The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-02-19
THE PRIVATE LINE.

Jack English "a ticket agent, bag
gage master and telegraph operator at
the little station called Ranchman's
Center. II vas u new station, far out
ON the prairie, fully half a mile from
the nearest habitation. but, being
situated in the midst of a wild belt OF
excellent grazing country, 1t already
did more business than many places on
the road boasting of several hundred
inhabitants.
There were two freight trains q day
each way-the through and local, tho
latter of which carried the passengers.
Then there were the two accommoda-
tions going in opposite directions, and
the daily express and mail east and
west, which passed through tho lonely
place between the hours Of 10 and IL
| at night.
AS the last train-the eastbound x
press-passed he locked up the station
and crossed the prairie to the little
cottage half q mile away, where his
mother and sister Lizzie kept a pleas
ant home fol him.
Lizzie was q bright, active girl OF
fourteen, but with all her intelligence
and industry she was an ~inveterate
coward. She was afraid of everything,
and often made herself miserable by
imagining danger when pone existed,
When he took charge of the little
Office down at the crossing she an.
nounced her determination Of studying
telegraphy. Jack assured her that
the art was as full of electricity az a
thunder storm, of which she stood in
moral dread, but she persevered in her
effort Notwithstanding, and in q few
weeks could manipulate the instru.
ment so as to receive and send mes,
sages as correctly, If not quite as
speedily, as her teacher.
Pleased with her progress, the
brother secured two secondhand in.
struments and q coil OF wire and put q
line from the house to the station, sc
that she might have practice without
having to walk to the Office during
cold weather.
Fearing that the ~oficious linemar
might object to the instrument on his
end OF the line being in the office,
Jack put 1t upon one side OF the big,
empty freightroom, and here, when
the weather was not too cold, he spen
many a lonely half hour in conyersinp
with the little sister at home.
Ono night about the middle OF
February, there was a terrific thunder
and wind storm, with q binding fall
OF rain n hail, q very unusual thing
at that season of the year. 1t came mn
suddenly about IL O'clock, after the
west-bound train had passed and an
hour before the eastern one was due.
Above the roar of the thunder and
the beating Of the hail against the
window, he heard the clatter of horses
feet. A moment later there came a
loud knocking at the outer door.
linking they were people from a
~~-stance to wait for the train, he in
| i1ifrn1 rnnrn f,@-n lLEA " -
suspicion: "Wbo is there ?"
Passengers to take the midnight
train" was the quick response.
We're wet to the skin and hall
frozen"
Without q moments hesitation Jack
drew back the heavy bolt and threw
open the door, when in crowded hall
q dozen rough-looking men mufled To
the care in furs and WOODEN comforters.
He was seized by one of the stall.
warts and hurled unccremoniously to
the floor. Then. while two OF the
number held him down, the others
busted themselves in binding his hands
and feet.
He supposed, of course, that they
would go through his pockets il search
of the key of the safe, but they didn't
instead, they carried him into the
freightroom and laid him down against
the side OF the building, with the In
JUNCTION to keep mum, il he valued
his bacon"
His thoughts were interrupted by
one OF the men opening the door and
inquiring:
is the train on time, sonny?,'
1T was at 10 O'clock" answered
Jack, and then, with a wild hope in his
heart, he added LET me loose and
Ill find out"
mot much, my hardy" responded
the rough. LET you at that Internal
instrument and you'd send the train
through like lightning, and 80 cheat
us out of the pile Of gold we're after"
He understood now why they had
not asked him for the key of the safe.
1t was not the paltry sum that might
be found in the little country depot
they were after. They intended to
rob the train.
He tried to loosen his hands, but in
the darkness he could accomplish
nothing.
Just at that instant an opportune
flash of lightning revealed to him the
blessed fact that in their haste his