The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-04-03


Don't be fool come out an shut the
door,
The door was Stunned, and once more
l was ieft ia the dark.
was now beginning to suffer from my
constrained position and the cutting Of
the cords, so began to cast about me for
relief and then suddehl, / remember
ed reaper blade that bad been left at
the station few days before by the ex-
press. 1t was loose from the board, and
had placed it in the corner 50 that no
one could possibly be hurt acciden-
tally.
Accordingly rolled over and over un-
til my feet touched the opposite wall,
and then sitting up with my back toward
the corner, felt for the blade with my
hands.
To my great satisfaction I found it, got
the cord across one Of the teeth, and care
fully sawed it back and forth.
In moment my hands we're free, and
then loosened my feet then took of
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
was on the point of composing myself
in my old position to avoid another knock
down, should the roughs look in, when a
slight "spiz.z-z," followed by a bright
sparkle, attracted my attention to the
south side of the room. Il was the in
strument on the private line, affected by
the lightning common occurrence in
all telegraph offices during thunder
storms.
/ stepped up TO it quickly and tried
the circuit. Ii was all right, though the
rain made such noise on the roofthat
could hardly hear the sounder 1t was inn
probable that | could get an answer from
Charley at that time Of night, but as my
only resource it was worth the trial.
So l started in, making his call, "Ch."
C-h-c-h-e-h p | nttled, and pres
emily, to my surprise, the circuit opened,
and the response came.
"I-i-ch."
Then l talked to HMM my ex-
element a great deal faster than he could
take, and he interrupted me with slow
err"
"I-i,7 said, I" call your father"
Not home" same the answer all
hands gone out to round up herd of
cattle stampeded by the Storm
"I-i-i-i-i-i7 answered, stopping to
reflect. Then | went ahead again.
Can you ride over to the west cut and
signal the train TO stop? ?"
Yes what for?7
Get a lantern and put piece Of thin
red flannel around it if you can Swing
it across the track whcnyou see the head
light, and keep it up till they stop. Tell
the conductor there are eight men here
waiting to rob his train. BE quick ubout
it."
80. X. BY George r This last by way
Of expressing his surprise, suppose, and
then the ticking stopped.
| now began 10 feel that the roughs
would be foiled, though Of course, it all
depended on Charley. But it was some
thing that just suited his nature could
imagine him on his pony, lntern in hand
and tearing across the prairie as though a
band of Comanche Indians were after
him.
Meanwhile, / thought it best to take
my old position against the wall, to avoid
any suspicion, should the robbers grow
inquisitive. So l lay there and waited
and waited-the time seemed fairly to
drag slong-until felt certain that the
train was due. But it did not come.
though the movements ofthe roughs con-
vinced me that had guessed aright-it
was probably little overdue by thistime
and they were getting restless. Presently
one of them opened the door and looked
in.
Say, operator, is thai train on time ?"
he asked.
Yes" replied they were on time
the last heard them reported d-about
O'Clock.
He retired again. and for about ten
minutes all was still. Then above the
noise of the storm a far-away whistle
sounded family. Nsxt there was hur-
ried movement in the outer room-the
roughs were crowding out upon the plat
form.
/ sprang TO my feet and stood against
the side of the building next the track,
and by putting my ear against the boards
| could hear the distant rumble Of the
train, now nearing the station. tried to
imagine where the roughs had placed
themselves Probably around the cor
ner of the building ready to rush out, re-
volvers in hand
The train was now quite near, and
presently it drew up TO the station with
a rumble and roar and kissing of air
brakes. Almost instantly / heard the
shouted command, Hands up" follow
ed by the reports Of four or five reyolvers
and the sound of seuiiling on the planks,
which, however, was soon ended, and
then a veritable babel of voices and the
noise ofmany feet on the platform.
dashed out through the waiting room
to see how things had gone. and soon
found the conductor.
Halo, Leith is that you? We have
prevented that robbery, this time, thanks
to your warning. borrowed half doz-
en- revelvers from the passengers and call
ed for volunteers, so when we pulled in
there were twelve men on the platform
ready for business We have got the rob-
bers in the baggage car-come along and
see them.
They were a hard boxing set of men.
Two of them lay on the floor wounded,
though not seriously.
About this time Charley made his APP
pearance ON his crutches, clad only in
pair of trousers and a red flannel shirt,
one sleeve of which he Had torn off to
draw over the lantern.
He was wet through, his hat was gone,
and altogether he looked so forIorn, that
the passengers. who were profuse in
their sympathy and praise, began to
make up purse for him.
After the train had left | found him