Jim Cummings; Or, The Great Adams Express Robbery Part 4

"Where did you get these?"

"Out of Fotheringham's trunk, in his room."

"By Jove, what a consummate actor that man is. Do you know, boys, up to this minute, I firmly believed that messenger was innocent--I have been sold like an ordinary fool," and Mr. Pinkerton looked at the tell-tale papers admiringly, for, although he felt a trifle chagrined at being taken in so nicely, he could not but pay tribute to the man who did it, for the man that could get the better of "Billy" Pinkerton, must be one of extraordinary ability.

"If you please," said Chip, "I do not see that the mere finding of this paper in Fotheringham's trunk should fasten suspicion on him. If he was shrewd enough to capture the money, he would certainly not leave such damaging evidence as this paper would be. It seems to me that it would be a very plausible theory to advance, that the real robbers placed this in his trunk to direct suspicion against him. In fact, it was the first thing to be seen when the lid was lifted, for I was with Barney when he searched the room."

Barney said nothing to his companion's remarks, but nodded his head to show that he acquiesced.

Mr. Pinkerton listened carefully, and merely saying, "we'll look at this later," gave a very careful and complete description of c.u.mmings, which he directed Chip and Barney to take to the St. Louis branch of this firm, and from there send it through all the divisions and sub-divisions of this vast detective cob-web.

After issuing further and more orders relating to the case in hand, he put on his hat, and descended to the hotel office, followed by his two subordinates.

After the exciting episode in the express car had been brought to a close by Jim c.u.mmings leaping from the car, the train moved on, and left him alone, the possessor of nearly $100,000. The game had been a desperate one, and well played, and nervy and cool as he was, the desperado was forced to seat himself on a pile of railroad ties, until he could regain possession of himself, for he trembled in every limb, and shook as with a chill. He pulled himself together, however, and picking up his valise, with its valuable contents, turned toward the river.

He stepped from tie to tie, feeling his way in the darkness, every sense on the alert, and straining his eyes to catch a glimpse of some landmark. He had walked nearly a mile when, from behind a pile of brush heaped up near the track, a man stepped forth. The double click of a revolver was heard, and in an imperative tone, the unknown man called out:

"Halt! Put your hands above your head. I've got the drop on you!"

Startled as he was by the sudden appearance of the man, and hardly recovered from his hard fight with the messenger, c.u.mmings was too brave and too daring to yield so tamely. Dropping his valise, he sprang upon the audacious stranger so suddenly that he was taken completely by surprise. The sharp report of the revolver rang out upon the quiet night, and the two men, c.u.mmings uppermost, fell upon the grading of the road. The men were very evenly matched, and the fortunes of war wavered from one to the other. The hoa.r.s.e breathing, the muttered curses, and savage blows told that a desperate conflict was taking place. Clasped in each other's embrace, the men lay, side by side, neither able to gain the mastery. Far around the curve the rumbling of an approaching freight train was heard. Nearer and nearer it came, and still the men fought on. With a grip of iron c.u.mmings held the stranger's throat to the rail, and with arms of steel clasped around c.u.mmings, his a.s.sailant pressed him to the ground.

It was an even thing, a fair field and no favor, when the sudden flash of the headlight of the approaching engine, as it shot around the curve, caused both men to lose their hold and spring from the track.

The strong, clear light flooded both with its brilliancy, and in that instant mutual recognition took place.

"Wittrock!"

"Moriarity!"

The train swept by, and the darkness again settled around the late combatants.

c.u.mmings was the first to speak.

"How the devil did you get here, Dan?"

"Just what I was going to ask you, Fred."

"Then you didn't get my letter?"

"What letter."

"I wrote you from Chicago, to be on hand at the 'plant' to-night."

"Did you send it to Leavenworth?"

"Yes."

"I am on my way there now. Got busted in St. Louis, couldn't make a raise, and I commenced to count ties for Leavenworth."

"Yes, then you took me for some jay, and tried to hold me up. It's lucky I met you, I need you."

"Any money in it?"

"Slathers of it."

"What's your lay?"

c.u.mmings hesitated a minute before replying, and then said:

"Dan! you went back on me once, I don't know that I can trust you, you are too--"

"Trust me! You give Dan Moriarity a chance to cover some tin, and he's yours, body and soul."

"What's your price to help me, and keep your mouth shut?"

"$2,000."

"It's a go," and c.u.mmings held out his hand.

The compact was thus sealed, and lighting a match, c.u.mmings commenced to look for his valise.

It had, fortunately, fallen outside the rails, and picking it up, c.u.mmings led the way, followed by the somewhat surprised and still more curious Moriarity.

At this point on the Missouri river, the bluffs rise abruptly from the banks. The railroad, winding around the curves, was literally hewn from the solid rock. Deep gullies and ravines, starting from the water, Intersected all portions of the country, and the thick underbrush made this place a safe and secure hiding-place for fugitives from justice, river pirates and moonshiners.

c.u.mmings, at a point where one of these gullies branched off from the railroad, turned into it, and with confident steps, followed closely by Moriarity, scaled the rocky precipice. Half way up the toilsome ascent, he halted, and placing his fingers in his mouth, gave three shrill whistles. Two short, and one long drawn sounds.

It was immediately answered; and in an instant, a flaming torch sprang into view, and almost as quickly was extinguished.

A short climb, and turning sharply to the right, c.u.mmings again stopped. The signal, repeated softly, was answered by a voice asking:

"Who comes there?"

To which c.u.mmings replied:

"It is I, be not afraid," at the same time poking Moriarity in the ribs, and chuckling:

"I haven't forgotten my Bible yet, eh, Dan?"

A blanket was lifted to one side, and disclosed to view the entrance to a natural cave, into the wall of which was stuck a naming, pitch-pine knot. Entering, the blanket was dropped, and preceded by a man, whose features the fitful glare of the torch failed to reveal, the two adventurers were ushered into the main portion of the cavern.

In one corner the copper kettle and coiled worm of a whisky still told it was the abode of an illicit distiller, or a "moonshiner."

A large fire cast a ruddy glow over the cave, and blankets and cooking utensils were scattered about. As the guide stepped into the light, he turned around, his eyes first falling on the well-stuffed valise and then upon c.u.mmings' face, which wore such an expression of success and satisfaction that he exclaimed, as he held out his hand:

"By the ghost of Jesse James, you did it, old man."

"This looks like it, don't it?" said the successful express-car robber, holding his valise to the light. "Don't you know this man, Haight?"

"Damme, if it isn't Dan Moriarity."