The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1889-03-16
H E L

H E L p
"These I repeated several times,
hoping they might reach the ear of
some operator on the line. I then
slowly and distinctly wrote these
words, still sobbing violently:
Who hears - av-
ems - sake 49, report to-train-dis-
Observation-Disclosures quick that
l. -am-in-the - hands-of seven
robbers who ELECTROMAGNETIC
dag-No.-4- Send-help-quick.'
Then signed name and Office
call.
"Ireleased the armature and the
instrument clicked out:
"'Brace - p-little -girl-I-hear
-you-H.'
"'H' 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
orders for freight train,' I re-
sponded.
"'None of yer lynn, you little imp
he roared. Yer up to some trick
""No,' I replied, I am not. If I
were doing that my fingers would be
on the instrument. Don't you see
am not touching it, and yet it works.
1t is only an order for freight train
away down at Medicine Bow
"Keep away from that table, he
said, savagely. An if I ketch you
at any tricks I'll choke the life out of
you
"Oh, how eagerly my ears drank in
every word the instrument clicked
out. I heard a telegram to the sher-
if of Green River, twenty miles west,
asking him to arm a posse Of men at
once and get on board special train
which would be ready for him. Then
another to the young superintendent,
who was at Green River, telling him
how my slowly written words had
been heard by the dispatcher, and ask
ing him to supervise the preparations
to fly to my relief. Then third dis
patch to the master mechanic instruct
ing him to fire up his fastest passen-
ger engine and couple on to carriage
and await the superintendent orders.
My heart beat so violen thy that it al
most took my breath away. It
seemed an age ere heard the Green
River operator call the dispatcher and
say:
&C The superintendent. with sheriff
and twenty armed men are aboard, and
train ready for ORDERS
The order came flying. It told the
engineer he had a clear track and to
run at his very highest speed to with
in half mile of my station, and with
his party to alight. Then came the
welcome report from the Green River
office: ,-..
especial east departed 1:15.'
ooh, how my poor heart beat, and
how my every nerve tingled with ex.
element, 1:15-I mentally figured that
the train on such a desperate errand
should make nearly a mile minute,
and reach the stopping point at 1886.
1.-The robber chief gave his men
their instructions. 1 was to be sent
alone to signal the train, and when it
halted the band would make a rush and
board the train. ..:.,.. ..2 ..efe
"'Bill, you jump on the engine as
soon as she stops and hold the engi-
neer and fireman under your gun.
Jack, you pile into the mail car an
make the clerk give up his registered
letters, an Yank an Aleck'll work the
express car, while Tom an Shorty
hold the conductor and brakeman back.
Do your work quick an bold, an don't
be afeard to burn powder if necessary.
Thar's a 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 1:30 were licked Off; 1855! Would
they never come?
1.-The men sat on the bench along
the west side of the room, facing along
the two windows on the east. I 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 sta
ton, and l might hear a knock at the
door any instant. Would there be a
fight? Oh, horrible thought! In {,
few moments I might see men shot
down before my face. and might my
self be killed. almost tainted with
fright. The blood seemed to freeze in
! my veins, and I grasped the chair OF