The morning call., 1892-09-14
ONE WINTER NIGHT.

When l read OF adventures tneTs comes
10 mind MY encounter with a notorious out
law by the name of Ed Dalton. For years
he had robbed mail coaches and waylaid
aud murdered travellers who were belated
and so unfortunate as to meet him.
| was employed by the Northern Pacific
Railway as telegraph operator. IL was In
the latter part of winter that the most ter
rible storm broke upon that section of the
country that was ever known. The wind
blew strong gale from the northwest, and
the air was full Of snow.
All trains were late. and l had found no
time to leave the Office and take an ex-
press package of $500 to the bank for safe
keeping. TIE station was crowded aud our
safe small, so that | usually deposited the
eompany'S money in the bank, not liking TO
risk it in the Office.
had an order from the dispatcher MOTTO
go to bed till after Number -Four had passed
this was the western bonnd limited due at
Cameron at ten minutes OF II.
l. was a lonely night; the wires hummed
and sopbed in the wind as If they could not
withstand the fury VI tie storm. had M
ished my work and was sitting halI asleep
near the stove. which was well hlted with
coal and as red as cherry. when sensa-
ton of some impending danger took possess
sion Of NE. Trying to shake II of, walked
60 the desk, threw open my key, aud asked
the operator on the night trick" at Hud-
son how Number Four was.
ION time" clicked the instrument In
reply. aud ! stirred the fire, turned the blaze
Of nv lamp higher, and sat down again.
Fer fifteen or twenty minutes | sat listen
ing TO the mOnOtOnOus click, so musical TO
the operators ear. when became conscious
that some one was looking through the win
dow and thought of the express package
I'D oh m n a
iugtant a crashing Of glass was followed by
a gTuf voice saying:
Move. and You are dead man"
did not stir, nut | realized that l was
looking straight into a six-sh00ter. While
| was wondering how l could save the
money the robber broke out the rest Of the
windOw-pane and craWled In over my desk
Oh, for some way 10 reach my trusty
bulldog" which was lying in full sight
under the ticket window. Useless wish.
Ordering NE TO rise the rUffian calmly took
nv chair and proceeded to warm his chilled
members before cleaning OUT the Office,
all the while keeping his revolver pointed
at my head. CHANGING around be spied my
pistol and coolly put il IN his pocket. As
he arose, he said:
"Weli. now. l am ready for business. /
will Just trouble you for that little package
with the red seals that is in your safe"
81 was desperate enough to say anything,
and broke into a loud, harsh laugh as he
finished.
was ever anything moro lucky?" I
cried, and my voice sounded like z croak.
"Why, my friend, have been waiting for
chance to rob the express company for
month. and if You are bound to take the
package we VIII divide the contents and
skip tOgetherP'
he looked at ne a moment with q skep-
"Bosh! Don'tialk stuff! Whatever you
do be quick about it, and lock a little out
that you play me no trick, or I'll finish
you"
l turned the combination and drew the
safe door open, making up my mind to
throw myself upon him If he moved his re-
vOlyer away for an instant It did not
seem likely that opportunity would Favor
me, but as took tile money from the safe
and gave il TO Elm he lowered bis weapon.
The critical time had cOmel If | should
fail to 0YerUOweT the fellow IL meant death
for ne. L sprang upon him with the
strength If a m2dman, and so UNEXPECTED
was the movement That We both went
sprawlug on the fool, the revolver dis
charging Itself harmessiy as we fell The
TOb0eT soon struggled TO bis feet and lift
ing me completely from the floor, forced me
through the ticket window. But | had
wresiled often while al college, and as |
crashed through the gass | whiTled him
around, throwing my lett loot back OF his in
slGH 4 way LAAL tlio next instant IouQQ ilt0
on bis head 10 a corner. Wild with excite
ment pinned him to the floor, pulling nv
Did bulldog" from his pocket and chang
ing tie situation by placing the muzzle
against his temple.
Lie still. my friend" I painted, "or IL
will be worse for you"
At that very moment heard the familiar
whistle of Number Four which was ap-
preaching the station, Tut would not stop
unless slgnaled. | was master Of the affair
now; l could stretch ont my left hand and
touch the signal board; and with loud CRY
OF triumph that sounded strange and
savage even Ia M own ears, / turned it,
heard the airbTakes ana the escaping
steam, and then the train came TO a fun
stop. Directly afterWard the Office door
Opeued and the conductor came In, swing
ing his lantern, and expecting his train
oTders.
/ suppose he understood the tableau be-
fore him, but that was all knew for some
time.
When / became conscious OF what was
going on around me they had my robber
bound hand and foot, and an eager crowd
stood about my chair, pTalsing my bravery
and congratuiatlng ne on saving a large
SUN OF money and capturing the boldest
robber west OF CamerOn-the famous Ed
Dalton.
Was 1t bravery? Sometimes l think 1t
was iOolhardiness; but it paid NE well, for
ooth railway and express companies re-
waTded me generously-in money and ad-
vance Of position.