Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-12-30

tSt estfz<E iiNN very NRhCn. ne Nii-
yer. Lining Route she read rather
discaln faliy and thought t0 herself.
W ell the Cranberry Creek c'ouds
dom have silver linineS.n Again She
read " Crowds patroaize ii daily'' and
IN her min,i She added. "Ihe crowds
all leave the cars before they reach
this part Of the road for do not see
cne new face a DAY.
Dissy evidently had a III of the
blues, and vet she did not intend i'm
the least 10 be ungrateful TO her good
and kind friend, Joe. She was a
smart, clever girl, and ambitious. She
had read many stori and biographies
OF good and noble 'lls who had be-
come great and gra i women. Many
a time the warm blood had cotuSed
quickly through her veins as she read
of the thrilling deeds done hy such
women as Elizabeth Fry and Florence
Nightingale, and even bv girls like
Trace Dazzling and jean Of Arc.
Dlssy wondered if any of them would
have been heroineS ii they had been
baniShed TO such a dull aud ont of the
way corner as Cranberry Creek. Ohio.
Even as she specuIated thus. the
door was opened and heavy football
sounded on the threshold. Dissy
looked around to behold tall. power
ful man, total stranger.
The operator is away - he asked.
IN tone which implied that he only
sought Tor confirmation of something
he already knew
les, sir,n said DiSsy, for once
rather sony to see a fresh face al Gram
berry Creek.
How long before Number Nine
passes here ?" inquired the man.
DiSsy looked al the clock on the
wall and saw that it was Just six
O'clock.
In thirty-three minutes" She said.
and added, p" that is il it is on time.
Sometimes Number Nine is late.''
DiSsy hoped it would be late this
evening, for she knew that Number
Nine was the train made up entirely
OF express cars. and she did not like
the looks of this strange man. She
hoped, yes, and silently prayed, that
Joe might return quickly. He had
been gone more than an hour already.
But the man, who was indeed a bad
fellow, knew very we'll that the op-
orator would not he back vet awhile:
Tor the man who enticed Joe into the
woods, on pretext Of visiting the staye
works was one of his confederates.
| want you to stop Number Nineo
said the stranger, with sharp seowl
that very much frightened the girl.
But cannot do that. sir.'' she re-
Piled, without orders from the train
dispatcher"
You never mind the train des-
hatcher or his 'ers,' gruflly an
swercd the man. Just do rs / tell
you. and III explain to the train
people. III give them a mighty good
excuse" he said grimly. As he spoke
he leisurely Transferred from ono
oocl1et to the oil horrible looking
pistol. He did tits Co frighten Dissy,
and to some extent he succeeded.
" Clicketty-cli l,-cliek-cliclI-cliclI -
went the little hammer.
What are they saying ?" asked the
desperate.
They are asking if it is all right to
let Number Nine start from Newbury.o
: Yes; and all YOU have to answer is
y. K.-isn't that so -
No. sir. Befo'n they consider the
road clear, | must Il them what time
the last train passed here going east.D
Well, hurry up and cut it as short
as possible. For. look you, my girl,
vou mustn't tamper with me. have
lots OF friends; and. if anything hap
mems to me. it will go hard with YOU.
Fire away now y
But just then. and al in a moment.
Dissy thought Of Joe Denman's kind
ness to her, and remembered how he
had intrusted the cabin to her. She
recollected too that if ANYTHING
serious happened, joe might he pun
ished and discharged for leaving the
cabin without permission. And. some
how she thought of Grace Darling and
Joan Of Alc; and il struck Dissy that,
If she was but a twelve wear old girl.
she might be true to her trust. So
with the skill and speed Of an expert
she touched the little telegraph key.
Click click icketty- click click
click-click, was al il said TO the train
robber. But to the operator at New
bury it said. Send the sheriff and
other help on Number Nine. Robbers
here.r
Now, then.n said the man, "you
wave the red light. right here. and
when the engine Is at the mile-post
yonder wave the white light for her
to stop. Understand now. My boys
and | viii be near the post, and. il
YOU don't do as ] have told you. the
balls from half dozen pistols will fly
clean through yon. That's all.n
The men walked slowly up the
track, and Dissy waved the red lantern
as he had directed. The heavy train
lumbled up slower and slower, until
the engine was opposite the post thar
ice Denman was so fond Of. Then
FIVE or six desperate and heavily armed
men boarded Number Nine: but. in
stead II finding the expressmen busy
at their work. they were received very
warmly by a sheriff's posse. Dissy
did not wave the white light, either;
for she told her story to the engineer
and conductor, who left a couple of
men to keep the child company until
Joe should return.
Well, Dissy is now at one Of the
best seminaries in Ohio. and is no ex-
pense whatever to Joe Denman,
for she is generously cared for by the
directors OF the Atlantic and Pacific
Express Company, And. If Dissy does
not shine before the world as a Grace
Darling or a Mollie Stark. she has
the satisfaction of knowing that under
very trying circumstances she did her
duty. And what girl or boy either.