Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-06-17
MY WIFE'S EXPLOIT.

was Il IcleSIdpll oPeiaVot oVaIionou
IN the little town Of Deering, upon the
line of the Pacific Railroad, between
the cities of D. and C.. Six
miles further west was the more pre-
tentious town of Paris, upon the di-
rect road to D..
Deering was by no means model
residence. Still there was a school.
and timid little blue-eyed woman
had come from Vermont to teach it.,
How long an unprotected woman
might have lived in Deering can only
guess, for Alice Holt had been there
but three months when she consented
to walk into church with me and walk
out my wife. This was in July, and
we had occupied a pretty cottage
nearly quarter of mile from the
telegraph station since our marriage.
With this necessary introduction |
come to the story of that October night,
and the part my blue-eyed Alice, only
eighteen and afraid of her own shad-
ow, played in it.
l was in the office at about half past
seven o'clock, when one of the city
officials came in, all hurried, saying:
"Stirling, have you been over to the
embankment on the road to-day?"
"No, l have not"
at was a special Providence took
me there, then. One of the great
masses of rock has rolled down direct
ly across the track. 1t will be as dark
rs a VOLTS mouth tonight, and if the
midnight train comes from D. there
will be horrible smashup."
"The midnight train must stop at
Paris, then," l replied. 81 will send a
message"
"Ies. That is what | stopped in
for. The other track is clear, so you
need not stop the train to D."
Gall right, sir"
was standing at the door, seeing
my caller down the rickety staircase,
when Alice came up with my supper.
ANY messages to-day?" my wife
asked.
zone from D. for John Martin" p"
"John Martin ?' Alice cried; "the
greatest rullian in Deering. What was
the message?'
Midnight train"
"Was that alp"
"That was all. Mr. Hill has just
been in here to tell me there is huge
rock across the track at the embank-
ment, so / shall stop the midnight
train at Paris"
She went into the dressing-room,
taking no light, but depending upon
the candles burning in the Office. l
was rising from my seat to send the
telegram, when the door opened, and
four of the worse characters in Deer
ing, led by John Martin, entered the
room. Before l could speak, two
threw me back in my chair, one held a
revolver to my head and John Martin
spoke:
"Mr. Hill was here to tell you to stop
the D. train, You will not send
that message. Listen. The rock is
there to stop that train-put there for
that purpose. There is half million
in gold in the express car. DO you
understand"
trembled for Alice. Not a sound
came from the little room as / was
lied, hand and foot, to my chair, bound
so securely that could not move Ii
was proposed to gag me, but finally
concluding that my cries, if I made any,
could not be heard, a handkerchief was
bound over my mouth.
The door of the wash room was clos
ed and locked, Alice still undiscovered,
then the light was blown out, and the
rufiians left me, locking the door after
them.
There was long silence. Outside !
could hear the step of one Of the men
pacing up and down, watching, !
rubbed my head against the wall be-
hind me. and succeeded in getting the
handkerchief on my mouth to fail
'..x,.xJ ...s, sa.l> ho1 aao rnaly m