The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-01-21
THE MYSTERIOUS MESSAGE.

The $40 evening train, No 80, was over
an hour late that night Cause enough, Heaven
knows For II hours the storm had ragged,
and now, instead of showing any signs of
breaking the rain came down in torrents from
an inky sky, and the thunder rumbled omin-
iOusly overhead A bad storm to drive an
engine through, as anybody would have
known, and the wonder is that No 80 was
not three hours late, instead ofone. Old Luke
Granger. the trustiest, nerviest engineer on
the road. rounded the curve Just below Red
Ravine Station at 20 minutes past I. /
breathed sigh of relief when L saw the
headlight cut hole in the darkness. The
second station-bridge might have given way
in a storm like that, and i was beginning to
get nervous over this thought.
Somehow everything made me nervous
that night 1t was just the kind of weather
when things look all out of gear, any way,
Then, suppose, the knowledge of that
money-package being due and its failing to
come on the IL 80. as it should have DONE
had its effect on me. l didn't relish the idea
of keeping s13. 1000 in cash until the next
day. Eldridge q RIcketson had been
down themselves to meet the morning train,
and, if the package mad come, ! could
have turned it over to them at once and that
would have been the end of the matter
But it didn't coma That's way things
!. hsIsa IN . I'D when you most want 'em.
soul at the station that
a ely.H myself, and there were only two
passengers who got off the train. 1 speak of
them that way, not meaning to be disrespect-
or make light of solemn things; only it's
habit L suppose; for most people would say
there was only one passenger that got off at
Red Ravine, seeing that the second of 'em
was carried out of the express car in wood
en- box. Usually, when a body was coming
on, l got word of it beforehand, but this one
took me quite by surprise, and added not a
little to the nervousness l already felt.
"Who was it2" asked, as the box was
carried into the station.
The passenger who had got off the train,
and who was a stranger to me, answered my
INQUIRY:
1.-THE body is that Of my sister-in-law, y
said he. "She was the niece of Thomas Ed
ridge-doubtless you know him. Her death
was very sudden. She is to be buried in
Mr. Eldridge's lot, here"
sThen / suppose the body is to be left in
nv charge until tomorrow" said /.
ayes" answered the stranger "Do you
suppose can get to Mr.. Eldridge's myself
tonight"
"Well," 1 replied, ''its good four miles,
and in such a storm as this"
"I'll wait until tomorrow" interrupted the
stranger There is some sort of hotel here
isn't there2"
eyes, good one. You'll have to foot it.
though; but it's only a matter Of a quarter OF
mile, and you can't miss your way, for the
road up the hill leads straight to the
house
Here made my way out onto the platform
again and made my way to the express-car
where the money package, which all along
had secretly hoped wouldn't come, was de
livered to me by the messenger. As he gave
it to me, he said:
"You want to keep sharp eye on that
Billy. There's enough in it to make one Of
your Red Raviners put a bullet through
your head and never give you the chance t.
object"
ssI'n look out for the Red Raviners, anc
the package, too" said |, confidently enough
But, if the truth had been told, didn't like
the suggestion which the messenger haC
made.
The train moved off quietly, and l swung
my lantern, as was my habit, by way o
bidding goodnight to old Luke Granger
Then / went into the little station-hOCs
with the package cluJcneu blSnblN uhucI III.
rubber-coat, expecting to find the man Their
who had come on with the body. But b
had gone, being anxious, no doubt, to get L
the hotel as quick as possible. No. 39 wa
the last train which stopped at Red Ravin
until 6:IO the next morning. So my worl
for the night was done, aud had only :
lock up the doors, see that things were Al
right about the place. and sit down to m
newspaper in the little room which served a
my sleeping-quarters
Twenty years had passed since l first foun
myself Installed at Red Ravine as telegrap
operator in the railway station. Being cor
tent with the humdrum sort Of life, and faith
full to my duties, / had come by degrees
attend to all the work which the plac
REQUIRED, That is, was the ticket agen
the baggage-master and the keepe
of the station, besides acting fc
the express company and continuing m
charge of the telegraph key. These combine
labors made 1t pretty close work for me, b.
thew all Welded q very comfortable income
and. as I was troubled with no unsatishe
ambitions counted myself well fixed A
I hsve intimated, slept in the station, pari