Jim Cummings; Or, The Great Adams Express Robbery Part 22

The next day the three detectives were on their way to Chicago, leaving Barney, who had played the part of Jim c.u.mmings in cell 43, to remain in Kansas City and hunt for the "planted swag."

CHAPTER XVII.

JIM c.u.mMINGS IN CHICAGO--THE SPOTTED HOUSE--SHADOWED BY CHIP--JIM c.u.mMINGS ARRESTED.

When Jim c.u.mmings, by his bold strike for liberty, escaped the trap set for him, he pushed his horse to its highest speed until he had put miles between himself and the spot where the detectives had made the attempt to capture him.

He saw that Dan was captured, and with Cook also in jail he felt the toils of the law tightening around him. He must get out of the United States. To Canada, Mexico, Brazil, it mattered little, but he must first secure some of the money he had taken from the express car. To go to Kansas City or Leavenworth to raise it was like putting his head into the noose.

Chicago was the only place open for him, and to Chicago he must go as fast as horse and steam could get him there.

While he was thinking of all these things his horse was plunging through the dark over the plain, skirting the timber, dashing through streams of water without staying his speed, and at last the ring of its hoofs striking the steel rail, and the crunching of the gravel informed Jim that he was crossing a railroad track.

He pulled in his panting steed, and, far on the horizon, he saw the approaching head-light of an engine.

In the hurry and confusion incident to his escape, the outlaw had lost his bearings, but knew that this must be the M., T. & K. R. R., and shining over the head-light he saw the Great Dipper circling in the heavens.

The train was, then, a south-bound train, either pa.s.senger or freight.

Looking south along the track, he spied a small light twinkling through the night; and now, having recovered his reckoning, he surmised it was the water-tank some miles below Blue Jacket.

He must reach that before the train arrived. Putting spurs to his horse, he flew down the track, the gravel flying in all directions, his sure-footed animal keeping the ties, nor did he pull rein or slack his speed until the large tank of the water station rose above him. Jumping from his horse, he walked to the keeper's shanty. The man was awake and tr.i.m.m.i.n.g his lantern, nor did he exhibit any surprise at the advent of his belated visitor.

"What train is this coming?" asked Jim.

"Galveston express," answered the man.

"Does she take water here?"

"Every time."

"By Jove, that's lucky. I was on my way to Blue Jacket to catch it and got turned around."

"Where's your horse?"

"Out near the tank. I will be back in five days and if you will take care of it I will make it all right for you."

"That's O K. I often do that for the boys; but here's your train."

The long train of cars drew up and came to a standstill as Jim left the shanty. Climbing aboard the smoker he found a seat and was soon on the way to Galveston Arriving there he took a gulf steamer to New Orleans, where he boarded an Illinois Central train and came to Chicago, where he arrived a week after his escape from the detectives.

Late in the evening of the day on which he arrived he boarded a West Lake street car and jumping off at--Lake street, knocked at the door of a small frame building over which was the sign "F. Wittrock and Co., Hard and Soft Coal."

No lights were visible and for some time no answer came. Finally the noise of shuffling feet were heard and a clear voice inquired:

"Who's there?"

"It is I, be not afraid," answered c.u.mmings.

"Thunder and lightning, it's Fred," exclaimed the voice in accents of great astonishment.

"Well, why the devil don't you let me in, then?" asked c.u.mmings, his mouth close to the keyhole.

"Not the front door, Fred. Go to the corner, then up the cross street and come back through the coal yard."

c.u.mmings did as he was told and entering the yard was met by Weaver, who dragged him into the house, and after carefully closing the door, lit the lamp and said:

"Dan's arrested."

"Tell me something I don't know, you fool."

"So is Cook."

"If you have any news to tell me out with it; if you haven't go get the money. This cursed country is getting too hot for me. I'm off for Brazil."

"The money is safe. Haight will be here soon. You are safe here."

"Don't you be too sure about that. I thought I was safe down at Swanson's ranche, and d.a.m.n it, two of those Pinkerton detectives ate with me, slept with me and gambled with me. They had their hands on me once but I floored one and got away. Dan, the coward, threw up his hand the first bluff and was walked off with the darbies on him."

"Jim, suppose he should turn informer?"

A terrible frown blackened the outlaw's brow, his eyes became hard and steely, and raising his hand above his head, he said:

"So help me G.o.d, I would hunt him up, tear his cowardly heart from his breast and choke him to death with it, if I had to go to prison to do it and was hung for it."

An involuntary shudder pa.s.sed through Weaver as he heard these fearful words and he hastened to say:

"No danger of Dan's squealing, Fred. He's true blue."

"If he don't give the express robbery away he can easily get out of this other sc.r.a.pe. You see we had a lay to get away with Swanson's money and the two detectives went in with us. That is how they got Dan and nearly captured me. If Dan keeps his mouth shut they can't prove anything against him on account of the Adams Express affair. So, you see, if he is wise he will keep mum."

While the two men were thus conversing Chip and Sam were seated before an open window on the second floor of the house opposite the coal office. The city directory readily gave them the address of Wittrock's coalyard, and securing this room a constant watch had been kept on the spotted house.

Nothing suspicious had been noted during the day; customers had pa.s.sed in and out, and Sam had even bought a half ton of coal which was carried to his room. The two men who ran the coalyard, whose names were found to be Weaver and Haight, were well spoken of in the neighborhood and did not look to be the sort of stuff out of which train robbers were manufactured.

While buying the coal Sam had purposely called Weaver "Mr. Wittrock."

"That isn't my name," said Weaver, "Me and my pardner bought out Wittrock last October."

"Excuse me," said Sam; "I saw the name over the door and thought you were the gentleman."

"We don't like to pull down the sign. People know the yard by that name, an' we don't care, so long as they buy the coal."

This was said so frankly and openly that Sam almost believed it to be true. But the case was beginning to be too interesting to allow risks to be taken, so the detectives kept their long and tedious watch night and day. They had failed to see c.u.mmings when he leaped from the car, for a team crossing the track had delayed the car long enough for him to get into the shadows on the other side of the street, so that the detectives little knew that the man they wanted was only just across the street from them.

They recognized Haight when he let himself in with a latch-key, but as this was not unusual, they thought little of it.