,
halted amid lonely solitude and drew
forth and blew a signal whistle.
Within few moments a responding
"honk honk r came from near road
way and an automobile appeared.
''Now, then, off with that coalr' or
dered Marvin, and brief burrowlng
revealed the little strong box that had
never seen the inside of the steel ex-
press car.
-Four armed men were In the auto.
The train was abandoned. the run
started for the Texas border.
1t was early the next morning that
Albion Marvin reported to Henry
Morse with rather proud look of ex-
pectation on his handsome features.
His faithful assistant, the fireman,
left the banker, his face in broad
grin over his quadruple reward
When Albion Marvin went up to the
Morse mansion that evening TO relate
his story to his delighted employer.
Helen Morse was waiting for him, and
when he left the house later he knew
that he had won her for a bride.