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1J J 1 iii jJ
1 Lr ATALE ( 'U&1N
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r Copyright , 1897 , by p. Tennyson Nee I
CHAPTER XIV-Continued.
Jack steps upon the platform of the
. car adjoining that which constitutes
the rear of the train. He is bent upon
finding out just how matters stand ,
so that .should the expedition proceed ,
giving evidence that no suspicion of
the danger ahead has entered into
the calculations of the soldiers , he
" may be able to carry out a bright
r r- thought which has entered his head.
i "I believe it can be done without a
doubt , " Jack mutters , after bending
down and making a hasty examination
( of the connection between the two
" coaches.
t-
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0-
"The same thing has been accom-
plished on numerous occasions. Railroad
road men in your country call it
' ' ' Smith-
t 'making a flying switch , says
ers , almost in his car-Smithers who
seems to have intuitively guessed
what Jack's bright thought has been ,
. and indeed must have been figuring
t himself on the same thing.
"See ; there is room enough for all
or us to cling to the end of the other
coach at the time we separate. The
. . . only danger will be the chance of discovery -
covery on the part of the soldiers. "
"Well , sir in that we are lucky.
Note the fact that tents and a certain
amount of luggage have been piled up
at this end of the car. "
"Yes , you are riaht. ; " _
"It not only serves to darken the
but will I be-
, ' platform in a degree , ,
. . . Hove , prevent any ' " of the men from
noticing that the last coach is cut
off. "
{ d "Then let us pray that hick will fol-
low us. If it wa8n't for that prom-
Ise- "
"Ah , sir , if I hadn't the utmost faith
In your word of honor , I never would
have betrayed : their secret-no , not
even to save the ladies. But no more
on that subject , please. 'Ve are here ,
,
and our work is cut out for us. It remains -
mains to be seen what Anglo.Saxon
wit can accomplish against the min-
Ions of Spanish tyranny. "
Bold words these to be uttered , even
In a whisper , within sight of several
hundred Spanish soldiers , who would
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I . = . . . . . , . ' 1"
t "Now I" ! he cries hoarsely.
. J . . .
" tear the speaker limb from limb did
, they hut overhear.
: "Look the conference is over. "
Travers has kept one eye upon the
group of officers all the while , and
when he sees them separate he knows
the subject that has been debated between -
tween them is settled.
Ah , the officers hasten to the train.
Will they order the men to turn out
o or make themselves comfortable for
i the night , since further progress has
been abandoned ?
Alas ! this Is just what they do not
carry out. Instead , loud ordenl In
Spanish of "All aboard ! " arc heard ,
a
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Copyright : , 1S99 , by Street and Smllh.
and the soldiers can be seen scram-
bling to enter the cars.
Thus the station platform , which
but a minute before bustled with life ,
appears empty and almost forsalten.
The man in charge of the train
glances up and down , and seeing
everything In readiness , waves his
arms
An Immediate response comes from
the engine in the way of a shrill
shriek-then is heard a puffing sound ,
the long train begins to move-they
are off !
And the bridge at which the fearful
disaster is ! planned to take place lies
just eight miles beyond.
Jack knows they are now reduced
to this dernier ressort. Should it fail ,
In all probability they will be In at
the death , iC they can find any satisfaction '
faction in that thought.
Smithers has learned one thing that
may have a bearing on the question.
This refers to the train guard who answered -
swered the Questions of Don Roblado.
This Spaniard has leaped Into a
compartment of the rear coach while
the train was in motion-the section
nearest the platform upon which
stand , or , rather , crouch , the three
friends. Thus it Is settled that they
have someone to look after , and who
must not be forgotten In the grand cli-
max , lest he be the means or overwhelming -
whelming them with disastsr.
The speed increases. At this rate
they will not be more than half an
hour , perhaps only twenty minutes , In
reaching the fatal spot.
Jack and Smithers talk it over In
quick sentences , while Ah Sin stands
ready to do just whatever be is bid-
den. No danger of their being over-
heard out there , with the rattle of the
cars and the clang of the wheels over
the rails.
One thing favors their : plans-the
night has swooped down upon them
with black pinions , and so Intense has
the gloom become in this mountainous
region that but for the lights stream-
ing from the car windows it would be
impossible to see the length of halt
the traiu.
Jack points to the horizon , where
some low-lying clouds are tinged with
a glow. -
"Possibly we , are near the camp
fires along the trocha , " he remarks ,
at which the other says , with grim
sarcasm :
"I would be more Inclined to believe
that Is the handwriting of Macro on
the sky. "
"Oh , more canefields destroyed.
This Is n sad day for poor Cuba , throt-
t1ef on both sides. : : nut. we must be
halfway there , Smithers. "
"At least that. A few more miles
and the blow will fall. T(1 work , then. "
"Look ahead. 'Ve are just descend-
Ing a low grade. Beyond appears a
gentle ascent. It is here we must sinker
or swim. Everything is planned. it
the execution turn out as well , we
need have no cause for complaint. Let
us change quarters. "
This Is readily done , and in a very
brief space of time they fInd them-
selves clinging to the ledge at the extreme -
treme forward end of the rear coach.
Jack is on his knees groping for the
coupling pin that holds the two vehicles -
hicles . together. If they walt until
the ascent begins , no single man's
strength may drag it out , because at
that time the strain will be whollY
upon it. Smithers is on the watch.
"Now ! " he cries , hoarsely , as they
reach the bottom of the descent and
begin to run along a very limited level
stretch , with the rise close at han(1.
Jack half rises from his crouching
position : ho has given a tremendous
try , and is now seen to held something
in his hand.
"It Is done" hA says tosllnsZ' the
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Iron pin into the darkness of the
night.
Almost immediately the car begins
to drop behind : a- ggp appears that
quickly widens , and the military train
speeds on toward doom , leaving them
behind.
CHAPTER XV.
,
A Little Affair Concerning Senor Rob- .
lade and the Guard.
It Is , as may be naturally supposed ,
a minute of intense suslwnse. Whether .
or they will succeed in their desperate .
ate enterprise depends on the perfect
alignment ot numerous facts , each
bearing on the others.
At the same time , our three friends
do not. forget to act.
As the carriage , upon the forward
end of which they cling so desperately
ly , decreases Its speed , their eyes are
not wholly taken up with watching
. the train draw ahead.
The business has been shrewdly ,
though hurriedly , planned , and each
i
"SlIenclo I" !
one of the trio has his work laid out
for him.
Thus , Ah Sin having secured a
, -
spare coupling pin that lilY upon the
platform of the last car of the retreat-
ing train , only waits for the lone car-
riage to about come to a stand , when
ho intends leaping to the ground and
placing this piece of iron behind one
of the wheels , so as to prevent any
backward movement when the momentum .
mentum already acquired shall have
ceased.
Smithers has In mind the guard In
the nearest compartment.
That railway man , accustomed to
the different motions of a carriage ,
will speedily know by Instinct that
the rear carriage is traveling along
on its individual responsibility , and as
this Is a freak hardly within the ordinary -
dinary repertoire of trailing cars In
general , Involving considerable danger .
ger In Its way , like a faithful omploye
he will be likely to show some desh'o
for an investigation. . .
This Is what interests Smithers.
Should the guard discover that they
are being deserted by the train he will
naturally give tongue and endeavor by
all means to attract attention to the
fact , not knowing , of course , what a
beneficent fate it Is that has thus
guarded his interests , for he can be
aware of no danger ahead :
Possibly the voice of a single man ,
no matter how resonant , may not bo
heard above the rattle and roar or a
train under full speed , and especially
br the passengers.
Smithers does not mean that he
shall have the opportunity to tr'y.
There are other times and places more
propitious for testing the resounding
qualities or a man's lung capacity , and
since it concerns their fortunes acutely .
ly , the detective is bound to throw his
influence against it.
Thus he begins to maIm his way in
the direction of the huard's door.
Smithers has already discovered one
thing of Interost. There 1 , a light. . hI
the end section of the carrIage where
all was dark at the last station.
Possibly the fellow hate lighted a
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lamp In trtder to real , or It may be to
better accomplish his regular duties ,
If a guard on n train out of Havana
may he supposed to have any such.
At any rate , this fact suits Smith
ers to Ii dot , ns ho IIIny now discover
what course to take , and can In his
own way intimidate the railway man.
Once his feet have found the plank ,
and ho no longer has any difficulty.
Half 1\ dhzelt ; times his hands sock
1\ new held , and then Smithers 'has
reached 1\ point where he can look
Into the interior.
By this time the speed of the dl-
vorced car has been senslj' ! slackened .
ened , and even a very obtuse employo
or the road cnn hardly help realizing
that something Is wrong.
Even as Smithers reaches the open
window of the compartment door and
crouches underneath it , the head and
i
shoulders of the Spanish guard are
I hastily thrust into view , as the fellow
endeavors to look up the line uhead.
It so happens that the train , hav ;
ing completed the gentle ascent of the
hill , is just nt this particular moment
In full view outlined ill silhouette
against the heavens.
There Is hence no possible excuse ' -
for the guard not immediately discovering -
ering It , and that he fully grasps the
situation hi evident from the startled
exclamation that escapes his lips :
"Madre do Dies ! "
Smithers' method of procedure Is ae
emphatic as it is effective. As yet the
man has not noticed the dark figure
crouching under the window , since his
attention Is wholly taken up with
what goes on ahead.
A hand suddenly plunges upward
and fastens upon the guard's throat _
with tenacious grip , and the hoarse
yell which Is just on the point 01
bursting forth Is stifled In the act
"Sllenclo ! " says a voice ill his ear-
The admonition is quite superfluous
since there is not the slightest chance
of the fellow giving even Q whisper r' '
while those. fingers close ' so affection n
ately upon his throat. r
The carriage has almost ceased tc
climb the gentle acclivity , Its momen
turn having become very nearly exhausted >
hausted , and already the train ha
vanished entirely from view , so that
all danger from that source .s past.
( To be continued. )
Skinned Out.
When It became known that .tht
best shot In the regiment was going
into the jungle to compass the death
of a terrible tiger , the surgeon.major
of the regiment , an enthusiastic curio
collector , at once buttonholed lilm.
"Remember , Atldns , " said he , "I bespeak -
speak the skin at your own price. ? :
"All right , sir , " said Atkins.
The surgeon.major was netting but
terUles 011 the outskirts of the jung16
that evening , when he saw Aildnr
running toward him. I
'Shot him ? " shouted the surgeon .
major.
"Yes , sir ! " breathlessly replied the
flying NimrodL . r
"How much for the skin ? "
"Five dollars , sir ! "
The doctor gave Atkins the money.
\Vhero's the skin ? " he cried.
'Behind you , sir ! " came the reced-
tag answer.
The doctor looked , and saw the
skin , with the tiger In It , coming opon.
mouthed and bleeding from a scratch
where Atkins had "shot" It. The doctor .
tor didn't get the tiger's skin , but the
tiger nearly got the doctor's.
Mamma Was Shocked.
"Mr. Huggins asked me to marry
him last night , " said the blushing dam-
sel.
"And what did you say ? " asked her
mother.
"Wh ' , " replied the fair maid , "I
told him to ask 'ou. "
"Asl me ! " exclaimed the astonished
parent. \Vhy , my dear , you surely
wouldn't want your poor old mother to
commit bigamy , would 'out"
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Art In Lowly Places
In Paris there is now open an exhibition -
hibition of works of art , pictures and
sculpture , cxecuted by porters and oth-
er railway emulo\'es.
