The National tribune., 1889-10-31

forded the best point from which TO keep an
eye on the suspicious freight. Had my faith in
| the telegraphic clicking been less or had my
| sense of the great responsibility deserted me
one moment | should have given mp watching
| the box rs foolish in which case probably, this
recitation would not have been written. / be-
| lieved in the thrice repeated message, and did
not allow drowsincss to overcome patience.
Two o'clock How slowly the hours dragged
along. The low fame of tho kerosene-lamp
| flickered, smoked and went out the oil burn
ed out. What a relief to hear the clock
strike! At last, about half past two, the storm
had broken. | could see tho stars tho moon,
through the window in the freight room, and
as the heavy, black clouds passed in front Of
the latter, fecked and set oby the ltghterc clouds
of white, what did i see2 In tho clouds saw
my horse, saddled and bridlod, standing wait
ing for me; turning his head with an intolli-
gence almost human. as if to say: why don't
you Gomez" l saw Niagara Falls in an i'm
mense, great cloud, rs perfect as / have many
times seen it in all its majestic beauty and
| might. The lighthouse was the prominent
feature, unless more prominent was the poor
man | saw just going over the brink, with his
arms thrown up in despair. Tho lileIike pic
ture passed away, and then followed il n bcauti-
full angel. Neither comforting nor assuring. but
the awakening of tho most horrible thoughts
and widc-awake dreams. What could the Wis.,
ions portend2 The window in the freight
room was on line with the box, and could
notdismiss tho weird phantoms from the clouds
oh! HORRIBLE! horrible! The remembrance,
even at this late day, makes mo shudder.
Not another click from the instrument-not
n sound, save the steady ticking of the clock.
1 lay listening, watching, with faculties all
abort and eyes fixed steadily upon tho obong
box.
A little past three-perhaps 10 minutes. The
dread silence was extremely painful in its pro-
1Oundnpgs Natllnp
clock, which, to my eager ear, had taken on
this sound, repeating it over and over: Watch
-tbe-box! Watch-the-boxW What was
that2
Neither the clock nor tho telegraph key.
No, il was o sound rs of tho grating of iron
faint. very faint, yet audible 20 my overstrain-
ed ear. Breathing regularly aud deeply, rs
one breathes in the soundest sleep, listened.
Another interval of silence and then the graf
ing sound came again; this time tritie louder
than before. The light Of the moon shining
through the window made every object in the
freght-r0om plainly visible. simultaneously
with the second grating noise saw the cover
of the wooden box rise slowly from the end
further removed from my bed. i could feel
my heart thump like a sledge-hammer, but l
continued TO breath heavily aud watch kecnly.
Gently aud noiselessly the cover was pressed
upward, until 1t reached an angle of 80 degrees.
when a man quickly raised up and stepped
noiselessly as it had been raised.
That, then, was the burden of the box. That
was the meaning of the mysterious warning
which the sounder had spoken That was
what was to watch for, and continue to watch.
With catlike tread tho robber, whose face
was delicate in its outlines aud intelligent in
expression, moved toward the door OF my room.
On the threshold he paused, and moment
later single ray of light like silver thread
pierced the darkness aud fell upon the bed.
Luckily it did not strike my face, and in n
second had closed my eyes. As had antici-
pated, the ray of light was directed toward my
pillow, and by the sense of feeling know 1t
rested moment on my face. Satisfied / was
in deep slumber, tho robber still with cat
like tread gidcd through my bed. room into
the ticket Office. Ny eyes were by that time
wide-open again.
The light from the dark lantern had In
creased, but its rays had now turned toward the
safe. The robbcr, murderer ~. believed the
money he sought was there. waited until he
had kueeled to examine the lock. slipped from
the bed. and with step as noiselcss and cat
like as his moved toward the hai-open door 80
intent was he in examining tho safe. that 1t
was not until / was within reach OF him that
he heard inc. He sprang 10 his feet, thrust
ing tire buils-eyo OF his lantern full into my
face as he reached for his pistol which he bad
placed upon the top Of the safe. He was too
late With the rusty old six-shooter held by
its long barrel, | struck him u crushing blow
upon the head, just as his fingers closed about
the handle of his own pistol. dc fell heavily.
without uttering groan. The lantern was ek-
tinguished as IL fell, and with trembling fingers
struck "A match and lighted tho lamp in the
tieket-ofiice As It's rays fell upon the upturned
face Of the robber / saw blood WAS flowing
freely from the wound had Inflicted JUL over
the forepart OF his head had time TO notice
no more, for felt that tho long nervous strain
81.
need Of aid.
After binding tho unconscious mans feet
and arms, aud bathing his head with cold |
water pulled on my boots and overeoat, aud |
started ia haste for the hotel. Halfway ON
the road / met IA light vehicle, drawn by one |
horse. / took it 10 DO tho turnout Of Joe |
Hooper, tho hotel proprietor, aud wondering |
what lac could be out for at that hour. shouted /
his name. The man made no reply. Then | |
shouted at the top Of my voice: " 1 have killed |
q burglar at the station"
Whoever was In tho geh icle must have heard |
me, as the horse very perceptibly quiekened his |
sharp trot and disappeared in tho darkness.
They gave me much more credit at Fort |
Mcdowell and Marrcopa than deserved. ] do |
not blame thnm for laughing at the way II |
turned out When party OF us got back 10 the |
station my unconscious burglar had disap- |
peared. The tracks showed that tho covered |
carriage which / had met the road had
drawn upalt the PLATFORM VINO was IN ltE helll |
l cannot swear 10 IL, but believe It contained
the man who came with the dead body" At
ali events, neither he nor tho dead body were
ever seen again at Marricopa. had the satiA- |
faction Of delivering the money To the Quarter
master, aud Of being we'll spoken of in the
post, reRimenta aud departmental orders
For what might have happened had 1t not
been for the mysterious message" which /
have never understood the cause of from that
day to this.
Comrades: II you wish for a profitable bust
ness we refer you 10 the advertisement on
page 3, headed Better than Pension"