Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 673 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

4 2 Ralph Renwood, The Lightning Express Detective; OR, BLACK BART’S DEATH RUN. A Romance of the Rail. BY A, F, HOLT, CHAPTER IL HOMEWARD BOUND, A PASSENGER-TRAIN was flying over the irons at almost lightning-speed; and’ high above the whirr of wheels rose the voice of a singer, out- ringing bold and clear: ‘‘Toot—toot! Ding—dong! Swift as the whirlwind we thunder along, Flying past lakelets and sparkling rills, Plunging through tunne's in towering hills; Rattling o’er bridges, rushing through dales, Waking the echoes of slumbering vales; Puffing and snorting o’er meadow and plain, Our glittering iron borse draws the long train. Clashing, crashing, Wildly dashing, Light as a flery meteor flashing! ** Pulses throbbing and hearis filled with glee, Madly we dash on our wild career; Monarchs of all we survey are we— Hurrah for the life of the bold engineer!”’ A mere lad was the songster, certainly not over seventeen. He was tall and slender, and straight as an arrow. His merry blue eyes sparkled like twin stars. Bold aud picturesque he looked, in the weird, ‘uncertain light, standing erect upon the floor of ‘the cab, his slender form sweying from side to side with the motion of the swiftly-speeding iron horse. Intense enthusiasm lighte@ every feature as, in a clear, boyish tone, he su ose stirring words, , ‘‘Them’s my sentiments exactly! This is jest e-lorious! Jee-whizz! How we are a ooray! for an ergineer’s life, say 1!” Unable to do bis feelings justice by words alone, the lad essayed“to dance a break-down, but with disastrous results; for just then a sud- den plunge of the locomotive around a sharp curve in the track caused the would-be dancer to lose his equilibrium, and roll over and over upon the floor. At this unexpected ending to the boy’s demon- strations the man upon the engineer’s seat turned his head for a moment, an amused smile upon his lips, He was a young fellow, not more than twenty- three, straight and tall, with wavy brown hair, and eyes that flashed keen as the mountain Kan, kab] if h ibl emarkably young ‘for such a responsible po- sition, yet Ralph Renwood 1 possessed all the es- sential qualities of a model engineer, being brave, steady and reliable; and doubtless the railroad officials knew what they were about, when they intrusted to him the guidance of the Lightning Mail and Express. Tne young engineer looked with amusement upon the antics of his irrepressible companion, “Careful, Harry!” he cautioned, ‘* Pray ex- ercise a little more judgment, or [Ff fear you will go ‘ crashing, clashing’ into the ditch.” His ardor somewhat dampened, the boy slowly pulled himself together, ruefully rub- bing the back of his head, which had come into violent contact with the oaken floor, **Never mind, Harry. It’s all in a lifetime. ‘You must expect many a hard knock, my lad, ae you become a full-fledged knight of the ver, Harry Hilton was a typical American boy, filled to the brim with life and spirit. Like many others of his e, the adventurous life of the railroad man had for him a strange fascination, and the height of his ambition was to stand at the throttle of a locomotive. The lad was a universal favorite in his na- tive town, and particularly so among the rail- road “‘boys.” One of them, on account of the oo well-known hobby, also in allusion to his lliant hair, bad dubbed him Headlight Harry, a cognomen which stuck to him like wax. “‘T don’t wish to'influence you to turn from @& course u which I see you are deter- mined,” said the young en ineer, as the train rolled along. Live and learn,’ says the motto; and experience will teach you that the life of an en r is a thorny one. “ Thin the danger! A broken rail, a wash-out, a misplaced switch—countless fo either the result of accident or carelessness, he must be ever ready to avoid. He stands at The Lightning Express Detective. his post, with the possibility of being hurled into eternity the next moment, ‘* An engineer must be faithful, cool and vigi- lant, with active brain and nerves of steel. The passengers look to him for safety; their lives arein his hands. He must be prepared to run extra hours—foodless, sleepless and without a thought for his own comfort. In fact, he should be little short of superhuman—a ver- itable automaton—for the benefit of the public. “All this danger and inconvenience is in- curred for a meager salary;and if, perchance, Fate gains the mastery and the engineer goes down with his machine, standing hervically at his post in the effort to save the lives of others, when a sudden leap might have preserved his own, people turn carelessly away from « the mangled remains, with the remark, ‘Only the engineer !’ ‘* Believe me, Harry, it’s a rough life at best; and it will soon wear out a constitution of iron,” Headlight Harry,in blank astonishment, lis- tened to the speech of his companion. ‘* Wal, I didn’t expect to hear you talk that way, Ralph,” he ejaculated. “*Skin me if lL don’t. beliseve you’ve gone clean plumb crazy! I’d be ashamed to run down my own calling. If an engineer’s life is such an all-fired hard one, what are you doin’ here on the Atalanta, sa-ay?” ‘“‘ Necessity, not choice, keeps me here. My father was an engineer—a better man never crossed the foot-boards; and it- was: he who taught me how to drive a locomotive. So when he died, leaving me at an early age to carn my own livelihood, I naturally chose the calling of which I was master.” ‘* Wal, it’s my opinion, Ralph, there’s better things in store for you,” announced Headlight Harry, with the air of anoracle. ‘‘Onless I’m greatly mistaken, there’ll be a — for the par- son, afore long; an’, of course, Millionaire Gar- land, with all his rocks, wouldn’t allow his son- in-law to continue runnin’ an engine, rigged up in greasy overalls an’a jumper. Ih, old pard?”’ The young engineer made no reply, but the faint blush that suffused his cheek, told that the boy’s shot had not come far from the mark, ‘* There is still another danger that menaces the railroad man, particularly in the less thickly settled regions,” continued Renwood, after a pause. ‘* There are in existence bands of train- robbers—unscrupulous cut-throats, who would not hesitate to ditch a train and send scores of souls into eternity, if there was any booty to be gained by the operation. ** This road repticcatoapy oo their depredations, as you are well aware. Nobody has forgotten the dread Black Brotherhood, whose daring ex- ploits, only a year ago, created a reignof terror all along the line. Before their Caiieng Boks.» the dark deeds of the notorious James boys pale into insignificance.” ‘*But those days are now ” declared Headlight Harry, positively. ‘ Nothing has been seen of Black Bart or his men since the scrimmage at Brown’sBend, when the Vigilantes attacked them, an’ put them to flight. General opinion says that the Brothérhood is clean bu’sted, an’ "ll never be heard from again.” ‘* Possibly so; but Idoubtit. Black Bart has more lives thana cat, and is always appearing when least expected. It’s dollars to doughnuts, the scoundrel is still print dead A in the vicinity, awaiting a favorable opportunity to spring some infernal scheme upon the public.” Headlight Harry laughed derisively. ‘* Well, I guess there’s no danger of bein molested by the Brotherhood to-night, so “ee worry myself about it,” he said, care- lessly. ‘ There was a serious expression upon the face of the young engineer, as he gazed fixedly out through the narrow window, to where the lurid gleam of the great headlight fell upon the glit- tering rails. ‘“*T trust nothing will happen; yet, truth to tell, I feel unaccountably nervous to-night,” he said, gravely. ‘‘I know the road-agents have let this vicinity severely alone for some time past; but that is no sign they always will. Be- sides, there are extra inducements for attack of- fered by this particular train.” ** How so?” . ‘* Yonder Express car contains a cool hundred thousand dollars—solid gold bars, smelted at Bullion City, and consigned to the National Bank at Richville.” “* A hundred thousand dollars?) Whew!” and ova Harry’s eyes protruded like peeled onions. . ‘Of course, no one is to know of this consign- ment, save the parties most particularly con- cerned, including the messenger and myse However, Black Bart is‘a very bloodhound fo nosing out such secrets; and, once aware of its valuable contents, would spare no pains to cap- ture the train.” ‘‘ Little danger, I reckon; but if Black Bart should come, we’re all ready to receive him. It'll be the toughest job he ever tackled!” de- clared Harry, assuming a defiant attitude. ‘* Nevertheless, I shall not breathe free again, until the goldis out of my charge, and safe in the vaults at Richville— Hark!” The bell-cord suddenly tightened, then slack- ened perceptibly, as a singlesonorous clang of the engine-bell pealed warningly upon their ears, while at the same time the Atalanta lurched forward at increased speed, asif sud- denly released from a beavy burden. With a cry of alarm, Renwood sprung to grasp the throttle... ‘* Great Heaven!” he exclaimed. has parted!” ‘¢‘ The train CHAPTER II. BLACK BART. ** ALL aboard!” The conductor impatiently swung his lantern, the engine groaned and labored, and the wait- ing passenger who had signaled the Express at the inal station of Cross-Cut, had barely time to scramble upon the platform, ere the train rushed off into the darkness again. There was nothing particularly noteworthy in the appearance of the new-comer, who, nod- ding carelessly to the surly official, leisurely made his way into the smoking-car. » He was, apparently, a middle-aged man, of medium hight, broad-shouldered and muscular, with long, sandy hair, and beard that fell upon his breast, while from under shaggy brows a pes of dark eyes flashed with wondrous bril- iancy. A very ordinary man, unostentatious- ly attired, wearing the appearance of a quiet, hard-working countryman. “Ho carried in one hand a heavy valise, while the other grasped a cane; and there was a perceptible limp in his gait as he entered the car. The smoking-car was filled by the -miscel- laneous gathering always to be found within this thoroughly American institution, Tour- ists, commercial travelers, sports, laborers— good, bad and indifferent, had cougregated with one common purpose in view, and tho fumes of - the rankest ‘‘ nigger-head % mingled with the fragrance of the choicest Havana. The card-tables, too, were receiving their Ccus- | ’ ’ & tomary share of attention, and every one seemed hap-y and contented, from the haughty Britisher, “Going this blawsted country, don’- cher know,” down to the ragged, impecunious tramp, who had snugly ensconced himself in the wood-box, and was now philosophically figuring out his chances of escaping the ob- servation of the argus-eyed ticket-puncher. Every seat was occupied, and the late ar- rival from Cross-Cut looked anxiously about for ap ce in which to deposit bis hundred and fifty d pounds of flesh, bone and muscle. Near the middle of the car lounged a com- mercial drummer, who, with more cheek than courtesy, bad appropriated two entire seats to accommodate himself and a multitudinous ar- ray of boxes, bundles and budgets. He was a swell young fellow, faultlessly attired, and lolled with his feet cocked upon the top of a pile of sample-cases, puffing serenely at a fragrant weed, in utter disregard of the discomfort of his fellow-passengers, But the man from Cross-Cut espied this “‘ pig in pantaloons,” and immediately a portion of the drummer’s possessions found themselves upofi the floor, while the stranger, without further ceremony, drop into the vacant place with a sigh of satisfaction. | The youth whose luggage had undergone such careless treatment was so affected by the fellow’s effrontery that for a moment he could only glare at the intruder in open-mouthed amazement, ‘‘ Aw—my dear sir, it seems to me you take considerable liberty with another man’s prop- erty,” he finally managed to utter. ‘‘ Are you aware, my Christian friend, that this seat is engaged? he new-comer beamed pleasantly upon his irate vis-a-vis, and calmly proceeded to make himself. more comfortable ere deigning a re- nse, Pe Pray don’t let_ your angry passions rise,” he said, tersely. ‘‘Man was made before boxes and bundles, an’ consequently has a_ better right to a sit. You'll allow that the floor is pobecsy good enough for these traps. Don’t a hog, young feller!” 900KS. oe 7 . ee, ee _ —_— ss ee = — i _— ‘ es tie. * ev, ‘ . 4 — @ \. ’ Ky / hand Any iad