Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1888-10-13
of you.n

Ill every worn Une Instrument CLICK
ed out! / heard telegram to the
sheriff at Green River, to raise posse
at once and get on board a special
train which would be ready for him.
Then another to the young superin-
tendent, who was at Green River,
telling how slowly written words had
been heard by the dispatcher. and
asking him to supervise the prepara-
tions to fly to my relief. Then a
third dispatch to the master mechan-
ic, instructing him to fire up his fast
est engine and couple on to caboose
and wait the superintendent orders.
Ny heart beat so violently that ii
almost took my breath. Although it
seemed an age ere / heard the Green
River operator call the dispatcher and
say:
"The superintendent, and sheriff,
and twenty armed men, are aboard,
the train ready for orders"
"The order came flying. 1t told
the engineer had a clear track and a
run at his very highest speed to with
in a half mile of my station, and his
party to- alight. Then came the
welcome report from the Green River
Office:
Especial East departed Ills.
"Oh, how my poor heart beat, and
how my every nerve tingled with
excitement. lis. l mentally fig
ured that the train on such desper-
ate Grand should make nearly mile
a minute and reach the stopping
point about 1885,"
The robber chief gave his men
their instructions. l was to be sent
out alone 10 signal the train, and
when it halted the band would make
a rush and board it.
"Bill, you jump the engine as soon
as she stops, an hold the engineer
and fireman under your gun. Jack
you pile in the mail car an make the
clerk give up his registered letters,
an me an Yank, an Aleck'll work
the express car, while Tom and Shor-
ty holds the conductor and brake
men back. Do yer works quick an
bold, an don't be afeard to burn
powder if necessary. Thar's big
haul on that train, an we've got to
have it.
"How eagerly watched the clock,
and how slowly, very, very slowly
the hands seemed to move. One
twenty-one, one twenty-five, one
thirty were licked off. One thirty
five! would they never come"
"The men sat on the bench along
the west side of the room, facing
along the two windows on the east
l tried to figure on how long it would
require for the men to walk to the
depot from the stopping place. Per
haps even then they were surround
ing the station. and might hear {
knock at the door any instant
Would there be a fight? Oh, horri
BILE thought! In few moments
might see men shot down before my
eyes, and l might myself be killed
1 almost tainted with fright. Thu
blood seemed to freeze in my veins
and l grasped theIchair or SHOULD
have fallen to the floor, One, forty
There came fearful crash of glass
and the black muzzles of perfec
cloud of rifles were thrust through
the windows and pointed directly a
the robbers. Then voice cried out
"Men, throw up your hands. | an
the sheriff, and in the name of tn
law demand your surrender. Max
but a move, and I'll order my mer
to fret"
"You cursed little catp Kissed tn
leader, glazing at me savagely a
the band suddenly held aloft thei
hands. Then the sheriff and thre
men entered and disarmed and hand
cuffed the robbers and | saw the SUI
perintendent looking at me ant
heard him say "what a debt | oW
you, my brave girl" and then fel
fainting into his arms.
"When regained consciousness
was lying in my bed in my room a
Green River, with several ladie
; around me, and was tsld that seve
days had elapsed since the captur
of the robbers. was suffering frOr
brain fever brought on by the terribl
) strain had passed through, and ha
been unconscious for that long perioC
For many days thereafter l hovere
on the borders between life an
death, and the superintendent was
my bedside several times every ola