The times., 1898-04-25

~. chisei and mallet.
The doors of that room were always
locked by the day man before going of
duty. and made sure early in the even
ing that that task had not been neg
lected. Moreover a. tramps were not
allowed in the station, and it was easier
to keep them out than to put them out.
] had also bolted the doors of the mems
room. Ed often I'D that after u o'clock
The safe. containing books, tickets
and perhaps $500 or 800 In cash. was mid
way between the two windows ard about
four feet from each.
For fully five minutes l stood perfect
~ rigid.
Apparently the thief Is uncertain
whether there is any one here.
thought. IF he imagined there wasn't
he would certainIv smash the window
irongrard and all. in short order Maybe
he expects to find me asleep and as soon
he prizes open the window will thrust
in . pistol and order me to hold up my
hands
"Hcw was 10 defend nyself? If went
to the window II would probably mean
prompt surrender or death. and TO hesi-
tate much longer did not seem likely TO
| relieve the situation.
:" If | only had a revolver. Ed owned
one. but he always carried 1t with him.
II resolved to start up one of the in
struments in the hone that the loud and
sudden ticking might put the intruder TO
fight.
Bending over the table / opened the
key on wire No. Is. The machine did not
respond. Realizing that the dampness of
the storm had interfered with the cur
rent. l frightened the spring of the relay.
ST SF ST Ok u Ok r.
THE sOunder was making those signals
with great rapidity. The train dispa tcher
was calling my office. and the abbrevia-
tion meant Quick. We want you to hold
a train
clear and sharp:
Z" No 252?'
" Not yet said l.
''1i for 252'
30. k I replied confidently.
The dispatchers command was to hold
| the through freight for orders
The noise at the window, which ceased
| for a minute or two. had now recommend
| ed in earnest. Either the latch or the
easement must surely give way very soon.
'.In order to stop No. 252 red lantern
would have to be hung outside the sta
| tion, and no time should be lost in putting
| 1t there
| Perhaps the burglar has pals guard
/ ing the building, and if / open the door
| shall be overpowered and the office will
| be in their hands. That would mover do.
| They must not know that anyone is here
Thus 1 argued nervously to myself
| Then a happy thought struck me. /
| remembered that one of the lantern
| brackets wasn't more than two feet from
| the front window, which was close be-
| side me and overlooked the platform.
| By lowering the window at the top could
probably reach it.
"Takieg advantage of every rush and
| sweep of the wind / managed to raise the
| shade and open the window without max
ing noise likely to alarm my lawless
| visitor. Nobody was to be seen on that
side of the place and the signal was
quickly made fast to the bracket.
. In few minutes the freight will stop
opposite the office and the conductor and
| engineer will bang on the door for their
in a iiffy and the rascal won't dare 70
| tackle three of u.s.
Quite satisfied with this reasoning
shut the window softly and fixed the
shade so that the lantern might not be
hidden entirely from my view lest any
one should disturb it.
THAT done. l returned to the key and
took the order from the dispatcher. The
lamp was too low for me to see plainly.
but it seemed unwise to increase the
light. As it was, things looked much bet
ter for me than they had a short time be-
fore, and if all went well there was a
good prospect of the county Jail having
another inmate
AT any rate, / took courage.
by the body of the order I learned that
the conductor of 252 was Frank Hender-
son, a strong, courag geous manly fellow,
who had seen me with Ed and had sever
al times slowed up his train to let me off
near my home
Just wait till Henderson gets hold of
YOU you - -i / thought almost
aloud, grating my teeth and shaking my
clenched fist in the direction of the ticket
window.
Perhaps fifteen minutes had now elaps-
ed since L first discovered the burglar 5
presence. During that time operations at
the window had been active in spells last
ing two or three minutes. after which
things were quiet for little while. which
suggested that my man was trying TO de-
wise an easier means of effecting an en-
trance
".What can be keeping the freight SO
long?' | wondered. 1t must be close or
to half past l.
Il looked at my watch.
Great heavensi 1t was ten minutes
to 5.
Il nearly fell out of my chair The
truth flashed TO my mind that the pound
ing had aroused me from sound sleep anC
that two hours had passed in what seem
ed 10 no more than twenty minutes.
No. 252 must have gone by over az
disaster has resulted from my careless
ness
.'Northbound freight No. 253 and south
bound freight No. 252 were scheduled il
the time table to pass each ten miles be
low Hampton. but that night 252 was
little late out of Portsmouth and the dis
patcher had planned to cross them 4
Seabrook. five miles north of their regu
lar meeting place.
such were the instructions in the or
der l held.
My terror at realizing the destruction
and loss OF life that might already hav
ensued from my criminal stupidity dis
PEELED for brief time all thought o
: what was going on twelve feet behini
me.
Not in yet? inquired the dispatcher.
:. Not yet / replied. fully conscious Q
my uncertainty. but fearing 10 acknowl
edge it.
ATTRACTED by a strange ray of light,
looked around and saw that the ticke
window had been raised. the shade pushe
! aside. and a dark lantern was beiug use
, to search the office.
= THE extreme western end OF the Oftic
where stood. could not possibly be seel
from the waitingroom. Hence, as tn
thief would doubtless think the place un
| occupied [ expected mOmentarily to Sc
the iron guard smashed in
/" No 252 left SY tthe nearest night sta
ton north of Hampton, six miles away
at 1:l5. For Gods sake. don't let it ge
by YOU urged the dispatcher. excitedly-
1T was necessary to invent a response
1 heard talking outside, and recognized
Hendersons voice.