The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-02-23
BY THE LIGRrslNG's STROKE.
BY MAJOR HAMILTON.

''The unknown murderer is still at
large"
laid my paper down with half-shud-
der, and turned to throw another knot
upon the dying fire.
Horrible !" said l, half aloud, "hor-
rible What monster could have killed
q babe not two years old! l hope to
Heaven that they will catch and hang
the brute y
As the fire blazed again took up the
paper, and read the item which had at
tracted my attention.
"A MYSTERIOUS CRIME.-Last night, in
Buckthorne, at the house of Calvin
Mooreland, was perpetrated most ter
rible murder. The entire family, with
the exception of the mother, who was
absent from town. were killed in their
beds with an axe. Father and three
children. two girls and boy the young
est not yet two years of age, were
slaughtered as they slept. Discovery
was not made until this morning. The
entire affair is shrouded in the deepest
mystery, and the unknown murderer is
still at large"
A second time Ishuddered as the paper
lCkl lfOul Iuy nohu, uAQ tuc AAOoh Va tAC
prairie wind sounded like the cry of
child in my ears as it swept around the
cabin.
Horrible !" &.
1 was line operator on the K. P. r. R.,
thirty miles west from Buckthorne, nine
miles east from Jackson's, at siding
where cluster of some five huts besides
my "office" had pompously assumed the
Il IL. ..l> 49, al al
terton. My neighbors were laborers and
them, Mrs. OToole, but slept at the
Office. This was necessary on account
of the road work, which often kept me
busy at my instrument half the night.
Air ye'se never afeared over beyant?"
quired my kindly landlady, one black
eve, as prepared to depart to my post
after supper. ''Shure an it's shame
for ye'se to be alone all night, miss"
Il am not alone, Mrs. O'Toole," had
replied; ''for with the wire can talk to
the operators at Buckthorne or Jackson S.
And I'm not afraid-who would modest
me"
/ felt what I had said, and meant it.
Although only girl of twenty, l was o
Western girl, acc ustomed to loneliness
and rough people, able to do for myself
and defend myself, and, with my trusty
pistol in the drawer close at hand L slept
or worked without a thought of fear.
Tonight, however. this newspaper had
disturbed me.
"If somebody will kill little children. {"
murmured to myself, might not some
body, that unknown somebody"
''Click! clickl cickl Centerton!'
Fancies disappeared, and for two
hours l WAS busily ct work, while the
wild nighs grew, and the wilder wind,
half-brother to the coming storm.
shrieked and sobbed without nv window
and moaned in the yawning blnckness of
the great chimney until the 1890 passed
then all rightr' sped from my Office
over the hurming wires, and for . time
was ct rest again.
The rain was beginning to fall now.
and an occasional glare foretold the
wrath of the nearing storm. The news
paper item was forgotten.
Already had turned toward my set
tee, intending TO lie down for awhile,
when without heard the heavy step u
. man upon the platform, and an instant
later hand touched my door. The bolt
was shot, but I stepped quickly forward
and drew il, expecting some message
from one of the svitchmen or track.
wAlkers; but, TO my establishment, the
person who entered was an utter
stranger.
was not frightened; only startled
The newcomer Vas vet with the rain
He pulled his cap from his bead.
Even, miss," said he, in . heavy
voice. bowling avkwardly. Saw yel
light, and thought as you might give me
shslbsr. It's . dirty night without for Z
traveller"
motionsd towurd the open 6re.
"You ON sit there and dry yourself,
rsplisd, ''bat there's no place for yoy
. s6ay here. This y IN of1cs."
"Yo'm, ny visitor rsturnsd. sloueh
inR down upon ~ bsnoh with . siGh
II kDoUod b. bat tkoaght - you miGh
n 49, 1u1fw e1ssp o1oso Ne nrs. Ii
hf1inr niGh1 eu0rf1o.~
go I III - - you alesp AessT
~ Z. 1917. ~ esnpsr rini.G. To-