Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1898-04-08
THE TELL=TALE TICK.


| had Knocked around in Australia
for five years, put in a years service
In India, and had whack at the
Transvaal 'nsurrectionists as a volun
teer, only to settle down at last, as a
telegraph operator at Rocky Forks, a
telegraph station between Omaha and
Sioux City. 1t was my business to
transfer messages between the two
places, and to connect with points fur
thCr along
The next station, fifteen miles fur
tber up the road was Dismal Point,
and here Tom Brown, my Oldest and
truest friend, operated. Tom and had
roughed it all over the world together,
and when we settled down here it was
TO be near each other.
One day Tom telegraphed down to
me that he would meet me at Rocky
Forks next Tuesday for a days shoot
ing. He said he would come down on
the . o'clock train in the morning and
wait FOR me TO get off at noon. After
that we would 20 up into the hills and
shoot along the points of the ravine.
liked nothing better than a days
outing with Tom, and quickly licked
back word that he could rely on me
next Tuesday, as that was my day off.
The following day there came a mes
sage through Omaha that the United
Express would ship $120OO.OOO in bul-
Hon over the road to Sioux City the
next Monday night, and that the train
would pass through my station, Rocky
Forks, at S:l5 in the evening. tele-
glaphcd back that understood it. and
then | opened up the instrument and
asked Tom if he had received his mes
sage yet. He said that he had, and
would look for the train seventeen min.
ules earlier at Dismal Point.
That day and the next | passed in
my usual way Sunday was unevent.
lul and would have seemed long, eX-
ccpl FOR the constant ticking of the in.
strument, which was kept busy send.
ing messages about the important shin
ment TO he made the next day. Mon.
day evening at 1870 l looked at my
watch. 'Thc train will soon be along"
said, 81 guess | will call up Tom.
ana see If he knows where it is"
! called up Dismal Point, and Tom
answered.
me express train is one station up
the road" said he, "and is ahead of
lme. 1t will wait here five minutes,
u let you kn5N as soon as it leaves
here. Tomorrow"
There was a sudden pause in tbe
ticking and then strange hand sent
the message, THAT is all"
called up Tom again, but he did not
answer / kept calling, but no re-
SpohSe came, ana | thought that the |
wires had become entangled.
| waited for the express with It's
$l2'OOOOO0 in bullion until SIS. bur If
did not arrive. Then telcgraphed M
road to Tom, but there was no answer. i
waited five minutes longer and tele.
graphed again, but still no response.
"The wires must be down" | said.
| walked out upon the platform and
looked up the road. To my surprise |
saw IN the distance an engine coming
toward me, slowly swinging down the
track. As ii came nearer | saw II was /
empty, and as 1t passed me | board.
ed IT,
Reversing the engine. started back
NJ the road. went with such fire rs I
could get up, back to Dismal Point.
Here in front of the station. stood the
express car, rhed of its contents
Across one of the trunks the express
messenger lay dead. The engineer and
fireman were 50 badly stunned that M
iirst thought they too. were killed, !
nut after some time brought breath .
back into the life of the former. He, |
poor fellow, was too dazed to sneak. |
and | lifted him into the car, thankful !
that lie was alive.
When | stepped into the little station
where Tom always sat, an awful sight
met my eyes, There sitting at the in.
strument with his back TO the door was
my old friend, dagger sticking
through him, and fairly plnnlug him to
the table. | grasped the wooden han.
Ole, and pulled II out with all my
strength, only to receive his cold body
In my arms.
Wcll' they never found out the rob.
bers OF the train, The engineer had
been struck from behind, and could re-
member nothing; and after waiting
only long enough to see my old friend
buried, resigned my position at Rocky
Forks, and struck out again. But ON
Toms grave, back in the woods at Dis.
NAL Point, put shaft of wood. and
on 1t carved these words: Living, l
VIII pursue You TO the end OF the world.
Dead, win come back to you"