The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1896-09-10

From the Interior of the Box Came
n VOlley of Oaths.
received by express for the superin-
tendent of the Ingot Mining company
the money with which the miners were
paid off. The amount averaged be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000. On the 14th
of n in that year the superintendent
of h mines came to me and said:
Perkins,, the pay money will be
here tomorrow as usual; but / want
you to exercise more than ordinary
vigilance in guarding it, as | under
stand Grizzly Bill is operating in the
mountains again
"Grizzly Bill was a name to inspire
terror. The individual who pore that
unmusical sobriquet was an outlaw of
great daring and resolution; he stopped
at nothing. 1t was, therefore, quite
natural for me to feel ONE little trep-
idation. l assured the superintendent,
however, that | would do all in my
power to guard the money; and l
think" continued the major with some
dissatisfaction, that l kept my word
in this respect.
During the night which followed. a
violent rain storm swept through the
mountains. Shortly before 10 o'clock
the next morning | received word over
the wire that the train from Pikeville
could not get to Goldton owing to a
washout below Summit Rock. 1t was
thought that the track could be made
pasSable by afternoon, and that the
train would reach my station before 6
o'clock. l communicated these facts to
the mine superintendent by means of
an assistant who was always at the
station during the day.
"a = n'clpcly that nx-o,;no 7 ,ooo;rn1
a message saying that it would be i'm
| possible for the train to get through
before 8 or 10 o'clock the mex morn
ing. | sent word to this effect to the
mine superintendent, who, in turn,
communicated it to the men. Feeling
rather tired | turned in early that
night. Sleep, however, was out of the
question.
THE baggage, freight, express and
telegraph offices were all under one
roof. One corner of the big warehouse
tit was hardly anything else was par
titioned off so as to make Il private in
closure. This box-like compartment |
used for sleeping, eating and the trans
action of the %company's Geographic
and railroad business. The sender and
receiver were affixed to a table conve-
niently near my bed, and if necessary
it was possible to transmit or take Il
message without even arising. OF
course | never found it necessary to do
this; | simply mention it to illustrate
the arrangement of the office.
Along toward midnight the telegraph
instrument began to click. | heard my
call, opened the key and asked what
was wanted. The operator at Pike
vile wired back fthat the train which
had been delayed on account of the
washout had started for Goldton, and
would reach there between ) and 1
o'clock in the morning. AT precisely
2:4o o'clock the train steamed into
| Goldton.
"Ihe express messenger alighted and
handed me a huge and many-sealed
i package. 1t contained $1,000.
"'Oh, that isn't ALL" said the mes
senger, with a laugh; 4 have a box in
the car that's as heavy as lead. We've
been wondering all the way up the
mountain what it contained
The box was lifted from the car and
placed on end in the freight depart
ment of h station. 1t was fully seven
feet long and four wide-horrihly sug-
gestive of the rough box in which a
coffin is inclosed. / thought of this
after the train had resumed it's jour
hcs' 1 put the pay money Ill the SAFE.
turned the combination lock and re-
tired. | fell into a doze, from which |
was aroused with Il start by what
seemed to be the ticking of the sound
er. 1t said as clear as if some one had
spoken, Beware; danger threatens |
sat up in bed. The moon was shining
brightly through the window. | gazed
1tently at the sounder. l. made not
" slightest motion, yet the message
me again, this time wen more start
-.n%ly distinct than before. What
Il it possibly mean? | thought l
was dreaming ut first; but when the
mysterious message was repeated for
the third time | came to a different
conclusion. | don't believe in spirit
ulltsn. yet | am at Il loss now to as
Grill: that ineXplicable communication
to any other source.