Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-07-08

strument sharply and distinctly came to
my ears these sounds:
which in spoken words meant, Watch
the box"
started as II charge of electricity
had shot through my frame. / could
fairly feel my face grow white. Istood
motionless, clutching the back of my
chair, and with my eyes riveted in n
vacant stare ut the table in the telegraph
Office. l knew this was no work of an
excited imagination. The words, to my
practical ear, were as plain as il shouted
in clarion tones. There had come no
call for Red Ravine. and the message
ended without signature or mark, but
abruptly, as it had begun. More than
that, it was not the writing of an opera.
tor on any section of the line. would
have sworn to that with as much posi-
tiveness as Jou would TO the tones of
voice with which you are familiar. In
the dot and dash alphabet we learn to
distinguish who is handling the KEYS
almost with as much accuracy as others
distinguish handwriting. And in all
my experience | had never heard the
sounder click off message like I'll mt.
While stood daZed and almost par
alyzed Qor you must RENE ember thatold
Bllly's nerves were strung TO terrible
pitch that night) the rapid and unintel-
ligible click-click was resumed as if a
demon had again got hold of the kew. 1t
was ully five minutes before mustered
courage enough to pass into the ticket
Office and sit down by the table myself.
Not once had | turned back TO look at
the box. Almost ut the instant of my
sitting down Mt the table the clicking
stopped short, as it had done before. and
then these words were repeated: "Watc
the box"
sprang up from the table, and. with
the now strengthened conviction that it
was no delusion, no fancy, but that the
sound had come plainly over the wires,
felt my courage returning, and re-
solved to heed the mysterious warning.
The rolling of the thunder and the mad
roar OF the storm no longer depressed
me. l stepped boldly back into my
own room. and rested my eyes unflinch-
ingly on the mysterious box. What
was the mysterious freight? Why had
the phantom of the storm sent those
startling words over the wiresp What
unknown hand had reached out from
the very lightning itself to warn me OF
some impending dangerP These ques-
tions rushed through my mind as I felt
the dread fear disappearing and found
myself OF sudden growing strangely
calm.
The clock struck ten. l turned TO the
shell. and with a hand that no longer
trembIed inserted the key, and wound
| II composedly. Would it be the last
time that | should perform that simple
taskP No matter. Happier than mcst
men, because content with my humble
lot. 1t should never be said that old
Billy hInched in the face of duty. For
that night it was my duty-my one
sacred. aIl-ilnportant duty-'o guard
the treasure left to my keeping. And
guard il | would while life remained.
! When / had finished winding the
| clock. took down from the shelf an
old rusty pistol which had lain for years
undisturbed. II was not loaded. nor
| had | either powder or bullet anywhere
in the station. But the weapon was an
| ugly looking one, and carried n sort OF
silent force in case of too aggressive
argument. After examining the rusty
| lock,.l put the pistol on the table,
lighted my pipe, and-closed the door
that opened into the freight-room.
Now that / was thoroughly myself
again. | found it easy enough TO shut
box.
1t was not until the clock struck again
that is eleven-that / made up nv
mind to go to bed. All the time the
storm held on, although the thunder
bad begun to rumble more distantly.
threw off my coat and slippers, put out
the light in the ticket office, and turned
that in my sleeping-room down TO low
flame. Then drew the money pack
age from under the mattress and pinned
1t securely to my wooden shirt under NV
vest. This done, and the table so placed
that could reach both the lamp and the
pistol, opened the door into the freight
room some three or four inches and
then threw myself upon the bed. Just
rs my head touched the pillow the in
strument, which had grown quiet now
clicked off for the third time, loudly.
distinctly, slowly, its words of warning:
watch the boxw
This time the warning W as not needed.
had not gone to bed to sleep, but for
the very purpose of watching the box.
Standing as 1t did. with the head close
to the door. and therefore close TO the
box itself. the bed afforded the very best
point from which to Keep an eye on the
suspicious freight. Had my faith in the
'NHa'fhtN NafNhiik btth ltfSs UT Ildu
my own sense of great responsibility de-
serted me for single moment, I should
certainly given up the job of watching
as foolish, and in that case il Is not likely
that this narrative would ever have
been written. But / believed In the
thrice-.repeated message, and did not let
drowsiness overcome patience. Twelve,
one, ,,two-how very slowly the hours
seemed To drag themselves. The low
flame of the lamp went out, rs the oil
went dry. What n relief IL was 10 hear
the clock strikel At last, somewhere
about midnight, the storm had broken.
could see the stars as they came out,
through the window in the freipht
room, which was on line of vision
with the box. How strangely still Il
seemed after the mighty roar of the
storm and the sharp clap of thunderi
Not clihk from the instrument now.
Not sound save the sturdy ticking of