The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-11-06

you on this yere floor as stiff as ever | die
man yit!" and l felt the cold muzzle o
his revolver on my neck. Perhaps my
voice trembled little but | was still un.
moved in my resolution, as | replied:
"Never fear, sir; I'll tell him all abou
the Stock He muttered something t.
himself, and still remained standing Owe
me.
You have perhaps heard how much char
acter and expression a telegraph operator
can put into his touch. Why, there were
dozens of different operators communicat
ing with our office, and l could tell, at the
instant, without ever making a mistake
who it was signalling. You could tell if {
man was nervous from his telegraphing
just as well as you could from his hand
writing. The call that 1 sent hurryine
across the State to Council Bluffs must
have rung out upon the ears of the opera,
tor like shrek.
sc. B., Are you Mere2'' was what ask
ep, and almost instantly came back reply
| in the affirmative. Then, with trembling
hand, l ratified off my message:
:" For the lore Of God telegraph to our
doun town office at once. Tell them tia,
Tim Lynch as wihin taco feet Of me, and
they must send help"
short pause, as though my message
occasioned some surprise, and then came
the response: "All right" which assured
me need not repeat.
"Wal," growled the deep voice of Lynch,
care you goin' to send my MESSAGE"
81 have sent it, Sir"
"What. Does all that tickn' mean what
told you?'
eyes, and if you will wait fifteen or
twenty minutes, you'll get an answer"
"Wal, dunno as l want an answer
Jim, he'll understan' it's right"
"But I'll tell you soon whether he's
there or not. Sit down"
So Lynch reluctantly took his seat, look
ing around at the doors and windows once
in while in an uneasy way. l was deter
mined to take him now at any cost; and |
verify believe l should have planted myself
in his path had he insisted upon going now.
Click, Tick, Tick, Tick.' the battery
called out, and | listened to the message:
''keep cool, Gould has gone for the police
Strange it Was, wasn't ito That | should
sit there and talk through two hundred and
fifty miles of space with man not half a
mile from me.
What's tibet signify" inquired my
companion, as the ticking ceased; and
replied that the clerk at Cohoe had just
written off the message and sent it out.
He seemed satisfied, and settled back in his
chair, where he sat in sullen silence, his
jaws going up and down as he chewed his
weed.
0, how slowly the minutes crept along.
The suspense was terrible. | sat and
watched the minute hand of the clock, and
five minutes seemed as so many months
My companion seemed nervous, too. He
moved uneasy in his chair
"Ain't it about time We heard from
Jim?' he asked, at length.
"We shall get word from him in few
watching the clock again. Five minutes
more passed. Lynch got up and began
pacing to and FRO across the room. AT
length he paused and said:
81 don't believe I'll wait any more. I've
got to see man down at the Pennsylvania
House, and he IL be abed eff l don't get thar
pretty soon."
"Hold on moment, and I'll see what
they are up to- cried hastily and touch
ed the key again. "Make haste" was my
message, &C. shall lose him if you do not
Not a moment to spare" Straightway
came the reply, short, but encouraging:
GA squad of police started for the depot
five minutes ago." Thank Heaven! They
ought to be here now. l looked at Lynch
and thought of the five hundred dollars.
oval, what's the word o. he growled
impatiently.
"Your friend is coming" answered,
for want of better reply.
"Comin. Comm! Whar ?"
"Coming to the Office of Cohoe. He
probably has an answer for you"
can answer for me =: Jim Fellerso what
should he answer for" Lynch stood in
stupid thought for a moment and then he
looked at me with dangerous light in his
eye.
"Look here, young feller," he cried,
cts my private opinion you're lynn to me.
And eff you are here he uttered horri-
BILE oath-"l'll cut yer skulkin' heart out.
l don't know anything bout tibet thar ma
sheen, but swear Jim Fellers hain't got
nothin' to answer. More like he'd get up
and scatter when he heerd that message"
He stood glaring at me as he uttered
these words, his hand on his revolver.
cannot account for it. AS | before remark
ed, am a timid man by nature. But this
action only made me holder. Everything
depended upon keeping him few seconds
longer. 1t must be done at my cost.
tried new plan.
What do you mean, sir?' l shouted,
rising, "by coming into this office and
talking in that style? Do you think I'll
endure it? Leave this room at once, sir,
or 1'n"-and | advanced threateningly to-
ward him. My unexpected attitude SEEM
ed to amuse him more than anything else,
but it silenced his suspicious. He put his
hands in his pockets and delivered loud
laugh in my face.
wal, wal, my bantum, We needn't git
so cantankerous. Who'd thought such y
little breeches as you had such spunk >
Haw. haw! haw! Why could chaw you
up 'thout maxim two bites of ye."
"Well, SIR" said, still apparently I'M
modified, "either sit down and hold your
tongue, or else leave the Office And he
good naturally complied.
Once more we were sitting listening to
the ticking of the clock as the minutes
dragged their slow length along. Would
help never come? Three minutes more.
Great Heaven! The suspense was becom-
ing intoerable. must 60 to the stair and
listen if die for it. / arose and took a