Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1888-08-31
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 paiu-
fully prompt train, but tonight it was
fully fl ty minutes behind its usual time
aud the telegraph operator had nearly
fallen asleep behind the pane Of ground
glass over which the worl "Tickets'
was Inscribed in a half circle and tow
ard which most inarti-ticlly fore
shortened hand was depicted as ascxtcnd-
ing gilt finger for the enlightenment
Of the general public.
Not that the Biz Pine Telegraph was
ordinarily open At so late an hour as this
Seven o o'ciock was the u,ui PERIOD of
closing. Nor had Eu ice Blr.ow any
fliciaI right to the tall wooden stool
behind the semicircu'ar gilt legoad re-
ferring to Tickets" In manner she
had had greatness thrust upon her. Old
Mr.. Pettycloyc, who represented the
majesty of the railway com pany in this
particular spot, had gono home in the
early dusk with raging facial neural
gla, and in common humanity Eunice
could not hay5 refused temporarily to
assume his position with its duties.
1T will be only another hour of
work, she told herself, checrluliy, as
she put an additional log OF frost
fringed wood into the little air tight
stove. "When the 10 50 has passed |
en- shut up he place and 60 homo.
There are only two night freights, and
the conductors on both of them have
keys to the freight house"
Su ldenly the silence was broken by
the tiniest sound, like tho throBbih.- e
some small silver heart. Eunice jumped
up, instinctively, obedient to tho call Of
her autocrat, the telegraph.
"a messagcP sho thought. "And
at thi time Of the night. Well, won
ders will never cease"
A message it was: to z ter Petty
Glove, station agent at Big Pine sta
tlon.
Defalcation in Home Bank. Detain pas
senger on train No. 81 Small, dark, wear
ing furtrmmed coat Keep in custody un-
til further notice IL V, CARTER.
Chief of Police at White Peak.
Almost before she had deciphcrod
these words, Eunico Blrlow tclegraphe
back ''All right and onco more tho
small silver heart left off its tumultuous
throDbings. Aud not until then did tho
telegraph operator realize what a very
P culiar position she was in. All alone
at Big Pioe Station, and ofli lally au-
thorized, in right of her sub ,titution, to
arrest bank defalcator on the spot
Even while she ponderoi on this IN
expected state of things there was a Gu
rious thrill and tremble Of the floor
beams under her feet; a shril steam
whistle rising above tho sustained roar
Of the tempest. The 10. so, ctiicially
known as No. 81 was swinging around
the curve.
In an instant Eunice Barlow was Sut
IN the deep snow of the rude board plat
form with the lighted lantern in her
hand. The conductor of the train was
net at all surprised to see her there. Ho
knew that Peter Pettyclove was old and
feeble, and 81 irtcd youag 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 aggrayatiug way that mon have
when they are particularly obtusc,
shouted semc incomprehensible COM
ment on the weather, helped to loosen
the brakes aud was an eighth of milo
up the track before Euaice's lantern
light fell on single black titurc, its
hat pulled over its eyes, its form closely
tuttoned up ina iur-trimmed over
coat
Is this the station27 said low, well
modulated voic', which gave Miss Bar
low the idea that the unhappy gentle
man Of justice was gentleman born
and bred. Where are the portersl
Upon my word" Cooking around after
bcwiidcred fashion, 'Tm afraid
they We forgotten to put off my luggage.
Isn't thc.e fire somewhere here
abcuts2'
Eunice Barlew o6ed solemnly at
him as she opened the door into tho
IN 1t, cheertully lighted little station.
Yes, the tele5raphcd description had
been correct. lie was small aud dark,
and, poor fellow, he looked as if he was
half frozen to death. But now arose
the perplexing question, how was she
to ''detain him2"
You are mistaken, SIR she said, in
answer to his questions. There are no
porters here. There is no hotel nearer
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 soil
tary passenger. twhere | can ret a