The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-01-13
THWARTED.

master and telegraph operator at the little
station called Ranchman's Center. It was
a new station, far out on the prairie, fully
half a mile from the nearest habitation,
but being situated in the MIDST of a wild
belt of excellent grazing country it already
did more business than many places on
the road boasting of several hundred in
habitants.
As the last train-the east bound ex-
press-passed he locked up the station and
crossed the prairie to the little cottage,
half a mile away, where his mother and
sister Lizzie kept a pleasant home for him.
Lizzie was a bright, active girl of II,
but with all her intelligence and industry
she was an inveterate coward She was
afraid of everything and often made her
self miserable by imagining danger when
none existed
When he took charge of the little Office
down at the crossing, she announced her
determination of studying telegraphy.
Jack assured her that the art was as full
of electricity as thunderstorm, OF which
she stood in mortal dread, but she perse-
vered in her effort Notwithstanding and
in few weeks could manipulate the in
strument so as to n Give and send mes
sages as correctly, if not quite as speedily,
as her teacher.
Pleased with her progress, the brother
secured two secondhand instruments and
a coil of wire and put a line from the
house to the station, so that she might
have practice without having to walk to
the Office during the cold weather.
Fearing that the of6cious IneInen might
object to the instrument on his end of the
line being in the Office, Jack put it upon
one side of the big, empty freightroom,
and here, when the weather was not too
cold, he spent many a lonely half hour in
conversing with the little sister at home
One night about the middle of February
there was a terrific thunder and wind
storm, with a binding fall of rain and
hail. very unusual thing at that season
of the year. 1t came up suddenly about
II O'Clock, after the west bound train had
passed and an hour before the eastern one
was due.
Above the roar of the thunder and the
beating of the hail against the window he
heard the clatter of horses feet A mo-
ment later there came loud knocking at
the outer door.
Thinking they were people from dis
tance to wait for the train, he inquired,
more from habit than from suspicion,
"Who is there?"
Passengers to take the midnight
train, =" was the quick response. ''Were
wet to the skin and half frozen.
Without a moments hesitation Jack
drew back the heavy bolt and threw open
the door, when in crowded half a dozen
furs and wooden comfOrters-
He was seized by one of the stalwarts
and hurled uncerem Oniously to the floor
Then, while two of the number held him
down, the others busted themselves in
binding his hands and feet.
He supposed, of course, that they would
go through his pockets in search of the
key of the safe, but they didn't. Instead
they carried him into the freightroom and
laid him down against the side of the
building, with the injunction to keep
mum if he valued his bacon.
His thoughts were interrupted by one
of the men opening the door and inquir-
ing:
Is the train on time, sonny?"
cit was at 10 O'Clock, " answered Jack,
and then with q wild hope in his heart
he added, LET me loose and III find
out
mot much, my hardy, " responded the
rough. Let you at that internal inst-u-
ment and you'd send the train through
like lightning and SO cheat US out of the
pile of gold we're after.
He understood now why they had not
asked him for the key of the safe. 1t was
not the paltry sum that might be found
in the little country depot they were after.
They intended to rob the train.
He tried to loosen his hands, but in the
darkness he could accomplish nothing.
Just at that instant an opportune fash
of lightning revealed to him the blessed
fact that in their haste his would be captors
had failed to draw the knot on the cord
with which his hands were bound as tight
ly as they doubtless intended.
In an instant the slack end of the loop
was between his teeth, and few vigorous
jerks soon set him free. 1t required but a
moment more to whip out his knife and
cut the cord that bound his feet Lizzie
was a sound sleeper, but his one hope was
hot che ioHe ~
the storm and so made available as an as
sistant. His conjecture was correct, and
almost Immediately the circuit was opened
and the response came
Then as rapidly as possible he made
known the situation at the station and
asked if she would go down to the cut, a
quarter Of a mile distant, and signal the
train. The reply was in the affirmative,
and there was no indecisiOn in it either.
Then he flashed back:
Put a piece of thin, red flannel around
the lantern, go down to the deep cut and
swing your red light across the track as
soon as the train rounds the curve. Keep
it up until you are sure it has been seen,
and when the train stops go to the con-
ductor with the news 1 have told you"
''An right returned Lizzie I'm be
of inside of three minutes 4" And coward
though she was she kept her promise.
1t was still laundering in the distance,
and every fash of lightning made her
shrink and cover as if wounded by the
glaring sheet of fire But in spitesof her
terror she did not slacken her speed and
reached the cut just as the headlight Of
the approaching train began to gliInIner
around the curve beyond.
Faithfully she delivered the message
committed to her and then fell fainting at
the conductors feet.
1t was not long after this that Jack
heard the train rumble up to the station
and the cry of Hands up!"
A week later check for $500 from the