The Safe Breakers' Gang — page 3: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

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It was as though he had been subjected to a mild electric shock. If any citizen of Tin Bridge had addressed him in such a tone as that he would have “pitched into” him forth- with. But, somehow, he did not feel so much like attacking this man as he did a moment before. “I—want you to git out of here!” Tad faintly ordered. “I tell you to sit down!” repeated the other. Tad hesitated ; then obeyed. * Dang him !—I b’lieve he’s mesmerized me!” the youth uttered, half aloud. “There will be athrough freight along in about ten minutes,” the stranger said, speaking in a cold, steel-like voice that seemed to send a chill up and down the spine of Tad Silsby. “Yes, I b’lieve so,” was the low response. “Tt doesn’t stop here, unless it receives special orders?” “No, that one don’t.” “Well, the message I sent just before you came in was an order for that train to stop.” “An order for No. 96 to stop at Tin Bridge?” “Exactly.” * And what did you sign to the order ?” “T signed ‘N. B,’ which is the call of this station, I believe.” “Tand alive! What did ye do that for?” ‘“‘Because I wanted to get aboard the train.” “The freight won’t take a passenger for love or money !” | “Tt will take me without either love or money, my ban- tam !” ‘What do ye mean?” “ Just the words I’ve spoken, and no others. I’m given to putting things straight when I put them atall. And now for the last word, for there isn’t any time to lose.” The speaker produced a twenty-dollar bill, and flirted it before the eyes of the youth. “You see that, my bantam?” he demanded, a fierce gleam settling into bis eyes. “Ves—yes, I see it !” “And this my bantam ?” This time the silver mounting of a forty-four caliber revolver glistened within afew inches of Tad Silsby’s face. “Land alive!” gasped Tad. “Vou see it?” “Yes, I can’t help seein’ of it!” “(@hoose which you will have—a bullet from my right nand, or the rag in my left. Wait—hear my proposition ; you are to say to the trainmen of that freight, and to whomsoever else that inquiries, that you telegraphed the order to halt here! You will tell them that you found an obstacle on the track, and hadn’t time to get it clear alone! You will find the obstruction in the shape ofa rock that will be all you will care tomove. My telegram, you see, saves the train. You went out and left your office open. You neglected your duty, which will have to be known, if you give me away. There is a great deal to favor your swearing to the truth of what Isay. Retuse, and I shoot! Promise, and the money is yours, justasa keepsake to remember Jules Jepworth by! Come !—say es Jepworth ! toe “5 P — 4 X — A ad SF nme om ¢, as . Py Mal P ee at r . J< « * . & iy ae om” vA! ef : af . m Ns Py ° SP 0 tote ie bea hw ae 4 . ¢ Fae i oe . Where had Tad Silsby heard that! PHI: LOG CABIN LIBRARY. tcneinebsinsiilinmans’ caammmiaeenenie ee Snes Seiseeeensenissnineeeinee mae eee | name before? He suddenly remembered, and beads of perspiration started from every pore. “Land alive !—I’!l promise !” he huskily eried. “And you will keep the pledge?” “Till I die!” “Good! Now, go and be removing the rock from the track and forget that you have seen me here. Quick, on your life! And—but hark !—I hear the rumble of the train! Go—go!” Tad Silsby rose, and staggered forth from the dingy room without a word. In two minutes the heavy train rumbled in. CHAPTER II. A BROKEN SAFE. As Tad Silsby went out from the station at the bidding of the stranger, a crooked, dwarfish figure squirmed out from beyond an angle of the building, and followed him ‘with the noisclessness of a shadow toward the point on the track where Jules Jepworth had told him to look for the obstruction. This peculiar man, for aman it was, kept on until he was sure of the precise destination of the youth. Then he paused and waited to see the latter lift the obstruction from the track. Tad tugged at the stone with all his great strength. It must have weighed fully three hundred pounds, and as it was difficult to get a good hold upon, it seemed to Tad that it must have required the combined efforts of two men to get it to its present position. The train was at that moment approaching. Tad found that it would take several moments to remove the stone, so he seized his lantern, and swung it as a signal to stop. _ As the telegram sent by Jules Jepworth was sufficient to stop the freight at that station it was already moving at aslow pace. In another moment the breaks brought the train up with a groan and a jolt. Instantly Tad found himself surrounded by trainmen. “What's the meaning of this?” demanded the freight conductor gruffly. “Big stun on the track, and I couldn’t git it off afore ye got along,” Tad replied. ' “Stone on the track! How does that happen?” “Dunno. S’pose somebody put it there. Weighs pretty nigh half a ton I should think. Got it pretty nigh off, but didn’t dare to wait any longer, so telegraphed for ye to stop.” | “Somebody meant to smash my train, did they ?” “Looks that way.” : There was an immediate and excited discussion among the men, and two or three were ready to help Tad remove the rock. The track was soon clear, but the conductor was not satisfied. There had been a manifest attempt to wreck his train, and he could not proceed with any sense of confi- dence, for to him it seemed more than likely that the at- tempt would be repeated. : “There’s got to be notice of this business sent back to the division superintendent, "he grimly declared. “And then we’ll see if pyre can't get at something. This is the second time within a week that obstructions have been found on the track of this road.” 2. hy 2 [Ae nH ee A La 7 Ye He es i all = al ¢ > > i Sod, .f é Tad’s eyes protruded with surprise. 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