Jack Wright and His Electric Stage | Page 6

the apartment was vacant and had gone up to put
it in order.
The landlord heard her shrieks, learned what frightened her, and
hastening up to the room liberated the sheriff.
"Another victim of these villains!" he exclaimed.
"Have they got the best of some one else?" asked Timberlake.
"Yes; the evening paper contains an account of a clever check swindle
they played on the Wrightstown Bank, by duping Jack Wright, the most
respected young citizen in this town."
"How long have they been gone?"
"They departed a few minutes after you went up here at noon."
"Do you know which way they went?"
"The paper says they boarded a westbound train."
"In that case they've given me the slip again."
"Why did they treat you this way?"
"I am the sheriff of Clay County, Missouri, and they were Jesse and
Frank James, the notorious bandits, and three of their gang."
"Good heavens! and I harbored them here!"
"Of course you did not know who they were."
"Certainly not, if I had I would have handed them over to the police."
"Let me read the newspaper account."

The landlord handed him the paper.
He read the article, which gave an account of how Jack Wright had
been cheated, and added, in conclusion, that after the inventor entered
the bank he discovered the swindle.
The police were notified.
They traced the James Boys to the hotel.
But when they got there the birds had flown.
Hastening to the railroad depot, they discovered that the bandits had
made their escape on the cars.
They telegraphed to the authorities ahead of the train at its first
stopping place to arrest the bandits.
But the reply finally came back that the cars did not stop there, as the
bandits had taken possession of the engine, and were seen forcing the
engineer to keep the train going by menacing him with their pistols.
Timberlake was not surprised at this.
He knew that there were no more desperate men than the James Boys,
and was aware that they would resort to any means to escape.
"I can't do anything farther," he sighed. "At least, not until I get back to
Missouri. I think I'll call on Jack Wright, and get all the facts from him
of the bank swindle."
He thereupon left the hotel.
Going to Jack's house, he found the inventor in.
Introducing himself, and showing his credentials, the sheriff had a long
talk about the matter with the inventor.
In conclusion, he said:

"For a long time I have tried every means to capture those bandits. But
they slip away from me with the most remarkable ease every time I feel
surest I've got them. There's a reward of $5,000 offered by the governor
of the State for their capture, and I and a Pinkerton detective named
Carl Greene have been making the most desperate efforts to capture the
James Boys, and break up their gang. 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."
"Any engine could last longer than a horse, and such a machine as you
mention could outspeed that horse. But, of course, such an engine is an
utter impossibility."
"You are mistaken," said Jack, quietly.
"How so?" asked Timberlake, with a puzzled look.
"Because I have got such an engine."
"You have?"
"Just finished building it."
"And it runs by electricity?"
"Entirely so."
"Without tracks?"

"On the ground."
"And at fifty miles an hour?"
"Yes. I have tested her to that speed."
"This, if true, is most extraordinary."
"No, it isn't. I have constructed such machines before."
"I've been told you are an inventor of electrical contrivances."
"Do you doubt the probability of such an engine?"
"Candidly, I do."
"Do you want me to prove it?"
"By all means."
"Then come with me. I'll show it to you."
"I am burning with curiosity to see the wonderful affair."
Jack smiled and led his caller out into the yard.
Proceeding to the door of the workshop he opened it with a latch key
and they entered a very large room.
It was cast in gloom.
Jack turned a switch on the wall.
Instantly scores of brilliant incandescent electric lamps were put in
circuit and blazed out, illuminating the room as if by day.
A strange-looking