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

and the mad roar of the storm no longer dc
pressed me. l stepped boldly back into m,
room, and rested my eyes untinchingly OF
the wooden box What was its mysteriou
freight7 Why had the phantom of thu
storm sent those startling words over TIT
wires? What unknown hand had reached
out from the very lightning itself to war;
me of some impending danger2 These ques
tons rushed through my mind as felt the
dread fear disappearing, and found myself o
a sudden grown strangely calm.
The clock struck 10. turned to the shell
and with hand that no longer trembled, In
serted the key, and wound it composedly
Would it be the last time that should per
form that simple task? No matter. Happier
than most men, because content with my
humble lot, it should never be said that Old
Billy flinched in the face of duty. For that
night it was my duty--my one, sacred, all
important duty-to guard the treasure left to
my safe-keeping. And guard it l would
while life remained.
When l had finished winding the clock
! look down from the shelf an old rusty pistol
which had lain for years undisturbed. /,
was not loaded, nor had either powder OF
bullet anywhere in the station. But the
weapon was ugly-looking, and carried sort
of silent force in case of too aggressive argu-
ment. After examining the rusty lock,
put the pistol on the table, made fresh glass
of toddy, drank it, lighted my pipe, and
closed the door that opened into the freight
room. Now that l was thoroughly myself
again, found it easy enough to shut out the
sight of that ominous oblong box.
1t was not until the clock struck again
that is, I1-that made up my mind to
go to bed All his time the storm held on,
although the thunder had begun to rumble
more Instantly. 1 threw of my coat and
slippers, put out the light in the ticket Office
and turned that in my sleeping-room down to
low flame. Then 1 drew the money pack
age from under the mattress and pinned it
securely to my wooden shirt under my vest.
This done, and with the table so placed that
l could reach both the lamp and pistol, l
opened the door into the freight room some
three or four inches, and then threw myself
upon the bed. Just as my head touched the
pillow the instrument, which had grown
quiet now, clicked off for the third time,
loudly, distinctly, slowly, its words of warn
ing:
WATCH THE BOX!
This time the warming was not needed.
had not gone 10 bed to sleep, but for the
very purpose Of watching the box. Stand
ing as il 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 telegraphic clicking been
less, or had my own sense Of great respon
sibility deserted me for a single moment,
l certainly should have given up the job of
watching as FOOLISH and, in that case, it is
not likely that this narrative would ever
L.., De- hall he
thrice-repeated message, and 1 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, as the oil had run dry. What
relief it was to hear the clock strikel AT
last somewhere about midnight the
storm had broken. l could see
the stars as they came out
through the window in the freight-room,
which was on line of vision with the box
How strangely still it seemed after the
mighty roar of the storm and the sharp claps
of thunderl Not click from the instru-
ment now. Not sound save the steady
ticking of the clock. Still 1 lay listening,
watching, with faculties all alert, and my
eyes always on the oblong box.
A little past 2-perhaps 10 minutes. The
silence almost painful in its profoundness.
Nothing but the tick-tick of the clock which
to my eager ear had taken on this sound,
which it kept repeating over and over:
watch the-box. Watch-the.b oxl'
What was that?
Not the clock, not the telegraph instru-
ment. No, it was the sound as Of the grating
ing of iron Faint, very faint, yet still audi
BILE to my ear. Breathing regularly
and deeply as one breathes in sleep,
/ lay and listened Another interval Of ST.
lence and then the grating sound came again
this time triAe louder than before. The
light of the stars shining through the window
made the objects in the freight-room just Wis
ible. Almost simultaneously with the second
grating noise / saw the cover of the wooden
box rising slowly from the end furthest re-
moved from the bed. / could feel my heart
humping away like sledge-hammer, but
continued to breathe heavily and to watch
keenly. Gently and noiselessly the cover
was pressed upward until it reached an angle
which completely shut out from my view the
window beyond. A moment later the figure
of man came out from the shadows while
the bcx-cover was let down ss noiselessly as
it had been raised.
This, then, was the burden of the box.
This was the meaning of the mysterious
warming which the sounder had spoken.
With cat-lke tread the figure moved to-
ward the door of my room. Still lay as in
deep sleep. On the threshold the figure
paused, and moment later single ray of
light like silver thread pierced the dark
ness and fell upon the bed. Luckily, it did
not strike my face, and in an instant had
closed my eyes. AS had anticipated, the
ray of light was directed toward my pillow,
and by the sense of feeling knew it rested
a moment on my face Satisfied that was
in deep slumber, the figure still with cat-like
tread, glided through the bedroom and into
the ticket-ofice. Ny eyes were wide open
again by this time. The light from the dark
lantern had increased, but its rays were now
turned toward the safe. Obviously the rob-
Der believed the treasure he sought was there,
I waited until he had knelt down to examine
the lock, and then, with step as noiseless as
his own, slipped from the bed and toward
the half.open door. So intent was he in ex-
aiming the safe that it was not until / was
within reach of him that he heard me
He sprang to bis feet, bringing the glass ofthe
lantern full in my face, and reaching for his
revolver, which he had laid upon the top Of
the safe But he was too late. With the
rusty old pistol, held by its long barrel,
dealt him crushing blow on the head jus
as his fingers grasped his own weapon. III
fell heavily, without uttering a groan. Th
lantern was extinguished as it fell, and will
trembling fingers struck match and lightet
the lamp in the Office. AS its rays fell upor
the upturned face of the robber / saw tina
blood was flowing from the wound l had in
fiicted, and saw too that the mans face wa
, delicate in its outlines and otelligent in ex
preston had time to notice no more, 70
, / felt now that the long, nervous strain wa