The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1880-01-24


| beds of ore few miles to the north. and
these, as we'll as the big foundry, which EN-.
ployed four or I've hundred hands, we're con
| trolled BY the firm l have mentioned There
! had been some trouble at the works recently
/ "a strike or something growing from delay
/ in paying the men their wages. That is how
it happened that the $4,000 money package
came into my keeping for night.
Well when had made all snug about the
station, and got off my wet clothing, 1 sat
down comfortably with pipe and newspaper,
to enjoy my customary reading.
The storm outside continued to rage more
and more fercely, but within things were
cozy as could be. had blazing fire in the
stove, cheerful light, an easy chair, plenty
of good tobacco-the one luxury in which
was really extravagant-a fresh newspaper,
and bottle of good Holland gin, wherewith
to make my regular nocturnal toddy. Ger
tainly. these were pleasant surroundings for
an old fellow like me. and, as rule, they
Welded as much solid comfort as a man has
right to expect in this world. But that
night things all seemed out of gear, as have
said. My pipe didn't soothe me as was is
wont; try as l might, l couldn't get interest
ed in the newspaper; an uncomfortable feel
ing of dread-a feeling that some shadow
but horrible thing was about to happen
possessed my mind; and even when l mixed
up toddy considerably stronger than usual
it failed to bring the relief had hoped for
at sll comes of that pesky money pack
age" l muttered to myself. "Why couldn't
it have got here on the IL 80, and saved me
the job of keeping it over night?"
Just at that moment came terrific clap of
thunder, and flash of lightning vivid enough
-. aI-1& ~ bod loci nA
up the package in the safe, and put the key
there was no combination lock--in my
pocket. But had not the largest faith in
the security of the old safe 1t had occurred
to me often that person could open it, even
if he wasn't skillful craftsman. 1t was
my custom to leave my door open between
my little room and the ticket-office, so that
if Red Ravine was called on the telegraph
key could hear it, The instrument had
been clicking away at a great rate for the
Last hour; but as it was noLe of my business,
had paid no attention to
what was going over the wires.
iuG ged now, from the nearness of the light
ming and the jerky sounds of thcinstruments,
that the storm was playing the mischief with
the messages. passed into the ticket office,
where light was burning, and stood for
some time thinking whether the money pack
age would be less exposed in the safe than it
would be under the mattress of my bed; and
l finally concluded that the latter place
would be hardest for any possible thief II
reach So took out the heavy brown
velop, and slowed it away under the mat
tress. Then 1 took second glass of toddy,
which was usually against my rule, but which
L thought the circumstances warranted.
Once more / sat down to my newspaper
and pipe, but with nc better success than
before. The storm seemed now to have GEN.
tered right ever the little station. Peal
after peal of thunder rent the air, and the
lightning played about the sky like
phosphorus on an inky background. If
YOU have ever CHANGED to be in telegraph
office during thunderstorm, you may have
seen the electricity dash down the wires in a
way to make timid people nervous. Even
veteran operators, like myself, wouldn't want
to undertake to receive that sort of message.
1 was tempted to close the key, but the mean
ingless ticking had sort of fascination for
me in the mood then was. 1t was like he
incoherent mutterings of maniac, where
now and then, at long intervals only, could
one distinguish word or sentence. Maybe
the extra allowance of toddy had made me
more imaginative than usual, and given
NclTu w lily tHOuShto, iOA iiSsShiAiS
to the rapid click-click, remember of fancy
ing that some spirit-hand had got hold of the
kew, and was pouring out wall of woe over
the wires.
/ was too restless to sit still and too nerv-
GUS to 90 to bed. Besides, even if hadn't
been so upset in my mind, it is doubtful
whether could have slept through such
storm as that. To occupy myself about
something 1 relighted my lantern, went out
into the freight-room, examined again the
bolts of the doors and the fastenings Of the
windows, and returned to my room more
worried and upset than ever. just as l was
entering my own nest. the light of the. lam
tern fell souarely on the wooden box. Oddly
enough, until that moment l had forgotten
all about the dead young woman. Thinking
so steadily of the $4,000 had, suppose,
driven the box out of my mind. But l can't
say it was any comfort to nave 1t brought
back now; for corpse is never the most
cheerful of company, and, feeling as did
then, / would great deal rather have had
no company at all.
1t must have been the imp of the perverse,
1 suppose, that compelled me, after the box
had been brought back to my mind, to leave
the door open so that / could sit and stare at
it with morbid curiosity. AS have already
said, my sleeping apartment was partitioned
off from the freight-room, and was connected
with the latter by door. The body had
been placed in such position that, when
this door was open. the head of the box was
in sight. Two or three times l got up TO
shut the door, but some strange fatality drove
me back to my chair, and caused me to keep
in view the box with its sad freight. Ali
this time the storm ragged, the thunder dis
charged its mighty batteries, the lightning
dashed, and the mad rawlings ofthe telegraph
continued caught my hand trembling as
L tried to refill my pipe. Nervousness, no
doubt; but possibly an observer might have
thought Old Billy was frightened.
had Just risen TO wind the little clock on
the shelf. when suddenly out of the hitherto
meaningless ticking of the instrument sharp
" and distinctly came to my ear these
sounds:
which in spoken words meant
WATCH THE BOX
...-&ox nc q obarero If elact rcity had