Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-04-02
CELESTIAL TELEGRAPHY.

the depot at Dumphy's Glen, but everybody
knew that it never contained anything Of
special value. 1t served well enough tC
hold the books and papers of the Office ant
little loose change there was practically
no business done at Dumphy's. If it haC
been otherwise the station would never hav,
been in charge of mere girl like Lent
Stearns.
Fifteen years ago it was quite another
story. At that time Dumphy's Glen wa,
in the midst of its boom as a prospective
summer resort and when Lenas father
bought the barren little plot of gravel and
bare granite upon which he had erected his
store. he had paid for it at the rate of forty
dollars a front foot, and had trouble in get
ting it at that But he had died long since,
broken in fortune and in spirit. The big
dismantled "Sanatorium" on the hill was
utterly abandoned. Half the glass in its
dark, dirty windows was broken; squirrels
scurried over the sagging verandas; the
warping shingles blew down from the root
in every storm: the caves were hive for
wasps and horues The streets that had
been so hopefully laid out led nowhere.
"Park avenue" started well, but soon lost
itself among brambles and bushes; It's pre-
tentious name, hung askew from its rotting
post held by one rusty nail.
The store, however, was still kept up, for
there was little country trade. Mrs.
Stearrs lived with her daughter in the up
per story, and managed to sell, or barter,
across the dingy counter, cotton thread,
nails, molasses and patent medicine enough
to pay the interest on the mortgage and live
Lena, who was now eighteen, had to do
something, of course; and as she was un-
mistakably bright girl and had mastered
bookkeeping and telegraphy, she easily OBJ
tanned the unimportant position of station
agent at Dumphy's, where she sold half a
dozen tickets a week, tagged train when
there was a passenger, and boarded at
home.
Lena was not only bright and efficient,
but decidedly pretty. This fact had been
discovered by John Sturgin, the station
agent at Pine Ridge, ten miles above; it
was source of regret to him that he was
not the only discoverer. AS it was, he
perversely turned his back upon the we'll
stocked stores at the Ridge, and did sus-
pcious amount of trading at the Glen. He
also did more telegraphing at times than
business seemed to require. The wires
must have felt queer thrill as some of
those messages pulsed through them
though the words were as trivial, and as
remote from the sentiments they voiced,
as in any other rustic courtship.
Though scarcely any money ever found
Judgment at Dumphy's Glen, good deal
passed through it. About twelve miles be
low were the great sawmills at Sabine Falls,
and every week heavy cash box was ex-
pressed thither from the city to pay the men.
The train which conveyed it, however,
scarcely ever stopped at the little flag sta
ton: but there was one notable exception.
Il L. H., Of nd
heavy rains had stripped the hills of their
white winter cloaks. They're just like
folks who lay off their wraps too soon"
thought Lena, drawing her fleecy ''fascin
ator" more closely about her neck and
shoulders-for the sky had cleared and the
air was growing frosty-'They look as if
they were catching their death of cold. y
She was standing on the platform, watch
ing the belated express as it rounded the
curve. To her surprise it slowed and came
to a stop, though she had not tagged it.
The door of the baggage car slid open, and
the agent jumped out, dragging the cash
box after him.
"Shall have to leave this here tonight"
he exclaimed. Dad washout at Tamarack
Creek, three miles down, and we can't get
through to Sabine possibly; orders are to
run back at once. Have wired to the mills
to send men round by the road, and they'll
be here soon. It'll be all right; nobody
else will know the stuff's here. Come VIII
put it in the safe for you"
So Lena opened the safe while the agent
with the help of brakeman brought in the
box. 1t was a snug fit though she pulled
out all the books to make room for it, Then
the men boarded the train, which slowly
backed up the line until it was out of sight.
Thu uirl roGnfara1 tho 1annt lppk a1 tho
door, threw a fresh supply of coal on the fire,
and waited alone for the messengers from
the mills. An hour passed, and another,
and another at last the hand of the clock
stood at eleven, and still they had not come.
John Sturgin was also sitting alone in the
ticket office at Pine Ridge. Thoughts of
Lena were uppermost in his mind-a thing
not unprecedented-but tonight his head
was full of fancies. He knew about the
cash box, for he had spoken with the ex-
press agent as the train backed through.
"Im afraid the little girl was worried
about that money!" he unused. "She isn't
used to that sort of things. But it can't
have been in her hands more than half an
hour"
The telegraph at his elbow was clicking
in an uneasy, irregular fashion, but he had
sounded loudly. This was followed by an
unintelligible rattle; even his practised ear
could make nothing of it, Then, after |
moments silence came words-broken and |
fluttering-but to his quick apprehension |
they sounded like an articulate cry.
"O-O-O-Helpl" Then a confusion of |
clicks-and again the instrument seemed to
cry out "O-O-Save-L."
He sprang to the key and tried to tele-
graph question; but he could get no re-
Spouse. The wires seemed badly out of |
order. He was much alarmed. Something |
was wrong-horribly wrong-at Dumphys |
Glen. 1t would not do to waste time
He ran out of the depot. Look after
things, Mac" he called to the baggage
man.
His bicycle was leaning against the build
ing; he had brought it out that day for the |
first time since winter set in. With quick |
push and a leap he was in the saddle, bound
ing along the dim, frozen road
Dim-yet for mere starlight the night |
seemed wonderfully luminous. But the |
light was fitful; there were moments when |
all seemed buried in darkness. Then the
landscape frightened and glimmered as if |
the moon had emerged from behind cloud.
But there was no moon; he knew that the
moon would not rise until morning was
near. ksstiSI |
The railway circled the foot of the hill,
but the road ran straight over the summit
By strenuous effort he had already reached
the crest, and the hard driven wheel leaped
forward with a fresh burst of speed as it
felt the downward slope,
Suddenly the air seemed full of rosy light,