Travis smiled. That was the agreed-upon signal, which meant the switch had been thrown.
“All right, start her up again, but go slow.”
After proceeding forward for several feet, the train took the switch track and veered to the right.
“Where are we going?” the engineer asked. “I ain’t never left the main line.”
“Slow down, way down,” Travis said. “But don’t stop.”
“What’s going on?” the engineer asked.
“Haven’t you figured that out yet, Mr. Engineer? We’re robbing your train,” Travis said. “Slower, slower, slower.”
The engineer complied with Travis’s order until the train was barely moving. “Now stop,” Travis said.
The train stopped, as it bumped up against the track guard at the end of the spur. It had been switched onto a siding that would allow cars to be backed up to a loading pen.
“Get out,” Travis ordered. “Both of you.”
“I’m not sure I can get down, what with my leg,” the fireman said.
Travis pointed his gun to the other leg. “I can even it up for you if you want me to.”
“No, no!” the fireman said. “I’ll get down!”
“I thought you might see it my way.”
Travis stayed in the cab until both the engineer and the fireman were on the ground. The engineer, thinking it was his opportunity to run, started to do so. Travis shot at him and the engineer went down.
Harley and Frank had come out from their place on the platform behind the tender. The conductor and several passengers were also coming alongside the train to see why it had stopped as abruptly as it did.
Harley turned toward them. “Get back on the train.”
“See here, I’m the conductor. I want to know what’s going on here?”
Harley shot the passenger who was coming with the conductor.
“Get back on the train and keep your passengers there,” Harley said. “I’ll kill the next person who sticks his head out.”
Frightened, the conductor and the other passengers who had come out with him hurried to get back onto the train.
“You,” Dinkins said to the fireman, who was staring down at the body of the engineer. “Come here.”
The fireman limped over to him. “Ernie is dead.”
“You’re going to be dead too, if you don’t do what I tell you to do,” Dinkins said. “Tell the messenger to open the express car.”
The fireman tapped on the door of the express car. “Miller,” he called. “Miller, this is Jasper. Open the door.”
“I ain’t goin’ to do it,” a muffled voice replied from inside.
“Open the car or we’ll blow it up!” Dinkins said.
“You go to hell!” the voice from inside replied.
Dinkins pulled a stick of dynamite from the bag he was going to put the money in, and wedged it into the door frame. The dynamite had a short fuse, and Dinkins gave a match to the fireman. “Light it.”
“That fuse is too short, and I’ve got a shot leg,” the fireman protested. “If I light that thing, I won’t get away in time.”
Dinkins pointed his rifle at the fireman. “At least you will have a chance to get away. If you don’t light it, I’ll blow your head off, right here.”
Dinkins and the other robbers stepped back from the train several feet, but Dinkins kept his rifle aimed at the fireman. With shaking hands, the fireman struck the match, lit the fuse, then, as best he could, ran several paces away from the train before he threw himself on the ground.
The dynamite exploded, tearing off the door and opening a big hole in the side of the express car.
Inside the train, everyone heard the loud, stomach shaking explosion.
“Oh! What is it?” one woman called loudly. “What is happening?”
“Listen to me!” the conductor said, holding out his hands. “The train is being robbed!”
“Oh, my God! We’ll all be killed!” another woman said. Some of the children began to cr y.
“They don’t want to kill us, they just want the money,” the conductor said. “Hide most of your money, but keep a little on your person and if they come aboard, give ’em that.”
“Why not hide it all?” one of the men passengers asked.
“If you hide all of it, they will know what you have done and like as not they’ll start shooting. You have to keep a little so they won’t suspect anything.”
“Where can we hide it?” someone asked.
“Give it to me,” a porter said. “They ain’t goin’ to be searchin’ no colored man for money.”
