Luis Senarens

“ Two minutes!"
"Good Lord A'mighty!"
"Speak–quick!"
"It's as much as my life is worth!"
"Very well. Ten seconds more!"
The outlaw was as pale as death.
The bandages around his head added to the look of unutterable woe upon his haggard face.
He trembled like an aspen, and burst into a cold, clammy perspiration, and was breathing heavily.
Jack glanced up from his watch.
"Time's up!" he exclaimed.
"Mercy!"
"Speak, or perish!"
"Yes! yes! I'll tell."
"Well?"
"To-morrow at two o'clock they'll be in Husking Valley." ”

“ A half smothered oath escaped his lips as he caught view of a locomotive chasing the train he was on, for he distinctly saw a man in the cab whom he recognized as one of his worst enemies.
"Sheriff Timberlake!" he growled between his clenched teeth, as a dark scowl mantled his brow. "Curse him! he is hot after us now, and if he overhauls this train he may give us no end of trouble."
"The skunk has followed us all the way from Missouri, and after we saw the sights of New York, and gave him the slip, he must have discovered that we started for home in this train. ”

“ It knocked the sheriff down.
He was hardly prostrate before the whole gang was upon him, and while one took the pistols away from him, the rest bound and gagged him.
He thus was rendered perfectly helpless.
When he recovered from the effect of the blow, he found himself at the mercy of the gang, unable to move or speak, and tied up to the old-fashioned bed post.
"Fool," said Jesse, standing before him, and bending a burning glance upon him of mingled hate and rage. "Are you soft enough to imagine you can get away with all of us single handed?" ”

“ So bitter is the feeling against them that a reward of five thousand dollars has been offered for the James Boys, dead or alive. I enclose warrants and all necessary authority for you to act in league with the officers of this State in the capture or killing of the bandits in question, and sincerely trust that you will meet with entire success. By this mail have also written to Sheriff Timberlake whom I am delighted to hear intends to go with you on your perilous expedition. He is a brave and true man, in whom I have the most implicit confidence. ”

“ He yelled to the gang, and over a score of rifles and pistols were aimed at Jack, the Dutchman, and the sailor.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang! rattled the shots.
A hail of leaden pellets struck the trio.
But their suits shed the bullets as if they were rain drops, and they continued to pour a deadly fire into the outlaws.
Every time a bullet burst it either scattered and injured many or else it lodged in a solitary man and blew a big piece out of him. ”

“ THE FIGHT IN THE CANYON.
"Halt! Who goes there?"
"Oh, Lor'! what's this?"
"Is that the Independence stage?"
"Yes. Don't shoot! I cave!"
"Ah! do not alarm yourselves; we are friends."
Jack turned on the search-light as he spoke and beheld four horses pulling an old fashioned yellow stage coach, on each side of which burned two lamps.
Upon the box sat an old jehu, Sandy Ellis by name, who had driven that vehicle for quarter of a century over that route. ”

“ Every one but a woman in the stage assented, and Sandy pulled out a big navy revolver from his boot leg, and remarked:
"You can just gamble on it I am."
"Any of you afraid to fight, if it became necessary?"
"I'd rather not if I could avoid It," replied a thin fellow, with a hacking cough. "Fighting isn't my fort."
"Waal, I guess you'll pull a trigger if you saw a gang of masked bandits trying to bore a hole in your head." ”

“ Jack Wright,–In reply to your letter I beg to assure you of my heartfelt gratitude for your kind offer to try to apprehend the James Boys and break up their villainous gang. These outlaws have too long been a terror to the community, and there is not a decent man, woman or child in the state who would not be glad to hear of the extermination of the gang. The list of crimes for which the James Boys are amenable is too long and too horrible to enumerate here in detail. Let it suffice that there are charges of every description in the category against them, including many atrocious murders. ”

“ The gang looked very glum.
"What sort of a place is Wrightstown?" asked Cummins, finally.
"I've heard that it's a fisher village. A young fellow named Jack Wright lives there. He's an inventor of electric machines for flying through the air, navigating under water, and running over the land. Everybody has heard of him. He has the reputation of being one of the richest boys in the country. By means of his famous inventions he has made a barrel of money."
"Then he's our game," said Frank, decisively.
"Yes," assented Jesse. ”

“ No lies!"
"I tell you I don't know."
"We'll see," said Jack, pulling out his watch and drawing a bead on the man. "It is now three minutes to four. At precisely four o'clock, unless you tell us where I can find the James Boys, I'll fire!"
"Say! don't do that!" cried the bandit, in alarm.
"That's the law."
"But I really don't—"
"One minute."
"For Heaven's sake, let up!"
"You are wasting valuable time, Wood Hite."
"If I knew I'd tell you quick enough."
"Your time on earth is growing mighty short."
"Won't anything else satisfy you?" ”

“ Go to Missouri in pursuit of the James Boys?" asked Timberlake, as he took up Jack's remark.
"Yes, sir. I or the bank have lost five thousand dollars by a mean trick the bandit king played on me, and I mean to recover it."
"League yourself with the State Government against the outlaws, and you may not only recover the stolen money, but you stand a mighty good chance of winning the standing reward of five thousand dollars for the arrest and conviction of the James Boys."
"The money is no temptation to me whatever," asserted Jack. "I don't need it. ”

“ I was unlucky enough to lose my pocket-book. I am an utter stranger here, and did not know what to do to raise ten dollars to pay my car fare. Having been told that you was a charitable man, I wish to know if you will lend me the money. I will gladly mail the amount to you when I reach home."
"Why certainly I'll let you have it," replied Jack.
"To prove to you that I want the money only for the purpose I mentioned," glibly preceded the outlaw, "you can make out a check payable to the bearer, and you will find the voucher stamped or endorsed by the railroad company in payment for my ticket." ”

“ In a moment more the locomotive was gone.
The outlaws emerged from their places of concealment.
"How long before Timberlake will discover our ruse?" asked Frank.
"If the train goes on, not for an hour yet," replied Jesse, as he cast a swift glance around. "But we are in a sorry plight now."
"How do you mean?"
"You know we all lost every dollar we had, playing faro in the city. How are we going to ride back to Missouri without a cent? It's my opinion that we'll have to do some work about Wrightstown to get ahead. ”

“ They are not used to such rough treatment."
"The James Boys won't leave Missouri until after I land them in prison," resolutely said Jack, "I've come here to do it and I won't be baffled. You know I've got the money they stole from the Wrightstown Bank. Now I'm going to get the governor's reward, or know the reason why."
"If you think you can do it, I'm with you heart and soul," replied the sheriff. "My chief ambition as to break up that gang, and get the nippers on those dare devil brothers." ”

“ A strange-looking vehicle in the form of a stage was disclosed standing in the middle of the apartment.
Jack pointed at it and said:
"There's the machine that will do all I claimed for it."
"By thunder, that's an odd looking affair!"
"She certainly is a peculiar carriage."
"Yet she is very handsome, light, and durable."
"Lift one end of her. You will be amazed at her weight."
"How can one man lift such a heavy thing as that?"
"Try, and you'll see."
The sheriff complied. ”

“ They had been obliged to tie the traces to the Terror, but there was no pull on them as Sandy had only to keep his horses trotting while Jack made the machine run itself.
Owing to the gloom of the night, the rubbers on the body of the Terror, the horses, lamps and driver any one would have imagined it was the regular old stage coach.
The people inside talked in low tones and every man aboard held his weapon ready for use. ”

“ And crack–bang! went Jesse's revolver.
The ball tore a hole through the car.
It was echoed by a fusillade from within.
Crack!
Crack!
Crack!
Crack!
One of the bullets hit Jack Keene, and made him yell with pain.
It infuriated the bandits to have the two men resist them in that summary fashion, and they let drive a volley.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang! went the shots.
"There's but a slim show to hit them," said McMillan.
"I'll teach them a lesson!" said Jesse, savagely.
He got several sticks of dynamite, tied them in a bunch, and fastened them along the door sill. ”

“ We have thus far failed to do so."
"Why has it been such a difficult task?" asked Jack.
"In the first place, Jesse James owns a horse named Siroc which is unequaled in speed and intelligence by any horse in the world that I know of, and he can easily outfoot the fleetest animal that ever chased him."
"Well," asked Jack, "suppose an electric overland engine were to chase that remarkable quadruped, don't you think he might be overtaken? The engine I refer to can run at the rate of fifty miles an hour over rough ground." ”

“ Yet his patience did not give out.
"Do you suppose our prisoner knows what method Jesse James will employ in his attempted raid?" he asked.
"No. He never tells his plans to the men, as a rule, until a very short time before they are carried out. Jesse James is very cautious and suspicious. He knows that the hand of every honest man is turned against him. He is even on the alert for danger. He is quick witted, deep, dark and cunning, and he wouldn't trust his own brother out of his sight. ”

“ Sheriff Timberlake sat on the steerer's seat of the electric stage beside Jack, and the moment the old fashioned Western home referred to came in view he pointed at it and said:
"There is the home of the James Boys."
"Indeed!" exclaimed Jack, eying the house intently.
"Yes; it is the residence of Dr. Reuben Samuels, their step-father, and the mother of the two villains. She's a Tartar about her boys–a regular she-fiend in temper, although a woman of fifty-five. Ah–see! There she is now!" ”

“ Jack found it no easy matter to get the weapon, for she held on to it with great persistence, and exerted every device to delay him as long as possible.
"You shall not have it!" she raved as she struggled.
"Let up!" cried Jack, losing patience. "I don't want to use you roughly on account of your sex and crippled condition. But I'll have to do it."
He thereupon tore the hatchet from her hand. ”

“ Jack had informed himself about the roads.
Both he and Tim put on their rubber clothing and occupied the front seat, where they managed the wheel.
A detour was made, and several miles further along they struck into the high road again.
"If the stage-coach in any manner resembles the Terror," said the young inventor, as they ran along, "I think I know of a way in which we can substitute this vehicle for it and fool the bandits, should they waylay her." ”

“ Whoop her up, boys! Cracker! Crack—"
Biff! went Tim's hand against Bismarck's head, interrupting him.
Bang! went Fritz fist against the monkey's neck sending him spinning.
"Wow!" screamed Whiskers.
"Root, you sucker, root!" yelled Bismarck.
Then he made a dive at the monkey, and as Whiskers scampered away, the parrot flew after him, plunged his beak in Whiskers' tail, and away they flew into the next room. ”

“ Some of the stage passengers in the meantime went back into the canyon with a spade and the other lamp.
They found Sandy Ellis' body.
He was dead.
They buried him.
When they returned Jack said:
"I wonder if the dynamo spring can be broken?"
"See," suggested Fritz.
Jack opened the box.
One glance was enough.
"Well, if we haven't been fools!" he exclaimed.
"Vos iss now?" asked the Dutchman.
"The spring has only run down and needs winding."
Every one burst out laughing now that the threatened gravity of the situation resolved itself into a comedy of error.
Jack wound up the spring. ”

“ Throw those rubbers over my stage to hide her outline. You can also put your lamps on here and drive for us. That will draw the bandits from cover. My friends are all armed and ready to fire the moment they show their noses."
Every one but the lady liked the plan.
She, of course, was averse to fighting of any kind.
As there was no way out of their dilemma, and Jack's offer gave promise of protecting them from robbery and, perhaps, death, every-one got into the Terror.
The lamps and horses were transferred.
"You can leave the stage here," said Jack to Sandy. ”

“ Fearing trouble for the Terror they rushed away.
She was where they had left her, but Tim and Fritz had alighted, gone away and were only just then returning.
"What's up?" panted Jack.
"Wood Hite escaped! We've been chasin' him!" Tim replied.
"Too bad! But never mind—"
"Vot's all dot shootin'?"
"The James Boys–they've beaten us!"
"Whar is they?"
"Running away! Get aboard–arm yourselves!"
"Goin' arter 'em, lad?"
"Yes; don't lose a minute!"
All hands hastily got aboard the stage.
Jack mounted the seat and sent her rushing out. ”

“ They seem to think that every time he looks at them he suspects them of treachery, and they seem to think that every time he draws a gun he is going to kill them. Most of the rest have the same feeling about Jesse. They all fear him, yet he has a strange marked influence over them. It seems to inspire the gang with a certain trust, respect, and blind obedience to his commands. ”