The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-07-16

hiii, d'it MS 0npanlOllS, some OF
them. thought him grutt and i'll temp
cred. but to Polly he was always ten
der as a kitten. Often when she was
Il little girl he took her down with him
to Mercer on his engine, and while she
sat on his black leather seat at the cab
window. clinging on with both hands,
he explained to her how the big black
creature under them was started and
stopped. what this brass crank was for,
and how. when the engine squeaked
here or squeakcd there, little oil was
needed in this cup or in that crevice.
And Polly had learned to know an en-
gine as we'll as she knew the neat little
pantry in the house at home Indeed,
she had more than once managed the
levers and the throttle, although it was
very heavy work for girl to do.
1t was one nj ght late in the fall that
Polly Marshall had need of all her
knowled dge of ofengines. She was sitting
at her desk in the little observation
window, shaded light throwing its
rays down on her telegraph instru-
ments and the sounder clicking sleep
lily. Suddenly she was startled by the
sudden call of her number Instantly
her fingers songht the keys, and she
gave the answer that signitied that she
was all attenti IN.
Look out for-' clicked the
sounder, and then it suddenly ceased,
and try rs she would Polly could get
no further communication with the
station next to the eastward What
could the trouble he? What was she
to look out for? Polly sprung to her
feet, remembering that the night eN-
press, of which her father was engineer,
was the next train due. Could any
thing he the matter. She ran out on
the dark platform to see that her lights
were all in place and that the switches
were properly set, so that the express
would slip past the station without an
accident. Then she went back and
called up Mercer.
'Can you get Pinckney?" she asked.
Pinckney was the station which had
sent her the warning dispatch so mys-
tcriously interrupted. She knew the
operator at Pinckney well-cvery light
he told her of the approach of her faith
er's train. and whether or not it left
his station on time.
'Pinckney quiet; cant get answer,
was the report of the wires. What's
the trouble!"
Polly answered as we'll as she could
and Mercer made another attempt to
arouse Pinckney.
Her fathers train was now due 1t
should be whistling cheerily ut the
lower bend. Polly stepped out on the
platform and peercd up the track.
Yes, there was the familiar headlight
size would have known it among Il
hundred. Then came the whistle
Hello, Polly,' and Polly ran back in
to her Office much relieved and sat
down to warn Mercer At that instant
she heard Il peculiar cracking sound
that sent her heart quivering deep in
her bosom. Then there was the shrill
scream of the locomotive whistle, sud-
denly interrupted, as if the hand that
had drawn the lever had been struck
from its place. Polly knew it was a
cry of distress. 1t seemed to say
"Iclp" in a long tremulous wall. In
stantly Polly darted outside and flew
up the track. Already the express
should have thundered past the station,
but she could see lis headlight hun
drcd yards or more away. The train
had stopped.
With hundred terrifying questions
flashing through her mind Polly ran
on through the gloom. When she was
almost within range of the big head
Il, I
swarming around the engine. she heard
fierce oatlls, and then the engine start
ed up again. She saw in an instant
that it had been cut free from the train.
In the cab window, where her father
usually stood, there was big, unf:,mil-
lar figure. managing the lever and
throttle. Terrified, Polly sprang to
one side into Il clump of bushes. AS
the locomotive passed her on its way
up the track she saw that the man in
the cab wore Il black mask on his face.
and then she knew what had happened.
She understood why Pinckney had
tried to warn her and then failed.
Ro"hers had held up the train and were
preparing to rob the express car.
For Il moment Polly was torn with
doubt and terror. Had they shot her
father. She knew that he never would
submit t" have his train captured with
out struggle. Should she go to him?
Then she remembered her station and
the telegraph, and without a moment s
delay she was flying down the track
toward the depot. She would send for
help to Mercer. But squarely in front
Of the little depot the locomotive stop
ped and the black masked man sprung
from the cab window and darted across
the platform. Hardly thinking what
she was doing, Polly ran up ON the