South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1888-03-30
Wolsely.

greatest rrfiian in Wolsely
What was the message?
| Midnight train. e. - -
| Was that allf e's iet,a
(, That was al. Mr.. Hit has Jus
been in hers to tell me there 10 .
huge rock acroes the track ut ths
embankment 90 I thall atop thu
night train at B. ~.
She went into the dressing room
taking no light bat depending up
Oh the candles burning in the of.
ice. / was rising from my seat to
send the telegram when tho doc,
opened and four Of the worst char.
acters in Wolsely led by John
Martin entered the room. Betors
could speak two threw me back
in my chair, one held q revolver
at NY head and John Martin spoke:
Mr.. Hill was here to tell you to
stop the D train. You will
not send the message. Listen.
The rock is there to stop the train
put there for that purpose, There's
half a million in gold in the ex-
press car. DO you understand?
trembled for Alice. Not q
sound came from the little room
as l was tied hand aud foot TO my
chair-bound SO securely that 1
could not move. 1t was proposed
to gag me, but finally concluded
that my cries, if made any could
pot be heard; q handkerchief was
bound over my mouth.
The door Of the Mushroom was
closed and locked soAlice was still
undiscovered. Then the light
was blown out and the ruffians left
me, locking the door after them.
There was long silence. Out.
side l could hear tie steps of one
of the men pacing up and down.
| rubbed my head ag' inst the wall
behind me and succeeded in get,
ting 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 B.. There Is
no man under my window, and l
car get out there. have six loug
roller towels knotted together and
| have cut my white skirt into strips
to JOIN them. The rope made 80
reaches nearly TO the ground. /
shall fasten 1t 70 the door. knob and
let myself down. 1t will not take
long 10 reach home, saddle Selim
and reach - In time. Don't fear
for NE.
Nine O'clock! AS the bell of the
church clock ceased to strike, a
rumble, Hash, told me that a storm
was coming rapidly. Oh, the long,
long minutes of the next hour (!
Ten O'Clock. Tie rain falling in
torrents. the thunder pealing, light.
ming flashing! Alice was go afraid
OF lightning! Eleven O'clock. The
storm over. thoagh still the night
was inky black.
The midnight down train was
coming swiftly. surely, 10 certain de-
struc'ioD ! Where was my wife?
Had the rulHsns intercepted her at
the cottage! Was she lying dead
somewhere upon the wild road +? Her
heroism was OF no avail. but was her
life saved In the agony of the ques
ton the rumble of the approac ing
train was far more the bitterness of
Alice lost than any horror Of the
doomed lives it carried. Why had
| let her start on her mad Grand?
The heavy train rumbled past the
telegraph office. II was an express
train. aud did not stop at Wolsely
station; but IS listened. every sense
sharpened by mental torture, II seem.
ed TO me that the speed sIackened
Listening inteDtlv, l knew that it
stopped at the embankment, as nearly
as C ,uld jud re. Not with the sick /.
eDing crash had expected. not pre-.
ceding walls and groaus from the in
jured passengers. but carefully. A
moment more and / heard shouts, the
crack Of fire. arms, sounds Of some
conflict.
What could IL oil mean The
minutes were ali hours till I heard
key turning the door OF my prison.
and a moment laer two tender arms
we're around my neck, and Alice was
Whispering in my ear:
They will come in few minutes,
Love, 10 set you free.
But have you been 10 B?
Yes. dear.
In all that storm
Seliin seemed to understand lie
carried me swiftly and surely. was
well wrapped in my waterproof cloak
and hood. When reached b
the train had not come frcm D..
But i. is here.
Only the locomotive and one car.
In that car was a sheriff, deputy sber.
VIZ and twenty men, armed to the
teeth TO c pure the gang at the ems
baDkment. ! came, too. and they