The Opelousas courier., 1889-05-18

the waiting-room was opened n n
of the roughs looked in.
'Say, young teller, are you alive
yet?s" he asked.
"Yes." I responded.
We'll, we wanter know if there's
any thing you've got to do to this here
telegraph machine so they won't sus-
pect nothin'-any report to maker"
This was pretty cool, and for a mo-
ment I thought I might still have an
opportunity to warn the dispatcher,
and was on the point of saying "1es"
when another voice cut me short.
"You let him get his claws on that
machine an he'll have EN- stop the
train. Don't be fool; come out an
shut the door," -
The door sls 1med and once more l
was left in the dark.
/ was now beginning to suffer from
my constrained position and the u t
ting of the cords, so | began to cast
about me for relief; and then %suddenT
ly / remembered a reaper-blade that
had been left at the station a few days
ago by the express. 1t wasloose from
the board and I had placed it in a COR
ner SO that no one could be hurt by it
accidentally. Accordingly l rolled
over and over until my feet touched
the opposite wall, and then sitting up
with my back toward the corner, I felt
for the blade with my hands.
To my great satisfaction | found 1T,
got the cord across n of the teeth,
and carefully sawed it back and forth.
In a moment my hands were free,
and then l loosened my feet. | then
took off my shoes. This done | was
able to move about without making
any noise.
Still | was unable to accomplish any
thing, for it was impossible to get out,
and I was on the point of composing
myself in my old position, to avoid
another knock-down, should the roaghs
look in, when a slight 'spiz-z-z, ofol-
lowed by a bright sparkle, attracted
my attention to the south side of the
room. 1t was the instrument on the
private line, affected by the lightning
"a common occurrence in all offices
during t~hunder-storms.
/ stepped up to it quickly and tried
the circuit. 1t was all right, though
the rain made such a noise on the roof
that I could hardly hear the sounder.
| 1t was not probable that I could get an
answer from Charley at that time of
night, but as my only sourc it was
worth trying. So / started in, making
his call, "Ch."
"C-h-c-h-c-h,"I ratified; and pres
| emily, to my surprise, the circuit was
/ opened and the response came:
.:I-i-c-h."
Then l talked" to HMM my ex-
element a great deal faster than he
could take. and he interrupted me with
slower"
Iii" / said, "call your father"
mot home" came the answer; ''all
hands gone out to round up a bunch Of
cattle stampeded by the Storm"
sI-i-i-i-i-i," I answered, stopping
to reflect. Then / went ahead again
"Can you ride over to the west cut
and signal the train to stopP"
Eyes; what for?"
"Get lantern and put a piece of thir
red flannel around it if you can. Swing
it across the track when you SET the
headlight ana aeep it up til they stop
Tell conductor there are eight mel
here waiting to rob his train. Be quicI
about it."
20. K. By George!" This last b!
way of .expressingrhis surprise, | sup
pose, and then the ticking stopped.
I now began to feel that the rough
would be foiled, though of curse it al
depended on Charley. But it wa
4 something that Just suited his Aature
1 could imagine him On his pony, Ian
tern in hand, tearing across the prairi'
as though q band of Comanches wa
after him.
Meanwhile, I thought it best to TAX
my old position against sae wan, t.
avoid any suspicion, should the rob
bers grow inquisitive. So | lay Their
and waited and waited-the ti.h
Seemed fairly to drag along-until
felt certain that the train was due
But it did not come, though the move
ments of the roughs convinced me tina
/ had guessed aright-it was probabl
a little overdue by this time and the
were getting restless. Presently on
O fthem opened the door and looked in
"Say, operator, is that train o
time?n he asked.
YES" | replied, 'tssy were on tim
the last / heard them reported-abou
two o'clock"
, He retired again, and for about te
minutes all was still. Then above tn
noise of the storm a far-away whistl
sounded family. Next there was
: hurried movement in the outer room
the roughs were crowding out upon til
platform.
. Isprang to my feet and stood again;
| the side of the building next the track
| and by putting my ear against th
boards I could hear the distant rumbl
/ of the train, now fast nearing the sta
: ton. I tried to imagine where tn
: roughs had placed themselves. Prol
ably around the corner of the building
ready to rush out, revolvers in hant
The train was now quite near an
presently it drew upto the station wit
; a rumble and roar and kissing OF ali
, brakes. Almost instantly / heard th