The conductor and several brakemen had alighted and now came running toward the outlaw to learn the news.
As they drew near Jesse dropped his lantern.
That was the signal for his men to emerge, and to the alarm and astonishment of the train crew, the gang of masked men rushed from the shrubbery toward them.
Jim c.u.mmins and Wood Hite clambered into the cab.
There the plucky engineer and fireman had armed themselves with a monkey wrench and a crowbar.
They attacked the two bandits as they climbed into the cab, dealing them such terrible blows that they were knocked down.
Just as the engineer seized the throttle valve to start the cars, d.i.c.k Little and Hobbs Kerry rushed up, and aiming their revolvers at the driver and stoker, the former yelled:
"Throw up your hands!"
"All right!" gasped the engineer.
He knew he had to do it or get shot.
The fireman wanted to resist.
A word from the engineer sufficed to change his mind.
While d.i.c.k held them up Hobbs climbed into the cab and pitched the two men out, so they could not run away with the train.
A swarm of the thieves had approached the pa.s.senger coaches under the leadership of Frank, and dividing into several detachments, each party took a car.
The train only consisted of the locomotive, the express car, two day coaches and two sleepers.
As the bandits crowded into the doorways they began to fire into the cars to intimidate the pa.s.sengers.
A tremendous clamor arose.
Women shrieked and fainted, men yelled for mercy, and a wild panic ensued that beggars description.
The bandits rushed in in the midst of the confusion, and flourishing their knives and pistols in the faces of the terrified pa.s.sengers, they demanded their valuables.
Out came pocketbooks, watches, rings, studs, bracelets, lace pins, and scores of other things.
While this was going on, Jesse and several of the men had gone to the door of the express car.
It was guarded by an express messenger, and a trainman.
"Open that door!" yelled Jesse.
"Never!" came the determined reply from within. "Never for you!"
"If you don"t we"ll blow it open!"
"You can"t do it!"
"We can"t, hey?"
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. .h.i.t 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.
Standing back, he aimed his revolver at it and fired.
Boom! thundered the explosive.
There was a lurid gleam, and the stout planks of the door were torn and shattered, and a yell of delight pealed from the bandits, for an opening had been made into the car.
The force of the explosion had almost hurled the express car from the tracks.
Jesse made a rush for the opening.
He looked like a demon now, for his temper was up.
"Charge!" he yelled.
After him rushed several of the men.