The Washington critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1885-1888, 1885-06-09
ALICE'S HEROISM.

/ was telegraph operator stationed in
the little town of Deering, upon the line
Of the Pacific Railroad, between the cities
of D. and G.. Six miles further
west was the more pretentious town of
Paris, upon the direct road to D..
Deering was by no means model resi-
dence Still, there was 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 III July,
and we had occupied pretty cottage
nearly n quarter of a mile from the tele-
graph station since our marriage.
With this necessary introduction come
to the story of that October night, and the
part my blue-eyed Alice, only Is, and
afraid OF her own shadow, played in it.
] was in the Office at about 1880 o'clock
when one Of the city officials came in, all
Hurried saying:
"Strling have you been over to the
embankment on the road to-day"
mo, ! have not"
ut was special Providence took me
there, then. One of the great masses of
rock has rolled down directly across the
track. 1t will be as dark as a VOLTS
mouth tonight. and if the midnight train
comes from D. there will be horrible
smash-up."
"Thc midnight train must stop at Paris,
then" / replied. 81 will send message"
YES That is what stopped in for
The other track is clear so you need not
stop the train to D."
CAN right, sir"
81 was standing at the door, seeing my
caller down the rickety staircase, when
Alice came up with my supper.
"Any message to.day?' my wife asked.
"One from D. for John Martin"
"John Martin?' Alice cried "the great
est ruiiian in Deering. What was the
message"
midnight train
"Was that all?''
"That was all. Mr.. Hill has just bee IL
in here to tell me there is huge rock
across the track at the embankment, so |
shall stop the midnight train at Paris"
She went into the drcssing-room, taking
no light, but depending upon the candles
burning in the office. | was rising from
my seat to send the telegram, when the
door opened, and four of the worst char
actcrs in Deerng, led by John Martin,
/ entered the ROOM Before ] could speak,
two threw me back in my chair, one held
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 eX-
press car. Do you understands
tremblod for Alice. Not n sound came
from the little room and | was tied, hand
and foot, to my chair-bound so securely
| to gag me; but finally concluding that my
| cries, if made any, could not be heard, a
handkerchief was bound over my mouth
The door of the Mushroom was closed
| and locked, Alice still undiscovered, then
| the light was blown ont, and the rutiians
| left me, locking the door after them.
There was Il long silence. Outside !
| could hear the steps of one OF the men
| pacing up and down, watching. ! rubbed
| my head against the wall behind Inc and
| succeeded in getting the handkerchief on
| my mouth TO fall around my neck. ! had
scarcely accomplished this when 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
under my window, and can get out there
have six long roller towels here knottcd
together, and have cut my white skirt
into wide strips to join them. The rope
made so reaches nearly to the ground.
l j
myself down. II will not take long tC
reach home saddle Selim and reach Paris
| in time Don't fear for me-"
| Nine O'clock As the bell of the church
clock ceased to stri Ike a rumble, flash
told me that thunder storm was coming
rapidly; Oh, the long, long minutes Of
| the next hour. Ten o'clock. The rain
falling in torrents, the thunder pealing
lightning flashing! Alice was so afraid OF
| lightning. Eleven o'clok. The storm
over. though still the night was inky
black.
The midnight down-train was coming
swiftly, surely, to certain destruction
Where was my wife? Had the ruilian>
intercepted her nj the cottage? Was she
lying dead somewhere upon the wild road!
| Her heroism was of no avail, but was hel
life saved? In the agony of that question
and the approaching noise of the train wa,
far more the bitterness of Alice lost than
the horror of the doomed lives il carried
Why had let her start upon her mad er
rand?
The heavy train lumbled past the tclc
| graph Office. II was an express train and
did not stop at Deeripg Station, but as
listened, every sense sharpencd by mental
torture, il seemed To me that the speed
slackencd; Listening intently, knew
as nearly rs could Judge. Not with the
sickcning crash expected, not preceding
| walls and groans from the injured passen
gers but carefully. A moment more and
! heard shouts, the crack of firearms
sounds Of some conflict
What could il all mean. The minute,
we've hours, till heard key turn in the
door oimy prison, and moment later
| two tender arms were around my neck
and Alice was whispering in my ear
| "Ihcy will come in few minutes, love
| to set you troe"'
But have you been to Paris"
"Ics, dear
"In all that Storm
"Sclim seemed to understand. He car
ried me swiftly and surely. ! was well
| wrapped in my waterproof cloak and
hood When | reached Paris the train
| had not come from D."
"But it is here
"Only the locomotive and one ear. In
that car were n sheriff, deputy sheriff and
| twenty men, armed TO the teeth, to cap
ture the gang at the embankment came
too, and they lowered me from the plat
form, when the speed slackened, so that
| could run here and tell you all was safel
While we spoke my Wifes fingers hac
first united the handkerchief around my
neck, and then, in the dark, found somt
of the knots of the cords binding me. Blu
| was still tied fast and strong when ther,
was a rush of many feet upon the stair
case, and, in another moment, light ant
al