The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1888-10-27
A SOLITARY PASSENGER

! NEVER was NudL. ono WOutu Call u phlu-
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 worl "Tickets"
was inscribed in half circle and tow.
ard which amost iaartistically fore
shortened hand was depicted as extend
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 Euaica Barrow any
official right to the tall wooden stool
behind the semicrcuIar gilt legcad re-
ferring to Tickets" In a manner she
had had greatness thrust upon her Old
Mr.. Petty Glove, who represented the
majesty Of the railway company in this
particular spot, had conc home in the
early dusk with raging facial neural
gia, and in common humanity Eunice
could not hav, refused temporarily to
assume his position with its duties.
Suddenly the silence was broken By
the tiaiest SQUAD, like the throbbinr of
some small si.v.r heart. Eunicc jumped
up, instil c;ivcly, obcdicnt to III, cali of
her autocrat, the telegraph.
"a messagew she thought. "And
at this time OF the night. Well, Won
ders viii! never cease"
\ message it was: to Peter Petty
Glove, station agent at Bi; Pine sta
ton.
Defalcation in Homo Bank Detain pas
senger on train No. 81. Small, dark. wear
ing fur-trimmed coat Keep in custody I'M
I'll further notice. II. V. CARTER,
Chief of Police at White Peak.
Almost before she lad deciphered
these words, Eunicc Barlow tclcgra Pied
back 'All right and once moro tho
small silver heart left off its tumultuous
thro obings. 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
ar est bank defalcator on the spot!
Even while she pondcrcl on this un-
expected state Of things there was a Gu
rious thrill and trcmble of the floor
beams under her feet; a shril steam
whistle rising above tho sustained roar
of the tempest. The 10 80. officiallv
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. lie
knew that Peter Ptttyclove was old and
feeble, and spirited young female tel
eSraph 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 aggravatins way that men have
when they are particularly obtuse,
shouted some incomprehensible COM
ment 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, it, form closely
buttoned up ina iur-trimmed over
coat.
SIS this the stationg' said low, we'll
modulated voice, which gave Mis-. Bar
low the idea that the unhappy gentle
man of justice was a gentleman born
and bred. "Whcre are the porters2
Upon my word' docking around after
bcwildered fashion) I'm afraid
they've forgotten to put off my luggage.
Isn't there a fire somewhere here
abouts2"
Eunico Barlow looked solemnly at
him as she opened the door into the
bright, cheerfully lighted little station.
les, the telegraphed description had
been correct. Ha was small AID dark,