The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1888-08-23
A SOLITARY PASSENGER

A SOLITARY PASSENGER
The 10. so train from White Peak
was late that snowy February night 1t
never was what one would call u pain
fully prompt train, but tonight it was
fully fifty minutes behind its usual time
and the telegraph operator had nearly
fallen asleep behind the pane of ground
glass over which the word "Tickets"
was inscribed in half circle and tow
ard which most inartistically fore
shortened hand was depicted ase1tend-
ing gilt finger for the enlightenment
of the general public.
Not that the Big Pine telegraph was
ordinarily open at so late an hour as this.
Seven o'clock was the usual period Of
closing. Nor had Eunice Barlow any
official right to the tall wooden stool
behind the semicircular gilt legend re-
ferring to 'Tickets." In a manner she
had had greatness thrust upon her. Old
Mr.. Pettyclove, who represented the
majesty of the railway company in this
particular spot, had gone homo in tho
early dusk with a raging facial neural
gia and in common humanity Eunice
could not have refused temporarily to
assume his position with its duties.
1T will be only another hour of
work, she told herself, cheerfully, as
she put an additional log of FROST
fringed wood into tho little air-tight
stove. "When the 10. so has passed
can shut up the place and go home.
There are only two night freight,, and
the conductors on both of them have
keys to the freight house."
Suddenly tho silence was broken by
the tiniest sound, like the throbbing Of
some small silver heart. Eunice jumped
up, iustinctively, obedient to the call Of
her autocrat, the telegraph.
"a messagep she thought. "And
at this time of the night. Well, won
ders will never coase."
A message it was: to Peter Petty
Glove, station agent at Big Pine sta
tion.
Defalcation in Home Bank. Detain pas
senger on train No. 81. Small, dark, wear
ing fur-trimmed coat. Keep in custody un-
til further notice. H. v. CARTER,
Chief of Police at White Peak.
Almost before she had deciphcred
these words, Eunico Barlow telegraphed
back "All right and once more the
small silver heart left off its tumultuous
throbbings. And not until then did the
telegraph operator realize what very
peculiar position she was in. All alone
at Big Pine Station, and officially au-
thorized, in right Of her substitution, to
arrest bank defalcator on the spot!
Even while she pondcred on this un-
expected state of things there was a Gu
rious thrill and tremble of the floor
beams under her feet; shrill steam
whistle rising above the sustained roar
Of the tempest. The 10. so, officially
known as No. 81, was swinging around
the curve.
In an instant Eunice Barlow was out
in the deep snow of the rude board plat
form with the lighted lantern in her
hand. The conductor of the train was
not at all surprised to see her there. He
knew that Peter Pettyclove was old and
feeble, and spirited young female tel
egraph operator is rather at her full
value in the Big Pine section. She tried
to signal to him that she wanted to
speak to him, but the binding snow
drove its shroudlike sheets between
them. He smiled and nodded to her in
the aggravating way that men have
when they are particularly obtuse,
shouted some incomprehensible com.
mont on the weather, helped to loosen
the brakes, and was an eighth of mile
up the track before Eunice's lantern
light fell ON single black figure, its
hat pulled over its eyes, its form closely
buttoned up ina fur-trimmed over
coat.
'Is this the stationT' said low, well
modulated voice, which gave Miss Bar.
low the idea that the unhappy gentle.
man of justice was q gentleman born
and bred. "Where are the portersi
Upon my word" docking around aftel
a bewildered fashion, 'Tm afraid
they We forgotten to put off my luggage.
Isn't there a fire somewhere here
aboutsp
Eunice Barlow looked solemnly a
) him as she opened the door into th,
bright, cheerfully lighted little station.
Yes, the telegraphed description hat
been correct. He was small and dark,
and, poor fellow, he looked as if he wa
half frozen to death. But now aros,
the perplsxing question, how was sh,
to tdetain hint"
. "You are mistaken, SIR" she said, il
answer to his questions ''There are n,
porters here. There is no hotel neare
than the Pine Barrens, four miles away
The agent is detained at home by sick
ness, and l am the telegraph operator
on duty in his absence"
"Can you tell me. pleaded the sol
tary passenger, "where ] can get