The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-11-20
TRAPPED BY WIRE.

In 1878, when but a girl of IS, I
left my home in Omaha and came out to
fill the lonesome position Of night oper-
ator at a small station on the Pacific
railway, in this territory. 1t was q
dreary, desolate spot in the midst Of a
desert. The only buildings at the sta
ton, aside from the depot, were a sec
ton house, occupied by a track foreman
and q few Chinese laborers, a water
tank and q coal shed. The day operator
and agent, a mere boy, slept at the sec
ton house, 900 yards distant, SO that
during the long and dreary nights l was
alone in the depot.
No. 4 express train, bound east, was
due at 2 :l5 in the morning, but it never
stopped unless signaled, and as this
was the only train during the latter por-
ton Of the night you can imagine my
lonely situation upon the desert wild. l
had my books and guitar for compan-
ions and passed much of the time read
ing, and when the doleful bowling Of
the wolves was borne to my ears from
the distant sand hills I would pick up
my guitar and endeavor to drown their
cries with music and song.
The superintendent Of the division,
a buoyant, light spirited young gentle
man, came over the road at frequent in
tervals and cheered me up with promise
Of a better position when a vacancy
should occur. He often found me on the
very brink Of despair, almost on the
point Of resigning my position and re-
turning to my humble home and the
mother who depended ON my salary for
the ne~cessaries Of life, but his promises,
his genial conversation and words Of en-
enlargement drove away the gloom, and
l came to look for his visits with o sense
of the keenest pleasure. I began to re-
gard him with a sisterly affection, he
was so kind and tender and SO solicitous
for my welfare and comfort.
One night shortly after midnight, as
I sat at my table reading a late novel, I
thought I heard a shutting footstep Oh
the depot platform, but as it was not
repeated I concluded it was but a wolf
more daring than his cowardly fellows
and resumed my book. A few moments
later I heard a low knocking ct the door,
which I always kept locked, and q
strange feeling came over me. During
my several weeks stay at the station I
had never had a visitor. and the sudden
knock, SO low, yet so s~tartlingly clear
in the stiffness of the night, caused my
form to tremble and my cheek to blanch.
Ny first thought was Of Indians, and
then I reasoned that it might be some
tramp desiring shelter. While I sat there
in alright the knock was repeated loud.
or than before, and, mastering all my
courage, I approached the other doc,
and asked:
"Who's there:"
A gruf voice replied:
"A traveller who desires to take the
east bound train"
1t was my plain, unmistakable duty
to admit him, and, with trembling fin
gers, / drew the bolt.
Instantly the door was pushed VIC,
lently open, and I sprang back to the
table and sank into my chair in terror,
when seven burly men, wearing cloth
masks on their faces and armed to the
teeth, entered the Office. One of them,
evidently the leader, walked up to me,
and pointing a large revolver at my
head said in a low, firm voice:
Gal, we don't want to hurt you, but
if you make a suspicious move or scream
or give n alarm, SO that any O. the
men in the section house kin hear you
I'll Spite the looks O. that purity face
with a bullet. Be quiet and sensible
and behave yourself, and yer shan't be
hurt. Whar's yer red signal lamp?"
"What would you do?" l gasped.
None O. yer business. We don't
van to hear any unnecessary back talk
>nor no impertinent questions. Wharf,
the red lamp?"
A chill Of horror swept over me when
the truth burst upon me that I was in
the hands Of a band Of desperate train
robbers, whose evident intention was te
signal the train and rob the express ca,
at my station. What could l do? 1t was
yet three hours until the train was due,
but l could not elude my captors te
rouse the section men, and I knew by
the ugly CLEAN in the leaders eyes
through the holes in his mask, that if
made the least cutlery he would not hes
itate to carry out his threat and murdel
me. knew they could find the lam]
easily by searching for it, and in
trembling voice I told them it wa
hanging just inside the door Of tn,
freightroom. One Of the men got it, an,
after examining it to see that it was il
order the rough band took seats to avail
the incoming train.
The leader lit a pipe, and looking a
me steadily for a few moments sad:
"Young gal, when that'ar train tool
her whistle, we've got some work fc
you, an official duty, as you might Ca
it. You must get out thar ON the pla'
form and signal the train to stop an
take on some first class passengers. Ant
lookee here. il you make q suspicio,
o. don't swing the red lamp in Il
proper way. we'll just ventilate tn
graceful body with bullets and jump