Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-07-11
III Z L u

II l.
These / repeated several times, hop
ing they might reach the ear of some
operator on the line. | then slowly
and distinctly wrote these words, still
sobbing violently:
"Who-hears -this-for-h s.
alle-report-to train -dispatcher-
quick-that-I -am-in
the-hands-of- seven robbers -who
will-compcl - me to -aag-No. A
Send-help-quick."
Then | signed name and office call.
/ released the armature and the in
strument clicked out:
brace up little girl-I-hear-
you H"
III" was the train dispatcher's call.
With fierce shout, the leader sprang
forward and rudely snatched me away
from the table, and asked:
"Gal, what's that?"
"Only distant Office asking for or
ders for freight train" | responded.
"None O. yer lynn. you little imp!'
he roared. Yer up TO some trick!n
mo" replied, Il am not. If 1
were doing that my fingers would be
on the instrument Don't you see |
am not touching it, AID yet it works.
1t is only an order 10 a freight train
away down at Medicine Bow"
keep away from that table" he
said, savagely. ''An' if ketch you at
any tricks I'll choke the life out of
you"
Oh, how eagerly my ears dram k in
every word the instrument licked out!
| heard Il telegram to the sheriff of
Grecn River, twenty miles west, ask
ing him to arm a posse OF men at one Q
and get on board a special train which
would be ready for him. Then another
TO the young superintendent who was
at Green River, telling how my slowly
written words had been heard by the
| dispatcher aud asking him to super
intend the preparations to fly to my
relief.
Then third dispatch to the master
mechanic, instructing him to fire up
his fastest passenger engine and couple
on to carriage and await the super
! intendents orders. My heart beat so
violently that it almost took nv
| breath away. 1t seemed an age ere |
heard the Green River operator call
the dispatcher and say,
THE superintendent, with sheriff
and twenty armed men are aboard, and
train ready for orders"
The order came flying. I told the
engineer he had a clear track and to
run at his very highest speed TO within
his party TO alight. Then came the
welcome report from the Green River
officer:
Especial east departed 1:15."
Oh, how my poor heart beat, and
how my very nerve tinged with ex-
element; 1:l5-I mentally figured
that the train on such desperate err
rand should make nearly mile a
minute, and reach the stopping point
at 1856.
The robbar chief gave his men their
! instructions. | was to be sent alone
to signal the train, and when il halted
the band would make rush and board
the train.
'Bill, you jump on the engine as
soon as she stops and hold the engineer
and fireman under your gun. Jack
you pile into the mail-car an make
the clerk give up his registered letters,
an Yank and Aleck'll work the ex-
press-car while Tom an Shorty hold
the conductor an brakeman back. Do
your work quick an bold, an don't be
afeared TO burn powder il necessary.
Thar's big haul on that train, an
we've got TO have it."
How eagerly watched the clock and
how slowly, how very, very slowly the
hands seemed to move-1:21. 1:25, and
1880 were licked off-1:30! Would they
never Gomez
The men sat on the bench along the
west side of the room facing the two
windows on the east. ] tried to figure
how long it would require for the men
TO walk to the depot from the stopping
place. Perhaps even then they were
surrounding the station and l might
hear knock at the door at any in
slant Would there be fghtP
Oh, horrible thought! In few mo-
ments might see men shot down be-
fore my face and l myself might be
killed. / almost tainted with fright.
! The blood seemed to freeze in my
veins and / grasped the ch1ir or would
have fallen to the floor. 1:40!
There came fearful crash OF glass
and the black muzzles OF perfect
cloud of rifles were thrust through the
windows and pointed directly at the
robbers. Then a voice cried out:
"Men. throw up your hands! / am the
/ sheriff and in the name of the law de-
mand your surrender. Make but a
move and I'll order my men TO fret"
eyer little cat!" Kissed the leader,
glaring at me savagely as the b nd sud-
denly held aloft their hands. Then the