The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1888-10-18
A SOLITARY PASSENGER

/ The 10 so train from White Peak
( was late that snowy February night, 1t
never was what one would call pain
fully prompt train, but tonight It was
fully fly minutes behind its usual time
aud the telegraph operator had nearly
fallen asleep behind the pane Of ground
glass over which tho word "Tickcts"
was inscribed in half circle and tow
ard which q most 4nartistically fore
shortened hand was depicted as extend
ing & gilt finger for tho 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 Euuice B,rIow 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 home 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 bo only another hour Of
work" she told herself, cheerfuIly, as
she put an additional log of frost
fringed wood into the little air tight
stove. "When the 10 80 has passed I
can shut up the place and go home.
There are only two night freights, and
the conductors On both of them have
keys to the freight house"
Suddenly tho silence was broken by
tho tiniest sound, like the throbbing Of
some small silver heart. Eunice jumped
up, instin ctively, Obedient to the call of
, her autocrat, the telegraph.
ga messageW she thought. "And
at this time of tho night. We'll, won
! ders will never cease"
y message it was: TO Peter Petty
Glove, station agent at Big Pine sta
tion.
DefaIcation in Home Bank. Detain pas
senger on train No. 21. Small, dark, wear
ing fur trimmed coat Keep in custody I'M
Ill further notice. H V. CARTER,
Chief of Police at White Peak
Almost before she had deciphered
these words, Eunice Barlow telegra phed
back '.All right;' and once more tho
small silver heart left of its tumultuous
thro obbings. Aud not until then did tho
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 pondercd on this un-
expected state of things tn ere was a GU
rious thrill and tremble of tho floor
beams under her feet; shriu steam
whistle rising above tho SUI ;tained roar
of the tempest. The 10. 90 officially
known as No. 81, was swim ging arouod
the curve.
In an instant Eunice Barlow was out
IN the deep snow of the rudo board plat
form with the lighted lantern in her
hand. The conductor of the train was
not at all surprised to ee her there. He
knew that Peter Pettyclovo was old and
feeble, and a spirited young female tel
egraph operator is rather at her full
value in the Big Pine Sc ction. She tried
to signal to him that she wanted to
speak to him, but the binding snow
drove its shroudIide sheets between
them. He smiled and nodded to her in
/ the aggravating way that men have
when they are particularly obtuse,
shouted some iIlcomprehensible COM
ment on the wes ther, hel ped to loosen
the brakes. and was an eighth of mile
up t;ae ssNak before Eunicos lantern
light sssa, So &sxSngle black figure, its
hat pulled over its eyes, its form closely
buttoned up ina tur-trimmed over
coat.
is this the, stationP' said low, we'll
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 porters3
Upon my word" Cooking around after
a bewildrred fashion) I'm afraid
they've forgotten to put If my luggage
Isn't there a fire somewhere hero
abouts?'
Eunice Barlow looked solemnly at
him as she opened the door into the
bright, cheerfuIly Lighted little station
Yes, tho telegraphed des scription had
boon correct. He was sm,tll and dark,
and, poor fellow, he looked as if he was
half frozen to death But now arose
the porplexing question, how was she
to "detain hiuw E> p