Year: 1878

AoFO bO"1 woo Shb PAO1 W "o AASO
senger On a western railway. !
don't know as it is necessary for
me to say what line it was, but /
will call it the B. T. & G. r. R.,
to save myself the trouble of
proncuncing the whole name.


! lad not been on the run moIe
than month previous to the date
OF the occurrence of which l am
going to tell you. bad been
running branch route for more
than a year, and / might have
staid there a good deal longer, if
| had hot been chosen to take
Paxton's place, when he went of.
You see, two or three attempts
had been made to rob the express
car, and of last, at the end of a
long run, Paxton was found dead
in the car with bullet hole in his
head. But the safe was closed
tight and secure, though an at
tempt had been made to blow it
open, which proved Intellectual.
But the strongest part of it all
was that the key was missing
from Paxton's pocket, and it was
not found until a good six weeks
aiterward. Then it was discoy-
cred at the side of the track, with
card tied to it, on which was
written that robbers were in the
car, ald be expected they would
murder him if be refused to give
up the key. He was true to the
last. Well, you may suppose that
| felt jast the least bit squeamish
about accepting such an inviting
berth; but the Superintendent
gave me orders, and / meant to
do my duty, however disagreeable
it might Re. Then the pay was
larger than / had ever received be-
fore; and I was acquainted with a
good girl who was ready to help
me inhabit house whenever l
should be able to own one, and
that was quite an object to me, |
can assure you.


Well, everything passed off
smoothly enough for several weeks,
and had become accustomed to
the route, and made a dozen or SO
of very pleasant acquaintance,
and | was growing to be very well
cOntented with my life. | had
almost begun to think the rob-
bers, whoever they might be, had
given up oil thoughts of ever max
ing anything out Of my car, and
had sought another field Of opera
tions.


One day | was informed by the
agent at R. that some time with
in q week | would have 10 take
charge of $4,000 in specie in its
transit over our road. The Off
GERS of the express company had
been advised of this intended i'm
portant shipment in order that
they might exercise reloubled Wig
lance, in view Of the great risk
incurred in the transportation Of
such valuable consignment.


The evening after my conver-
sation with the agent he called
me into the Office, and told me the
specie was to go over the road the
next day but one. He produced
an envelope and handed it to me,
saying as he did 50:


"There, Bill, are your orders,
direct from the Superintendent,
with bis own signature attached.
Read them carefully and obey
them to the letter, for a little mis-
move might cause a great loss to
the company and cost your posi-
tion."


Il shall do my duty to the We.
ry letter." ! replied.


Il am sure you mean to do SO,
said the agent, shut you cannot be
too careful. Some of the members
Of the light.fngered profession are
smart as lightning. The plans
they can't devise amt worth think.
ing of. and they are as fertile in
expedients as the evil one him.
self. I thought I'd just put you
on your guard in friendly way.
and"


There was a slight sound at the
door. Ifthe depot hadn't been de.
serted by every one except us
two, and the switch engine hadn't
been up at the end of the yard
where we could hear its incessant
putting. I don't believe we woulo