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terror and entreaties of his wife, whom he left
fainting.
The police special was late; and it was lucky that it was so, for had it
not been nothing could have prevented the disaster. As it was
Mr. Curnon,(sic) driving along the line towards Benalla, was only just in time.
When the pilot engine, which preceded the police train, arrived within a mile of
Glenrowan station a breathless man was standing on the line in front,
desperately holding up a red scarf before a lighted candle. The pilot stopped.
The man in front shouted hurriedly that the rails were torn up beyond Glenrowan
and the bushrangers in possession of the place.
Then he fled, without waiting to give details, crying that his wife and children
would be murdered if he were not back in time.
He had saved the train. Superintendent Hare expressly
states that under the circumstances the pilot engine would have been useless.
Meanwhile, at the hotel where the dancing was going on, Constable Bracken had,
also, been doing his duty as he best could. He, of course, was far too suspect a
person to hope to obtain release by a pretence of sympathy. But the carelessness
of Dan Kelly gave him a chance. When the dancing began, Dan, who had the front
door key, found it cumbersome and casually laid it on the mantelpiece. Bracken,
dancing with the rest, took opportunity as he waltzed or polka'd past the
mantelpiece to whip off the key, turned up his trousers and thrust it into the
fold. He was too closely Watched, however, to be able to escape at once, and .
it was not till the police train was heard to stop-the hotel being quite close
to the line-that his chance came. As soon as the train was heard approaching the
outlaws had proceeded to don their armour. Already Steve Hart had been sent to
the station with the station-master, who was to be forced to signal the line
clear. When the train was heard to stop intense excitement and much confusion
naturally prevailed in the hotel. Bracken slipped away, reached the front door
unnoticed, let himself out, and ran for the station. He was the only man on the
platform, which was in total darkness, when the train moved slowly in.