The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-09-12
A NIGHT OF TERROR,


eyed woman had come to teach there.
How long an unprotected woman
might have lived there can only guess,
tor Alice Holt had been there but three
months when she consented TO walkinto
church with me one day, and walked out
my wife. This was in July, and we had
occupied pretty cottage nearly quar-
ter OF a mile from the telegraph office
since our marriage.
Being the only man employed in the
| telegraph business in our town, | was
obliged to remain constantly in the
office during the day and part OF the
evening, and Alice herself brought me
my dinner and supper.
There was room next to my office,
with a window, but only one door, COM
muni eating with the larger room. Here
Alice had lifted up dresslng-table and
mirror, wash-stand and some shelves,
| where she kept pepper, salt and pickles
tor my office repasts. The two rooms
were on the second floor Of a wooden
building that stood alone.
| With this necessary Introduction l
come to the story Of that October night,
| and the part of my blue-eyed Alice, only
| eighteen and afraid of her own shadow,
played in it. | was in the eoifiGe at about
! 1870 o'clock, when one Of the railroad
| officials came in, all tlurried, saying:
| .''StirIing, have you been over the en-
bankment on the road to-day?"
| The embankment was not quarter of
a mile from the office, on the east side.
mo, l have not"
"It WAS IL special providence took me
there, then. One OF the great masses Of
rock has rolled down directly across the
track. 1t will be as dark as wolPs
mouth tonight, and il the midnight train
up comes Without warning, there Will be
| a horrible smash up, sure"
| sit must stop at POttSyille, then"
lrepNed. Il Will send a message"
| Yes. That is what L stepped in for.
The down track is Gear, so you need not
| stop that tram"
"All right, sir"
/ was standing at the door, seeing my
! caller down the rickeJy staircase, when
/ Alice came up with my supper. 1t was
| hot and was cold, 50 | drew up a table,
and opening can and basket, sat down
| to enjoy it. Time enough for business,
thought, afterward. AS l ate we CHAT
| ted.
ANY message to-day?" my wife asked.
| cone Tor John Martin"
| "John Martiu?' Alice erred; "the
greatest rutian in the neighborhood.
! What was the messageW
"Miduight tram"
"Was that all?'
"rDat was all. Mr.. Hill has just been
| in here to tell Inc there was huge rock
across the track at the embankment, SO
II shall stop the midnight train at Pots
vile. The passengers must stop here
for a few hours, ana come on In the morn
ing alter the track is cleared"
"uaYe you sent the mes sage, R)bertW
"Not yet. There is plenty of time.
Inn, l.,
half past eleven, and it is not yet eight.
Yes, 1T is just striking"
"Better send it, Robert. If there was
an accident you would never forgive
Yourself. Send it, while | put some clean
towels in the Wash-rOon, and then | Will
come and sit with you till you can come
home"
She went into the dressing-room as she
spoke, taking no light, but depending on
lhe candle burning in the office. 1 was
Ising from my seat to send the telegram,
when the door opened and tour of the
worst characters i'll the town, led by
John Martin, entered the room. Before
| could speak, two threw me back in my
chair, one held revolver to my head,
and john Martin spoke: "llr. Hill was
here to tell you to stop the up train.
y gu Will not send that message. Listen:
The rock is there TO stop the traln--puG
there for that purpose. There is $50, 600
in gold in the train. Do you under
standi"
"You would risk all the lives in the
tram TO rob It'll" L cried, horror-stricken
"EXactly !" was the cool reply. One
fifth is yours if you keep back the mes
sage. the money has been watched all
the way along!"
| saw the whole diabolical scheme at
once. If the train came it would be
thrown off the embankment and easily
pIundered by the villains who would lie
in wait there.
Come" Martin said, "will you join
us?'
"Neverl" l cried Indignantly.
awe must force you, then. Tie him |
fast, boys"
] .treulbled for Alice. If only my life
were al stake could have borne it bet |
ter. But even if we were both murdered
1 could not take the blood Of the passen-
gers in the train upon my head. Not a |
sound came from the little room as |
was tied hand and foot to my chair, |
bound so securely that | could not move. |
1t was proposed to gag me, but they
finally concluded that my cries, if / |
made any, could not be heard, and a |
handkerchief was bound over my mouth.
The door of the wash-room was closed |
anu IOCkGHs dIlCS SIOOu uuulSCOVGfGu,
then the light was blown out, and the
rufians lett me, locking the door after
them.
There was a long silence. Outside | |
cou d hear the steps of one of the men
pacing up and down, watching. | |
rubbed my head against the wall be-
hind me, and succeeded in getting the
on my mouth to fall
around my neck.
| had scarcely accomplished this when
here W as tap ON the inner door.
"RubertW Alice said.
ayes, my love; speak low, there is a
nan undeE my window"
Are you alone in the raomw
eyes, DEAR"
81 am going to Pottsyille. There is no
nan under my window, and L can get
,ut there. l nave six long roller towels
lere knotted together, aud have cut
ny white skirt. into wide strips to join !
hemI The ropes SO made reaches nearly
O the ground. shall iasteu- it TO the
loor-knob and let myself down. IL Will
rot take long to reach home, saddle
,elim and reach PottsYille in time.
DON'T fear for me-. When you hear
len cackling under my window, you :
onu kuOw that / am safHlY nm tho -.