The National tribune., 1889-10-31

about the sky like PHOSPHORUS. If you have
ever been in a telegraph office during thun-
der storm you may have seen the electricity
dash down the wires in way to make timid
people nervous. Even veteran operators do
not like it. was tempted TO close the key,
but the meaningless ticking fascinated me in
the mood was in. 1t was like the mutterings
of a maniac, where now and then, at intervals
only, could be distinguished word or sentence.
May he the extra allowance of whisky and
cigars had made me more imaginative than
usual and given a weird colOring to my
thoughts; for, listening to the rapid click,
click. remember fancying that some spirit
hand had hold Of the key and was pouring out
a wall over the wires.
was too nervous TO go to bed, and too rest
less to sit still. Even if had not been so
mentally upset, il is doubtful il could have
slept through such storm as that. To occupy
myself about something, / relighted the lan
tern, went out into the freight.room, examined
again the bolts of the doors and fastenings of
the windows, aud returned TO my room more
worried and nervous than before. just rs /
was re-entering the room the light of the lam
tern fell squaTely on the wooden box.
Until that moment had forgotten about the
dead young woman. Thinking so steadily Of
the $4,000 bad driven the box out of my mind.
/ cannot say it was comforting TO have in
mind, for corpse is never the most cheerful
OF company, and feeling as ] then did, would
have very much preferred no company ut all.
1t must have been the imp of perversty that
compelled me, after the box had been recalled
TO my mind, to leave the door open so | could
sit aud stare at it with morbid curiosity. As
i have said, my sleeping apartment was parti-
toned of from the freight-rOOm and connected
with il by door. The body had been placed
in such position that when this door was open
the head of the box was in sight. Two or three
times had got up 10 shut the door, but some
strange fatality drew me back TO the chair, aud
caused me to keep in view the box with IFS sad
contents.
All this time heavens heavy batteries were
rapidly discharged-the storm ragged and tho
mad rawlings of the telegraph continued. My
hand trembled as l lighted another cigar.
Nervousness no doubt; though possibly an nn-
prejudiced observer would have been sure
was badly frightened.
had just risen 10 wind the little clock on
the shelf, when suddenly out of the hitherto
meaningless tickings of the instrument sharply
and distinctly came TO my ear, these sounds:
which interpreted was:
WATCH THE Boxi"
started as though charge of electricity had
been sent through me. l could actually feel
my face grow a livid white l stood motion
less, cutching the back of the chair. with my
eyes riveted in vacant stare at the table in the
ticket-ofiice. knew il was not the result of an
excited Imagination. The words TO my practiced
ear were as plain and distinct as if shouted in
trumpet tones. There had been no call for Marri-
copa, and the message ended without signature
or mark, abruptly. 1t was not the telcgraphy
OF any operator on any section of the line. |
would have sworn to that with MS much posi-
tiveness as you would TO tho tone of n voice
with which you are familiar. In the dot and
dash alphabet one learns TO distinguish who is
H.. L. IL. 4.
racy as others distinguish handwriting. j had
praticed on the line sufficiently TO be able 10
distinguish all the operators. j had never
heard the sounder click of a message like
that.
While / stood dazed and almost paralyzcd
the rapid aud uninteligible click click was re-
sumed. II was fully FIVE minutes before /
mustered sufficient courage to pass into the
ticket-oiIice aud sit down ut the key-table
Not once during that time had turned to look
at the box. Almost on the instant of my sit
ting down the clicking stopped short, as 1t had
before. and the Same words were repeated:
"wATcH THE Box"
Each dot, dash, letter and word came with
such terrible distinctness that IL seemed to send
a sharp pain tingling through my cars. Ii was
like the loud whispering OF some ghostly voice
Then, again. came the jargon of sound that
turned the clicking into meaningless confusion.
i hpIAnS from the lAOics anu WIN strength
ened conviction that il was no deusion, no
fancy, but that the sound had come plainly
over the wires felt my courage return and
resolved 10 heed the mysterious warming.
The reveTberating thunder and the mad roar
Of the storm no longer depressed me. / step
ped back into my room boldly, aud rested my
eyes unfiuchingly upon the wooden box. What
was its mysterious freight2 Why had the storm
phantom sent those mysterious words over the
WIrgpV WNDsp Unk hand had raaclad
out OF the spirit land-ont of tho lightnings
of heaven-tO warn me Of impending dauger2
These and similar questions rushed through
my mind as / felt the dread fear had dsap-
peared aud had grown strangely calm.
The clock struck IL. i turned TO the shelf
and with hand that no longer trcmbled in
serted the key and composedly wound IT,
Would / ever wind another clock No mat
ter! Happier than most men, because content
with army life. IL should not be said that Lit.
tie Billy" who stood the racket at Gettysburg
and other bloody fields lincbed on dGty that
night. Rather Irregular to be sure if he was
there 70 Oblige good citizen who never got
day of except by snch favors. That night it
was my duty-my sacred, all-mportaBt duty
70 guard the money left in my care Guard il
/ would with my life
When i had finished winding the clock
took from the shelf an old rusty Colts six
shooter, which had lain undisturbed a year or
more, judging from the dust with which it. was
covered. 1t had been busted under, 80 to
speak.
lt was not loaded, nor did / see a sign Of a
cartridge anywhere. The weapon looked ugly,
and carried sort Of silent force in case OF too
aggressive argument.
knew that, for had taken two armed men
prisoners with an empty pistol in the days Of
war. After examining the rusty lock | laid
the pistol on The table. and m1inga fresh glass
Of toddy, drank it, lighted another cIgar-I
was smoking unusually that night, and the
good cigars did much 10 keep me up, 20 say
nOthinR of the MhlsEy-aud clnaed the dnnr