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

to see her fathers dead body lying on
the floor, for she had heard much about
the terrible doings Of train-robbers.
Through the cab window she could
see the robber sitting at her own little
desk il the depot sending message.
1t flashed over her all at once that he
was wiring Mercer that the express was
delayed, thus preventing any alarm.
The robber had pushed up his mask
and she saw him plainly.
What should she do? She dared not
enter the office, and she, {. mere girl,
could be of no service where the rob-
bers were making their attack on the
train. If onl V she had the little revol-
Yer that lay in the draw of the desk
she set her teeth as she thought what
she would do with it.
At that moment three shots rang
out, clear and distinct, from the de-
tached train. The man at the telc-
graph instrument sprung to his feet
and ran to side window i'm the wait
ingroom and looked up the track
Now was her chance. Hardly think
ing what she did, Polly sprung to the
engineers side of the cab, threw back
the reverse lever and opened the throt-
tie steadily. The big steel wheels be-
gan to turn, very slowly at first.
Farther and farther the throttle open
cd and faster and faster turned the
wheels, and yet they did not go half
fast enough to suit Polly, who was now
glancing fearfully over her shoulder.
Suddenly the depot door was thrown
open and she saw the robbcr darting
up the track. He had his pistol in his
hand. He was pointing it at her and
shouting for her to stop. But the en-
ginc was now going at good speed,
and, run as he would, the robber could
not catch it, But he stopped and
fired, the bullet ripping through the
cab cover above Polly's head.
The engine was now tearing down
the track at full speed. Polly knew
that it must he fired or it would not 90
far, and so, leaving the throttle open
she sprang to the coal pit, flung open
the fire hole, and with the heavy shovel
in her small white hands threw in load
after load of coal. When she returned
to her place she could see the first sig
nal light of Mercer already blinking
into view. She pulled down on the
whistle cord and the engine shrieked
it's distress.
Five minutes later Polly strained at
the heavy reverse lever, turned hard
on the air-brakc and brought the great
iron horse to sudden standstill. How
she ever managed to stammcr the st Dry
she never knew. but in Il few minutes
the engine was headed back with half
dozen armed men aboard of her.
Behind them came another load of men
on switch engine and two men were
racing up the street of Mercer calling
the alarm.
They heard firing before they reach
ed Kane Creek, but it ceased soon af-
terward. The robbers had soHc.
They had taken with them much plum
der from the passengers, but they had
not been able to get into the express
safe, although they were at work drill
ing it open when relief came.
From the time that the engine stop
ped Polly was missing. When the
rescued and excited passengers and ex-
press messengers began to crowd
around and inquire the Mercer men re-
membered her. \ party of them went
out to find the girl who had brought
help to the beleaguered train.
In little clump Of bushes they
heard 4 man moaning, and an instant
later they saw Polly kneeling in the
sand, with her fathers head in her lap,
crying bitterly. And they gathered
up the brave engineer and his dau 5h-
ter and carried them down to the train,
cheering all the way.
Engineer Marshall was not badly
hurt, and he was able to he in Mercer
when the general manager of the road
thanked the blushing Polly officially
and offered new and better position
in Mercer And of course all the pas
scngers and express messengers heard
about Polly's brave deed and said a
great many pleasant things about lcr,
but Polly, being Il sensible girl, only
blushed and said that she had to do it T.,
and that any other girl would have
done the same under like circum-
stances no one believed, of
course.
Later, when the robbers were cap
tured, Polly was able to identify one
of them positively-the one who had
run the engine through him the
entire party was convicted and sen
fenced to the pcnitcntiary.
''Did that lawyer get Il clear view of
the case?' inquired the litigant's
friend.
NO, I'm afraid he Didn't. told
him that my trouble was about money,
and he seemed to be proceeding on the
theory that by relieving me of my
money he would cause the trouble to
disappear.