The Press., 1888-09-06

els the track torn mp now, or are yon
going to do it II don't stop the train ?"
"The tracks torn up now"
Cali right. "I'll stop the train"
"Now, look here, young fellow. want
you to understand this. II you try any
fooling you won't catch us, and you'll get
shot yourself. Nobody can come here, for
my friends are around this shanty and
won't let anybody near here"
Nobody comes here anyhow, at night.
Or in the daytime either, for that matter"
"All right. want you to understand
just the fix you're in. We all have fast
horses, and even If you brought a regi-
ment on that train they couldn't catch us,
and You would have few bullets before
got on my horse"
"I understand"
Cali right again. Then go ahead"
The operator put his hand on the key,
but sat there thinking, and did not press
it.
"Now, see here; you hurry up there. 1
don't want any monkey business"
The operator turned so sharply around
on him that the other instinctively raised
his revolver bit.
"Will you oblige me by keeping your
cussed mouth shut? I'll start when / get
ready, and don't You forget it. I'm run
| ming this machine, and don't you forget
that. If you don't like it, shoot and be
hanged to you, and then you can do your
own telegraphing.
'"That's the way to talk, )" cried the des-
perado, with admiration. "Thats bust
ness. Darned If ever heard a man talk
like that with gun pulled on him. You
60 right ahead, and il You do this thing
square we'll whack mp on the swag. Its
rather tresome standing here 80 long, 30
I'll Just take this chair inside. won't
interfere"
Gall right" said the operator; "make
yourself at home"
"Kic-a. lick, klic. a-lick, klic-a-lick, klic-
a-lick, went the instrument, rapidly.
"What's that ?" said the desperate, for
getting his VOW of non-interference OF a
moment before. "It seems to be all the
same thing"
'It is. am calling the Office at Bloom
Vile"
"Klick-a-lick, klic-a-lick, kick-a-lick -
chuck"
"There, I've got 'em. Now don't in.
terrupt me. III tell you what is said
when I'm through"
The outlaw leaned forward with puz-
zled expression, and doubtless wished no
knew as much about telegraphing as he
did about shooting.
"Is Stevens there?" asked the instru-
ment at Bloomville. "Tell him Warner
wants him."
There was pause, and then the instru-
ment at the lonely way station answered.
Warner rapidly ratified out the following
message
''This shanty is in the possession OF
villain who has a pistol pointed at me
while l work. 1 expect It Is the Zama
county gang that is around the place.
| Hhnu nv orOinnr 20 Aba
supposed to be telegraphing orders for IL
to stop here. Now, cant you make up a
special there and get the sheriff and n
strong posse to come down and gather in
the gang?"
'I'n do it. There's a freight engine
box cars"
"No, don't do that. Make up a train of
passengers. Put Pullman on behind, IL
you have it, and make it look as like an
express train as you can. Then send her
down on the time Of the express, and hold
the No. there till they get back"
Good idea. Now what are you going
to do? They'll shoot you"
4 "Can you make a connection with the
town arc light, and get them 10 put their
i full current on? m connect il in some
way with the fellow here, and he'll never
know what struck him."
"We haven't time for that We would
have to go down to the dynamo office and
get them to turn off all the city lights and
then make connections. 1t would take too
long, and it would burn out every switch
board on the circuit. But can give you
all the cell currents we have here, and
that will paralyze any rough from Zama,
perhaps kill him. Anyhow, you could get
his gun before he recovered. When you're
ready Just call the office. Ground your
current, and Ill send il along on the big
wire"
"Seems to take lot of telegraphing TO
stop train, said the desperate, uneasily.
"It does. You see the train is behind
time, and they don't want to stop her. /
told them there was special that would
pass her here. They want to know all the
particulars. Now I'll have to move about
bit. must cut off the wire TO Center
City: If don't they may telegraph to
the dispatchers Office about that special,
and then it would be all up with u.s."
'That's all right go ahead"
"Well, don't let that revolver go off,"
sit never goes off till tell II to, and
then its sure death. AS long as you act
square it won't go off,"
The telegrapher went to drawer and
took out piece OF. wire and to one end at
|
he connected with the big wire from Bloom
vile. He fused around the switchboard
and then took a pail OF water and said
Look out for your feet. i must damp
down the floor, 80 that there will be no
dust to interfere with the instruments"
/ Water won't hurt anything outside of
me, said the man 81 hate to try il in
side, though"
Having wet the floor, the operator sat
down to his table again. "Klick-a-lick"
went the instrument. Next instant there
was binding flash of greenish light in
the room. The man started to his feet
Thunder" he cried, "what's that ?"
"You struck il the first time. Thunder
somewheres. I'm afraid IL will interfere
with us. But l can fix 1t. Hand mo
that screwdriver, quick"
The screwdriver was handed, but all the
time the pistol covered him. The visitor
was not man TO be taken of his guard.
Warner worked with the screwdriver mo-
ment and then said, sharply: "Gimme
them scissors. Hurry up"
The outlaw reached for the scissors, and,
the next instant, with a yell, he sprang
toward the ceiling and fell in heap on
the floor. Throw mp your hands, you
villain. cried Warner, pointing his own
pistol at him