Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 524 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

? : : — — ee we ee ee -—-_- ~ 14 Mme. Sibylla was screaming heartily, evi- dently with the hope of increasing the confusion and so securing a chance to escape, and Mrs. ‘tyler was swearing and scolding ina manner frightful to hear. either Ralph nor his assistant could release them for a moment, nor could they find any ready means of securing them, And the struggie between Luke and Brace went furiously on. Half a minute more passed thus, and then heavy steps were heard on the porch, and men rushed in, _ Were they friends or foes? That was soon decided, as Luke Warren caught sight of a policeman’s uniform, and ex- claimed: ‘* Here, officer, lend a hand, quick\” “Who are you?” the policeman demanded, as he advanced, “* We are railroad men, who came here with a deputy sheriff to arrest the persons in this house,” ‘** That’s a lie!” cried Brace, as he struggled all the more to get away. ‘* It is false!” screamed Mrs, Palmere. ‘‘ They are thieves and murderers!” es an instant confusion was worse confound- ed, The officer was bewildered, but only for a mo- ment, Redlight Ralph dragged the woman he held along to where the officer was, as he could not let go of her, and said, in decisive tones: ‘* Officer, I am Ralph Raymond, manager of the M. CG. & O. Railroad. Secure that prisoner, and then hear my explanation.” This had the right effect, and in another mo- ment Brace Tyler was conquered. Some three or four persons had followed the oliceman in, and Ralph directed one of them ‘to step into the room and bring out the light. When this was done the excitement abated, and Ralph told his story. ‘* And where is the deputy now?” asked the policeman, ‘‘One man fot away,” answered Ralph, ‘‘ and he pursued him,” ** And you want these three arrested?” “4 ‘Yes,’ - ** You charge them with murder?’ ‘**T will go with you to the station and make the charge.” ‘Ob! all right.” Then the prisoners were quickly secured, de- ‘spite the tearful protestations of Mrs. Palmere and the threats and curses of Brace Tyler an his worthy consort. And when their hands were tied, Ralph and the officer set out with them for the police station, Ralph telling Luke Warren to remain and guard the trunks until he returned. As soon as they were gone, Luke's attention was called to the wounded man, . He was assisted to rise and was helped into ‘the house, where his hurt was examined. It was not a dangerous wound. The bullet had struck him in the thigh, and could be felt under the skin, It had missed the bone, and had not gone quite through. A bandage was put around the leg, and as- sisted by his companion and one of the men who had come in with the policeman, the wounded man went home, Redlight Ralph and the policeman, with their prisone;s, soon reached the police station, and a3 Ralph made his cneree, there was one man present whom it complete A acgrchs That man was Joel Spottem, the detective, He could not believe that he heard aright. ‘““Good Heavens!” he exclaimed; ‘‘was it murder, after all?” “Tt certaiply was,” Ralph assured him. ~ rea car—locked—how did the murderer resca “You will learn in good time,” said Ralph. “T cannot explain now.’ Ralph saw the necessity of calling the police to assist in findfag the murderer, if he had got away from Frank, as it was to be supposed he bad, and a general alejam was sent out at once. Then Ralph and a policeman went back to the house and removed the trunks, and then the house was closed up and a watchman was stationed there to guard it. CHAPTER XIV. A STRANGE CHASE, WHEN Frank started in pursuit of the chief ‘villain he was fully determined that the man should not escape. ‘*Stop!” he shouted, as he ran down toward The Engineer Detective. the street, ‘‘stop! or I will drop you in your tracks!” but, the reply was a defiant shot, and Rel whistled unpleasantly close to his ead, In a moment the man had flung open the rear gate and was out in the street. Frank was almost at his heels then, but owing tothe man’s violently flinging the gate shut in his very face, he was staggered and almost knocked down, and thus lost a little time in opening it. When he passed through he could just see the retreating form of the murderer about half a block away, but the young engineer ‘‘ put on steam ” and dashed ahead at a furious gait. The race continued for three or four blocks before anything occurred. When something did occur, it was in a way that at first glance boded ill to Frank, and promised to secure the escape of his man. A policeman sprung suddenly out of a cross- street, and raising his locust aloft, ordered Frank to stop. ** Don’t detain me,” Frank shouted, ‘‘ I am after a prisoner! 1’m a deputy sheriff!’ Stop!” the policeman cried, ‘‘ stop, I tell ye! I wan’t to know who you are!” Frank was right upon him, and making a feint as though to dodge by him, he struck out suddenly with his fist and sent the blue-coat to the ground. On he ran, then, not having stopped even for a moment. It is a serious offense to strike an officer, or is said to be, and in this case it certainly was—for the officer; but, Frank knew that a delay of a single moment would destroy every chance of his laying hold of his prisoner, and there was no other course aon to him. By the time the policeman had come to his senses and picked himself up, Frank was a block and a half away. The course the fugitive was taking led him to the tracks of ths railroad, and when he reached them, at a crossing a short distance above the station, Frank had gained somewhat upon him. The man eared’ back. just when he was fairly upon the crossing, and by that glance he almost ended the race then and there. He struck his toe against some object, and went sprawling at full length on the planking and tracks, It was a severe fall, but he was up again in- stantly and speeding on. Frank was now unco.nfortably near, and, had the man lain but a quarter of a minute, where at fell, the young engineer would have been on im, As it was, lis chances seemed lessened, Suddenly he nade a new move. He left the street and darted away down the track. A short distance ahead was a switch-engine, standing on the main track and all usder steam. A sudden thought came to Frank: What if the man vere to jump aboard, pull the throttle and dash out of the city under full steam? Barely had the thought come, when, to his great. surpriad, the fugitive did just that very ing Frank stopped, gazed after the retiring en- gine, which was speeding away with wide-open throttle, and for one moment he gave up in de- spair. But he suddenly roused up. rT; No,” he cried, ‘6 never !? He glanced at his watch. It was forty min- utes before any train was due to arrive or de- rt. Pr At the next street crossing below stood the locomotive of a Freight train on a side-track. The train was all ‘‘ made up” and ready for the road, and was waiting for time. “By heavens!” Frank cried, as he glanced around, “I'll give chase! he escapes now he may never be seen again! He must not escape.” _ Quickly he ran down to where the train was in waiting. It was his own train—that is, the one he would have gone out with as engineer had he been on duty, When he reached the locomotive the first thing he did was to cut it loose from the cars. Then he caught up a redligbt and put it down on the main track. Next he ran to the switch and opened it, and then back to the engine, pulled the throttle, and, with a shrill seream of the whistle, was away like the very wind! The engineer, fireman and trainmen of the train were all seated on a bench at the side ot a flagman’s shanty, a short distance, all wonder- ing where the switch-engine was going to at such speed, and no one saw what was going on near their own engine until they heard the whistle and saw it start off, LLL LDL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LL LLL LLL LLL LDR DDD LD DLL LLL Up they sprung, but they were too late. ‘What in blazes is going on here?” cried the engineer, in great excitement. o one coud tell bim. ‘‘Hang meif I know,” he added, “ but it isa reg’tar railroader on my engine, sure, aud he means to bring her back. , he left the red- light there!” All this was discussed at length, but our inter- est now centers upon the pursuer and pursued. The engine was Frank’s own regular machine, and he knew just what it coulddo, He knew that it would .only be a question of time when he would overtake the switch-engine. The lat- ter had smaller wheels than his; and was not so good a runner by any means. As soon as he was fairly started,the Engineer- Detective pulled the throttle wide open, and bis machine seemed fairly to fly. It was risky work, running without orders, but it was a certainty that if there was any train or engine coming in the opposite direction the switch-engine must meet it first, so Frank was comparatively safe, Out of town he flew, up the long grade that led to the bills, around the big curve in the cut as the road has once been described in the story of ‘‘ REDLIGHT RALPH,”’) and then for some dis- tance he had a straight track. hen he came around upon that straigbt line, he saw the headlight of the switch-engine some miles ahead, Switch-engines, as a rule, carry a headlight op each end, The headlight of the engine Frank was on had not yet been lighted. This was fortunate, for in the darknes he might be able to catch up with the fugitives before he was discovered, He had plenty of water, fire and all else, and knew how to keep up the supply of steam, of course, With the fugitive it was difficult. He was well supplied with water and fuel, but he did not know how to use them, In a few minutes Frank noticed that he was gaining. ‘“*T will have him yet!” he cried joyfully, ‘and Daddy Gray shall be avenged.” On, on, he fairly flew, and the headlight of the other engine drew gradually nearer and nearer. Finally, when he came to the foot of a long up-grade, Frank was so close to the other en- gine that its rear headlight fell upon bis own engine, and he knew that he could get no nearer unseen, if the fugitive chanced to look around. He had been slacking speed a little as he drew near, but now he pulled the throttle wide open again for a final spurt, then partly closed it and catching up his revolver he sprung out through the front door, ran forward to the cow- catcher, and there crouched down, The engines were drawing close together now, and as soon as they were near enough for bim to do it, Frank sprung over to the tender of the one ahead. The tender of the switch-engine was but a small affair, and it was but a step from it to the cab. The moment Frank was on it, he reached up and caught hold of the handle and stepped into the cab Sirectly bebind the man he was so de- termined to capture. Burke was looking straight ahead, ard on the floor under his feet lay the engineer of the en- gine, whom he had knocked senseless at the start with a blow from his revolver. Just as Frank sprung up, the two engines struck with a slight shock. Burke turned instantly, to find bimself face to face with the Engineer-Detective, who held a cocked revolver ready, in his right hend, while with his left Frank grasped the man by the neck, ‘‘ Surrender!” Frank cried, “‘ or I will shoot!” ‘‘Never!” shouted Burke, and he dodged and attempted to draw his own Weapon, ; It was no time for trifling then, so with a hasty aim Frank pulled the trigger. There were a flash and a report, avd Burke staggered back and fell across jhe boiler with bl streaming down his face. ; Frank had fired to kill, and certainly thought the Man was dead. He was not, however, though Frank’s bullet bad cut an ugly furrow along his scalp and rendered him insensible. .. Frank’s first care was to bring the two en- gines to a stop, This done, he turned to his prisoner to learn whether he was dea or not, Finding that he was not, he secured his hands and feet with strong cords, and then laid bim down upon the floor of the cab on the other side of the boiler.