The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-03-25
EBENSBURG. PA FRIDAY. MARCH %, Is

his position = heavy hand was lad on
his shoulder and a harsh voice hiSsed
i'm his ear: Don't scream or try 10 cS-
cape if you don't want 10 make the
acourintauce of this" cShihi-iEE the
haas,ic of d revolver. 1t l. the other
end that is dangerous, though. bat II
vou obey orders yOu have no cause to
bc alarmcd. Here are my pals" IS
two dari,-faced. evillool5ing men
stopped boldly in At the open door
we don't wish TO harm you, young
stcr, but We want money, and 10y fiag-
riur the next train, No. 8, YOU viii
help Ms into - fortune, as we have some
knowledge concerning the valua bles
il corrias.'
Why. that i through train; it
never stops here, never EasPcd Hugh.
DO You reckon we'd aZed for your
help ii we hadn't known that2" sncered
ouc OF the other men. We have no
time 70 fool, and il you don't help Us
ws'l fix you and take business into our
own hands. What do YOU say? VIII
You stop the train or not?"
Il can't I dare not exclaimed
Hugh DO you think would betray
my trust in that shameful manner?'
Il told YOU the cub hadn't sand
enough to stand mp in q job like this
said the third man ''Bartcr a-gag-ed
hirn al first and it would have been
over There Is no use in making con
iidcuts of such c0war.lv sDoolss as you
find down in these Virginia ,wanps."
Il believe IN doing cvcrythinE in 4
square and honest fashion" returned
the man who had made the first as
sault
Talk about honor among thieves"
-.
.'bu; If we are goin' To grab ourselves
rich we can't stand here arguing any
longer" glancing at his expensive
timcpicce.
You're right" exclaimed the first
rogue. a he placed a gag in poor,
frightened Hugh's mouth. This done.
the unfortunate follow 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 Ian
tern was swung ont in the darkness
and thc cowarlly rufIians hurried away
to secrcte themselves, expecting 10 hop
on the express car as soon as the train
came To staudStil, and 10y fair or
foul means shut The mouth Of the cx-
press agent. secure the booty coveted
and made their escape unobserved
when the train slowed up at the sta
tion above. The first part of their
plan worked admirably, and when the
train stopped one of the gang IN the
rrarb Of a section hand ran up to the
conductor, oNclaiming. breathlcssIy:
~ bowlder rolled down on the track,
and as none of the other men were in
calling distance l was afraid / could
not get il off in time and so had the
danger signal swung out. But it Is all
right now" poiat.l" TO a huge rock by
the side OF the track.
Neither the conductor nor engineer
suspected treason, and in a few min
utes the train was again IN motion, the
disguised rogue hopping on the ex-
preNs-car platform on the opposite side
Of the train from the station. as il
passed the place where ne stood.
Not seeing the Bcnning oparator. ac-
curding To arrangement Frank Rev-
nold- stepped off the train ana into the
little waitinT-room, where a light was
diulv burning. Hearing groaus some
where in the ncighborhood She ven
turvd into the Office, where poor Hugh
was lying bound hand and foot lie
had succeeded in forcing the gag
partially out OF his mouth. and lust 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 ont FOR robbers on express car No. &
send assistance 70 Beuuing by next Ilaln-
Operator badly used up"
She waited a few minutes, and then
back over the wires came:
All right You viii have assistance very
soon"
With this assurance she went back
to releaSe Hugh, still prisoner in the
inner Office. The poor fellow had been
roughly handled and before he was
free tainted sev cral times from the loss
of blood lie was still unconscious
when the train stopped a 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 uncasilv in 4
| high fever Day after day and night
! after night Frank Reynolds remained
| to nurse him and attend to his duties,
until her whole fortnight's vacation
! Nd7 gone NOI until inc morning she
went away, however, did Hugh idcnti-
fy her with Frank Reynolds, his friend
telegrapher.
He had supposed that Frank was
bright, witty young man, about his
/ own age, but when he found ont 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, thoIgh they changed
! somewhat in character, never decreased
in number. Six months have passed
since that eventful night that marked
their first meeting, and-wen, Hugh
has taken charge of a larger Office,
with double pay, and as Frank has
I agreed to make a home for him the of
! fee at Mantua viii be without an op-
| orator again.-Belle V. Chisholm, in
! Chicago News.