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"No time I'll flash it doith this-"

Suddenly the door opened and a stranger stood on the threshold, his eyes ferreting the interior o

f the station He was built like ajockey, rail-thin and short A mustache was blond as was the hair that showed beneath the Panama straw hat cocked on his head The clothes indicated a fastidious dresser; Weber and Heilbroner English-cut suit with silk stitching, the razor creased pants stopping evenly above a pair of two-tone brown suede and leather shoes Hisfeature, however, was a Mauser automatic pistol held in a slim, effeminate hand

"What in hell's going on?" Meechum mumbled in awe

"A holdup, gentlemen," the intruder said with the tiniest hint of a sht it was obvious"

"You're crazy," snapped Harding "We've got nothing to rob"

"Your station has a safe," said the stranger, nodding toward the steel box standing on high castors in one corner of Harding's office area "And safes contain valuable commodities, like payrolls perhaps?"

"Mister, robbing a railroad is a federal offense Besides, Wacketshire is a far community There's no payroll shipments Hell, we don't even have a bank"

"I' hammer on the Mauser was pulled back "Open the safe

The whistle tooted again,knew from experience the sound came only a quarterthe Limited"

The gun went off and Meechu the pieces about the linoleum floor

"No et on with it"

Harding stared at the robber, his eyes stricken with sudden horror "You don't understand The bridge ht be out"

"I understand that you're trying to be clever"

"I swear to God-"