The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-08-30
ALICE'S HEROISM.

rSr-+Ie town of Deering, upon the
II ~ tbe Pacific Railroad, between the
me . n and G.. Six miles further
'i'lI7 ,,as the more pretentious town OF
~e-. -non the direct road to D.
5aE-', ATT was by no means model
go, Still, there was school, and
1ss-u. .sI;.tle blue-eyed woman had come
a ysrmont to teach it. How long
rom ,-,.ected woman might have lived
2 Ing ~ I can only guess, for Alice
II l ia been there but three months
40. he consented to walk into church
~ me- and walk out my wife. This
~ +, 7ulv. and we had occupied a
- cottage nearly a quarter of a mile
2le,'' me telegraph station since our
-1a I,;tI This necessary introduction l
" - 4be story of that October night,
o1-l( lbs mart my blue-eyed Alice, only
~ M afraid of her own shadow, played
n J.. n the Office at about : 80 o'clock
-. @1 ore of the city officials came in,
n dnrr;ed, saying: -,
81 l. .t.;-i;' have you been over to the
-,Ssrlment on the road to-day"
no. have not.
1t wes 4 special Providence took me
- 4ban one OF the great masses of
q h.. -olled down directly across the
al Il will be as dark as wolf s
. -,or- n night. and if the midnight
M. ~ ines from . -. there will be a
.orrfb,e smashup.
"Ths midnight train must stop at
ysris -hen." / replied, Il will send
sYes. that is what I stopped in for.
The other track is clear. so you need not
,top the rain at.D-."
i was standing at the door, seeing
my ca,,er down the rickety staircase,
III \ ice came up with my supper.
ANY message to dav 2"my wife asked.
"0ne rom d for John Martin.
"johr Martini" Alice cried; 1.-the
greatest -uffian in Deering. What was
the message?
Midnight train"
Was that all?
"Tha. was all. Mr.. Hill has just been
IN here % tell me that there is huge
rock across the track at the embank
ment. SC I shall stop the midnight train
st Paris"
She vent intothe dressing-room, tax
.ng no light, but depending upon the
candle turnlngin tbs Office. | was riS-
.ng from my seat to send the telegram,
wien the door opened. and four of the
xorst Characters in Deering, led by John
Martin entered the room. Before J
could speak two threw me back in my
hair. one held revolver to NY head,
and John Martin spoke:
Mr.. lii was here to tell you to stop
he D. train. You will not send that
Message. Listen. That rocks there to
,too tha5 train-dut there for that pur-
-ose There Is a nalf million in gold
in the express car. Do you under.
-.and ?"
I trembled for Alice. Not a sound
came from the little room and was
led hand and foot, to my chair bound
30 securely that / could not move. 1t
Fas proposed to gag me; but finally
0nclUG-ng that my cries, If made any.
could not be heard, a handkerchief was
BOUND over my mouth.
The door OF the wash-room was closed
and locked, Alice still undiscovered,
hen the light was blown out. and the
-afians left me, locking the door after
hem.
There vas a long silence. Outside 1
'Juld hear the steps OF one of the men
facing up and down, watching. | rub
ed my head against the wall behend
me and succeeded in getting the hand
lerchlef on my mouth to fail around
uy neck. had scarcely accomplished
his whel there was tap on the inner
door.
Robert" Alice said.
Yes, Love" speak low, there is
man under my window"
am going to Paris. There Is no man
sader NY window, and ! can gel out
here. l have here six long roller towels /
'notted together, and have cut my white |
5Sirt in-o wide strips to goin them. The !
rope made SO reaches nearly to the |
round. l shall fasten it to the door /
A4oo ana let myself down. 1t will not |
-dAe l0l3 10 reach home, saddle Salim |
me- -0''- i0'
Nine o'ciock. As the bell OF the church
li9Gk ceased to strike 4 rumble. a flash. |
Ola me mat a thunderstorm was com !
'alg rapidly. Oh the long minutes of |
me next hour. Ten o'clock. The rain |
aiilng III torrents, the thunder pealing.
lightning flashing Alice was so afraid
u the lightning. Eleven o'cloch. The |
storm over though still the night was /
iOky Hack. ~ ""'
The midnight down t was comino
mn ItNSiLluy' surely, to cert--H destruction |
.hhere was my wife? Had the rutfians
intercepted her at the cottageP Wa |
sac lying dead somewhere upon the wild
,oau der heroism was OF no avail:
og' w, was her life saved? In the agony !
" tnat question and the approaching
nose OF the train was far NOR the bit7
seIhess OF Alice lost than the horror of |
~ t uoolAeu lives II carried. WHY had / |
Aeg ~ ner start upon her mad Grand .
me heayy train rushed mast the tele- |
Sr9pn ONCE. 1t was my eynresS train
ana G a. not ;Stopat Deering Station Int.
aS ISS'e-ed, every sense sharpened nv |
'nehgai Io.Jure, 1t seemed to me that the |
: peeu S--ekened. Listening intentiv I |
new thai II had stopped ut the embsnll. |
Iii, ,,lb' Ia a :-gar as l could Judge. Not
,r rec ci-s s-cAehlng crash l expected, not
80 eeS9'',-ls walls and groanS from the in |
! req PASSENGERS, but carefully. 4
moment more and heard shonts the
So ;o.N o. -rearmS, sounds of some CON |
nh1' could it all mean. The Minutes
:, : ere jhol-s: till heard a kew turn in |
,ue eooS OF my prison, and 4 moment |
-aSeI Two tender arms were around nv