Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1896-01-04


slight clicking the key might make
would not reach the robbers, opened it
and slowly made the telegraphio char
acters;
4
These I repeated several times, hop
ing they might reach the eals OF some
operator on the line / slowly and dis
tinctly wrote these words, still sobbing
violently:
ars--thiS-for-heav s.
sake--report--to train--dispatcher
mie-quick--that-- l--anl--in
--the-hands - Of - seven - robbers
who--will-- compel - me - to--iiag-
No. -. --Send--help--qu
Then / signed name and Office call,
/ released the armature and the in
strument clicked ont:
neutrality-suspicious.
you. III "
II. was the train diSpatcher's call.
With fierce shout the leader sprmg
forward and rudely snatched me away
from the table and asked:
Gal, what's that
"Only distant Office asking for or
ders for a freight train, responded.
"None o yer lynn, you little imp, :"
he reared. "Yer mp TO some trick. 4"
"No, l replied Il ann not. If was
doing that, my fingers would be on the
instrument. Don't you see am not
touching il, and yet il works. 1t is only
an order TO freight train away down
at Medicine Bow.
keep away from that table, he said
savagely. And if lctch you at any
tricks L ii choke the life out o. you.
Oh, how eagerly my ears drank in ev-
cry word the instrument clicked out l
heard telegram to the sheriff az Green
River, 20 miles west, asking him 60 arm
a posse of men at once and get on board
a special train which would be ready
for him. Then another 10 the young SUI
perintendent. who was at Green River,
telling how my slowly written words
had been heard by the dispatcher and
asking him TO supervise the prepare
tions to fly to my relief. Then third
dispatch to the master mechanic, in
structing him 20 fire up his fastest pas
senger engine and couple on to "A car
riage and await the superintendent or
ders My heart beat so violently that it
almost took my breath away. 1t seemed
an age ere heard the Green River op-
orator call the dispatcher and say:
"The superintendent, with sheriff and
90 armed men, is aboard, and train
ready for orders. "
The order came flying. 1t told the en-
gineer he had clear track and to run
at his very highest speed TO within half
mile of my station and with his party
to alight. Then came the welcome re-
port from the Green River office
Especial east departed 10.
Oh, how my poor heart beat, and how
my every nerve tingled with excitement
One fifteen / mentally figured that the
train on such desperate errand should
make nearly a mile a minute and reach
the stopping point about l 35.
The robber chief gave his men their
instructions. was TO be sent ont alone
to signal the train, and when il halted
the band would make a rush and'bOard it,
"Bill, you jump on the engine as
soon as she stops and hold the engineer
and fireman under your gun Jack, you
pile into the mail car and make the clerk
give up his registered letters, and Yank
and Aleck II work the express car, while
Tom and Shorty hold the conductor AUD
brakeman back. Do yer work quick and
bold and don't be afeared to burn pow
der, il necessary. Thar's big haul on
that train, and we've got TO have it.
How eagerly / watched the clock, and
how slowly, how very, very slowly, the
hands seemed TO move. One twenty-One,
20 and 80 were licked Off One
thirty-five Would they never Gomez
One forty There came fearful crash
Of glass, and the black muzzles of per-
feet cloud of rifles were thrust through
the windows and pointed directly at the
robbers Then voice cried out
men, throw up your hands am
the sheriff, aud in the name Of the law
demand your surrender Make but a
move, and I'll order my men to fire -
"Yer little catp Missed the leader,
glaIing at me saVagely as the band sud
denly held aloft their hands. Then the
sheriff and three men entered and dis
armed and handcuffed the robbers, and
/ saw the superintendent looking at me
and heard him say, "What debt | owe
You, my brave girl, " and then fell
fainting into his arms.
When l regained consciousness, l was
lying in my bed in my room at Green
River, with several ladies around me,
and was told that seven days had elapsed
since the capture of the robbers. l was
suffering from brain fever brought on
by the terrible strain l had passed
through and had been unconscious for
that long period.
finally recovered, and when called
into court to testify against the desperate
gang L. will never forget their fierce
chances toward me as | told how / had
entrapped them, or how, in spite Of the
efforts Of the judge and court officers to
suppress it, the crowd cheered me az
left the stand The men were sent for
long terms to an eastern prison and ]
have never heard Of them since. +"
And did the company reward you
for saving the train!''
"Well, only slightly. Corporations
have DO souls, you know. But Irevenged
myself on the superintendent in man
ner.