News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1894-08-02


firmed the statement.
Without a moments hesitation
Jack drew back the heavy bolt and
threw the door open, when in
crowded half dozen rough looking
men muffled to the ears in furs and
wooden comioTters.
Not liking their appearance, the
young telegrapher was about to re-
enter his office, so rs to put a lock
between himself and them, but before
he had succeeded in carrying out his
thoughtful suggestion, he was seized
by one of the stalwarts and hurled
unceremoniously to the floor. Then,
while two of the number held him
down, the others busted themselves
in binding his hands and feet.
Thinking they had come for the
purpose of tapping the safe, Jack
felt relieved that there were only one
dollar and few cents there. Some
times he had considerable money in
charge, and only that day had de-
livered a package of gold to ranch
man, but now he wondered how the
robbers would feel when they learned
how much they had risked for 81. 06.
He supposed of course, that they
would go through his pockets in
search of the key of the safe, but
they didn't; instead, they carried
him into the freight room and laid
him down against the side of the
building, with theinjunction to keep
mum if he valued his bacon"
For awhile after they had disposed
of him all was still in the waiting
room; then he heard them moving
about cautiously, he thought.
"Why, it won't pay for the powder
it will take to blow the safe open, l"
he muttered, under his breath.
His soliloquy was interrupted by
one of the men opening the door and
inquiring: "Say, youngster, is there
anything we've got to do to that
train to get it to stop ?'
"Hang the red lantern out, of
course, you ninny," replied one of
his rough companions. give been
around railroads enough in my time
to find out a thing or two" Then,
pushing past the first speaker, he
held the light above his head and de-
manded of Jack: "Is the train on
time. sonny ?"
cit was at 10 o'clock" answered
Jack, and then with a wild hope in
his heart he added: "Let me loose,
and I'll find OUT.
"Not much, my hardy" responded
the rough in grating voice. "Let
you at that Internal instrument and
you'd send the train through like
lightning and so cheat us out of that
little pile of gold we're after. No,
sir; we're not the green gamins you
take us for, that's sure"
Jack shuddered as the door closed
behind the bold speaker.
He understood now why they had
not asked for the key of the safe. 1t
was not the paltry sum that might
be found in a little country depot
they were after. They intended to
rob the train, and since the rough
had made known his business, it oc-
Cured to him that he had seen in the
morning paper that large amount
of gold had been shipped from Cali
fornia to Washington, and that it
would pass over that branch of the
road on it's route thither.
Their scheme was self-evident, and
set Jack to thinking more deeply
than he had ever done in his life. He
tried to loosen his hands, but in the
darkness he could accomplish moth
ing. just at that instant an oppor-
tune flash of lightning revealed to
him the blessed fact that in their
haste his would-be captors had failed
to draw the knot on the cord with
which his hands were bound as tight
as they doubtless intended. In an in
slant the slack end of the rope was
between his teeth, and a ewvigorous
jerks soon set him free. 1t required
but a moment more to whip out his
knife and cut the cord that bound
his feet.
The next move was to take off his
shoes, so as to make no noise in
moving around. Still, with his free
dom regained, he was unable to ac-
complish anything, for the outside
door was locked and the key was on
a ring with other keys hanging on a
nail in the office.
He began feeling about to find out
if there would be any chance of rails
ing the window, when he almost STUN
bled over the small table where his
little old-fashiond instrument sat.
He tried the circuit, and finding it
complete, determined, in spite of Liz
zie's known cowardice to ask her
help.
She was a sound sleeper, but his
one hope was that she might have
been awakened by the storm, and so
he made her available as an assist
ant. His conjecture was correct, and
almost Immediately the circuit was
opened and the response came.
Then as rapidly as possible he made
known the situation at the station
and asked if she would go down to
the cut quarter of a mile distant,
and signal the train. The reply was
in the affirmative, and there was no
indecision in it, either.
Then he flashed back:
"Put a piece of thin, red flannel
around the lantern, go down to the
deep cut AND swing yOur red lipht