The state capital., 1892-01-16


his position Il heavy hand was laid on
| his shoulder and harsh voice Kissed
in his ear: Don't scream or try to es-
cape if you don't want to make the
acquaintance of this" exhibiting the
handle of a revolver. ut is the other
end that is dangerous, though, but if
you obey orders you have no cause to
be alarmed. Here are my pals" as
two dark-faced, evil-looking men
stepped boldly in at the open door.
''We don't wish to harm you, young
ster, but we want money, and by flag.
ging the next train, No. s, you will
help us into fortune, as we have some
knowledge concerning the valuables
it carries"
'Why, that is through train; it
never stops here, never!'' gasped Hugh.
"Do you reckon we'd axed for your
help if we hadn't known that?" sneercd
one of the other men. eve have no
time to fool, and if you don't help us
we'll fix you and take business into our
own hands. What do you say? VIII
you stop the train or not?"
Il can't dare notr' exclaimed
Hugh. "Do you think would betray
my trust in that shameful manner?"
Il told you the cub hadn't sand
enough to stand up in a job like this
said the third man. 'Better a-gagged
him at first and it would have been
over. There is no use in making con-
| tdents of such cowardly spoolxs as you
find down in these Virginia swamps."
Il believe in doing everything in a
square and honest fashion," returned
the man who had made the first as
sault.
Talk about honor among thieves"
| retorted the little, bald-headcd man,
''but if we are goin' to grab ourselves
rich we can't stand here arguing any
longer" glancing at his expensive
| timepiece.
You're right" exclaimed the first
rogue, as he placed gag in poor,
frightened Hugh's mouth. This done,
the unfortunate fellow was tied hand
and foot and then, helpless as he was,
the rope that bound him was made fast
to the little iron safe, the danger lam
tern was swung out in the darkness
and the cowardly ruffians hurried away
to secrete themselves, expecting to hop
on the express car as soon as the train
came to a standstill, and by fair or
| foul means shut the mouth of the ex-
press agent, secure the booty covetod
and made their escape unobserved
when the train slowed up at the sta
ton above. The first part of their
| plan worked admira bly,. and when the
train stopped one of the gang in the
garb of a section hand ran up to the
conductor, exclaiming, breathlessly:
"a bowlder rolled down on the track,
and as none of the other men were in
calling distance | was afraid | could
not get it off in time and so had the
danger signal swung out. But it is all
right now," pointing to huge rock by
| the side of the track.
Neither the conductor nor engineer
suspected treason, and in few min
utes the train was again in motion, the
disguised rogue hopping on the ex-
press-car platform on the opposite side
of the train from the station, as it
passed the place where he stood.
Not seeing the Benning operator, ac-
cording to arrangement, Frank Rey-
nolds stepped off the train and into the
little waiting-room, where light was
dimly burning. Hearing groans some
where in the neighborhood she ven-
| tured into the office, where poor Hugh
was lying bound hand and foot. He
had succeeded in forcing the gag
| partially out of his mouth, and Just as
| the train started off his efforts to make
| her understand the situation became
clear and sent her to the instrument to
| flash the news to the station above.
( The message was brief but startling:
/ Look out for robbers on express car No g.
J Send assistance 10 Benning by next train
/ Operator badly used up"
| She waited few minutes, and then
! back over the wires came:
| All right. You will have assistance very
SOON
| With this assurance she went back
| to release Hugh, still a prisoner in the
| inner office. The poor fellow had been
roughly handled and before he was
free tainted several times from the loss
! of blood. He was still unconscious
when the train stopped few minutes
later with a surgeon and the assistance
promised on board. They brought the
good news of the capture of the train
| robbers, but Hugh was too weak to
| pay much attention to the conversation
that night.
Hell be all right by morning"
| said the doctor, confidently, but he
| was mistaken, for the next day found
| the poor fellow tossing uneasily in
high fever. Day after day and night
after night Frank Reynolds remained
| until her whole fertnight's vacation
was gone. Not until the morning she
went away, however, did Hugh identi-
fly her with Frank Reynolds, his friend
telegrapher.
He had supposed that Frank was a
bright, witty young man, about his
| own age, but when he found out his
mistake, weak and helpless as he was,
| the shock did not injure him in the
least; on the contrary, he made a very
good recovery, and the messages that
continued to pass between Benning
and Mantua, though they changed
| some " lat in character, never deer casad
in number. Six months have passed
since that eventful night that marked
| their first meeting, and--weIl, Hugh
| has taken charge of a larger Office,
with double pay, and as Frank has
! agreed to make home for him the Of
| fee at Mantua will be without an Op-
orator again. V. Chisholm, in
| Chicago News.
| AN ORDER FROM THE GRAVE