Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-04-11
A PRIVATE LINE.

Jack English was ticket agent, baggage
master and telegraph operator at the little
station called Ranchman' S Center. 1t was
new station, far out On the prairie, fully
half mile from the nearest habitation;
but, being situated in the midst of wild
! belt of excellent grazing country, 1t al
ready did more business than many places
on the road Boosting Of several hundred
nhabitants.
AS the last train-the east bound ex-
press-passed he locked up the station and
crossed the prairie to the little cottage,
half a mile away, where his mother and
sister Lizzie kept pleasant home for him.
Lizzie was bright, active girl Of IA,
but with all her intelligence and industry
she was an inveterate coward. She was
afraid of everything and often made her
self miserable by imagining danger when
none existed.
| When he took charge Of the little office
down at the crossing she announced her
determination of studying telegraphy.
Jack assured her that the art was as full
of electricity as thunderstorm, of which
she stood in mortal dread, but she perse-
vered in her effort notwithstanding and
| In few weeks could manipulate the in
strument 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 instruments and
a coil of wire and put line from the
| house to the station so that she might
have practice without having to walk to
the office during cold weather
Fearing that the officious linemen light
object to the instrument on his end of the
line being in the office, Jack put it upon
one side of the big, empty freightroom,
and here, when the weather was not too
cold, he spent many lonely half hour in
conversing with the little sister at home.
One night about the middle OF February
there was terrific thunder and wind
storm, with binding fall of rain and
hail, very unusual thing at that season
of the year. 1t came up suddenly about II
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 mo-
ment later there came loud knocking at
the outer door.
Thinking they were people from dis
lance to wait for tho train, he inquired,
more from habit than from suspicion,
"Who is there9"
Passengers to take the midnight
train" was the quick response. "We're
wet to the skin and half frozen.''
Without moments hesitation Jack
drew back the heavy bolt and threw open
the door, when in crowded half dozen
rough looking men muffled to the ears in
furs and wooden comforters.
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.
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 freightroom and
laid him down against the side of the
building, with the injunction to keep
mum II 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 wild hope in his heart,
he added, "Let me loose, and III find
out"
mot much, my hardy" responded the
rough. Let you at that Internal instru-
ment, and you'd send the train through
like lightning, and SO 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 would be cap
tors had failed to draw the knot on the
cord with which his hands were bound as
tight us they doubtless intended.
In an instant the slack end of tho loop
was between his teeth and few vigorous
jerks soon set him free. 1t required but q
moment more to whip out his knife and
cut the cord that bound his feet. Lizzie
was sound sleeper, but his one hope was
that she might have been awakened by the
storm, and so made available as an assist
ant. His conjecture was correct, and al
most 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, a
quarter of 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 piece Of thin, red flannel around
the lantern, go down to the deep cut and
swing your red light across tho track as
soon as the train rounds the curve. Keep
1t up until you are sure 1t has been seen,
and when the train stops go to the con-
ductor with the news have told you"
"All right" returned Lizzie. an be
of inside of three minutes" and, coward
though she was, she kept her promise.
1t was still laundering in the distance,
and every flash of lightning made her
shrink and cover as If wounded by the
glazing sheet of fire. But in spite of her
terror she did not slacken her speed and
reached the cut just as the headlight of
the approaching train began to glimmer
around the curve beyond.
Faithfully she delivered the message
committed to her and then fell fainting
at the conductors feet
1t was not long after this that Jack
heard the train rumble up to the station
and the cry of Hands up!''
A week later check for $500 from the
railroad company, payable to Jack and
Lizzie English for the use Of their private
line in capturing the robbers, came
Chicago News.