Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-09
POLLY WARD : "FLAGMAN. I"
BY ALBERT N. STROEG.

BY ALBERT NJ sTROEa.
Miss Polly Ward had a grievance. Tears
of angry disappointment stood in her eyes
as she sat under the low spreading branches
of the old elm tree in the front yard of her
pretty little home, and ali this had been
caused by the big, broad-shouidered young
fellow who was now making his way across
the open prairie toward the 20" round
house, dinner basket in hand and with the
usual roll Of overclothes under his arm.
The Brotherhood of Railroad Ffremen
were to give the first dance of the season
that night, and Joe Quinn, the bright young
engineer, with whom Polly had been keep
ing company for over year, had promised
to take her, and now, just as the evening
shades We're falling, and ii was nearly
time to don the pretty dress made with
sch loving care for the event. he had come
to the house and told her that 1t would be
impossible for him to keep his engagement.
He had been called to go out on No 8, the
Limited and could not get off. 1t was
enough to vex a saint. thought Polly.
John Ward, Polly's father, had been in the
employ of the 90" company for many years
and had risen from position as laborer to
that of foreman of the round house. On the
night of which we write he had been home
to his supper and had been obliged to return
to the shops again to complete some repairs
to locomotive that could not wait. Polly
was alone, and, with nothing else to do, sat
under the big tree and grieved over her
lovers detection.
Across the level prairie she could dimly
see ia the growing dusk the outline Of the
monster shops and engine house. On the
turntab!e track, down near the water tank.
she saw the bright rays of an electric head
light that she well knew was on the big
'ten-wheeler" that her lover was to run
that night. She could see the flaring
torches" Of Quinn and his fireman as they
worked around the ponderous machine, get
ting her ready for the mad rush Of the fast
limited express. The schedule of the train
was very fast, and she well knew that Joe
would take especial pride in showing his
superiors that he had the necessary nerve
and ability to make the time
The mellow tones Of the engine bell,
softened by the intervening distance, fioated
across the plain. rousing Polly from her
reverie, and telling her that her lover had
started for the passenger station I'm the city,
two miles away. She watched the head
light until it disappeared around the curves,
and was about to start for the house. when
her attention was attracted by voices on
the other side of the tight board fence that
inclosed one side of the lot scarcely ten feet
from where she sat.
Il tell you it's dead sure go IL we only
hustle. That's Quinn hacking down now on
the 81. He'll run the life Of 'em out of
mere, and a couple OF good oak ties stuck
in that trestle win do the lob slick enough
After the tumble they'll get Nobody will
De watching very close. and We can sneak
the safe into the woods easy enough"
God, Bill. said a second voice. Il don't
just fancy killing such a lot Of people as
thatll do. Can't We flag 'em at the trestie
n go through the car same as the other
gangs doE There's six Of US. n we ought
TO plun that express man easy enough"
NO Use to talk about II now, Hank" re-
sponded the first speaker. 1.-The boys have
got the thing all fixed now, n we can't
ehangc 1t now. Come on. we'll have to run
II we get to Rock creek before Quinn does"
AS they finished their low-toned. hurried
talk two men came from behind the fence
and started on d run down the road toward
the railroad track.
generally very self-reliant, but now she
stood in the black shadows Of the big tree
completely paralyzed by the atroci.y Of the
awful plan these men had revealed.
They were going to wreck No. to rob
the express safe.
How could she give the alarm in time to
avert this terrible sacrifice of human life?
1t was over half a mile from her house
across the prairie to the shops. and from
them IT was nearly as far to the main
track, to reach which one would have 10
cross the intricate tracks of the great
switching yards. which at this time in the
year were crowded with grain cars. Could
sne get TO the shops, lind some one trust
worthy, tell her story to them, and stin
leave time enough for her messenger to
reaeh the main track to stop the train?
While these questions were flashing
through her brain the little clock In the hail
chimed the half hour. 1t was half-past 3
and the train left the city at o. She hsd
only thirty minutes left Suddenly she
started az toward the house on a run. crying:
can do 1t! know 1 can"
On Joes last trip in she had given a little
lawn party, and Quinn. with the character
istic love of a railroad man for lieht ana
color mad brought over from the shops a lot
or railroad lanterns, white blue rad ana
green, to hang In the trees. and now thew
We're stacked in the hall awaiting their re-
turn 20 the store room. In a second Polly
was beside the pile. holding first one, then
a am 1is, petween her eyes and the great
what she wanted. a red one. and with II
ciasped In her arms ran to the kitchen for
matches with which TO light 1t.
aa.cn AFTER match was struck. only to 20
out, put az last success crowned her efforts
ana the light burned bright and clear: I'm
announcer moment she was speeding down
the road toward the track, bareheaded
thinking only of Joe and the awful fate
that awaited him IL she were not In time
Leaving the city of - the G. r. and a
read runs south nearly two miles I'm al
most straight line. then makes a long
curve to the left and Strengthens out to the
east. In the inner radius Of this curve the
company located the shops and switching
yards, and little farther back, and east
Of the shops, had laid out q little town for
Its employees. On the street nearest the
shops was the home Of the Wards, and this
street crossed the railroad nearly q mile
from their house, and considerably more
than that from the yards.
Polly was thoroughly familiar with all
the surrounding country, for. in the sum-
mer just passed. on the pleasant Sunday
afternoons. the big engineer would take the
little maid for a long walk. and. lover like
would choose the least frequented paths
One Of their favorite rambles had been
down the shady street TO the railroad and
occasionally down the railroad track
through "Quinlars Cut" to Rock creek.
She knew the place well. 1t was at the
foot Of a short but very heavy grade and
as the road left the deep rock cut, named
after the contractor who had blasted ii
through, it ran over a high embankment
and around a curve to Rock creek which
1t crossed on a trestle thirty feet above the
stony bed of the little stream. The trees In
the bottom obscured the view of the bridge
even in daylight, and at night no head
light would show on 1t until 1t would be
too late to stop.
II was the Intersection Of the street and