Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1898-04-30
KNOWN BY THE CLICK

Rocky Forks, my friend Tom Brown tele-
graphed me that he would go with me for
, days shooting. liked nothing better
than a days outing with Tom, and I
quickly licked back word that he could
rely on me next Tuesday, as that was my
day off.
The following day there came message
through Omaha that the United Express
would ship s12, 900, 900 in bullion over the
road to Sioux City tbs next Monday night
and that the train would pass through my
station, Rocky Forks, at S:15 In the even
ing. ! telegraphed back that understood
1t, and then opened up the instrument and
asked Tom II he had received his message
yet. He said that he had and would look
Tor the train IL minutes earlier at Dismal
Point.
That day and next passed in my usual
way. Sunday was uneventful and would
have seemed long except for the constant
ticking of the instrument, which was kept
busy sending messages about the impor-
tant shipment to be made the next day.
Monday evening at 1880 looked Mt my
watch. 1.-THE train will soon be along"
said. ~ guess will call up Tom and see
IL he knows where 1t is.
called up Dismal Point, and Tom an
swered.
1.-THE express train is one station up tho
road" said he, "and is ahead of time. 1t
will wait here five minutes. I'll lot you
know as soon as 1t leaves here. Tomor-
row.
There was a sudden pause in the tick
ing, and then a strange hand sent the
message, "That is all"
| callad nm Tom anatp hint M did mt
answer. l kept calling, but no response
came, and thought that the wires had
become entanglcd.
waited for the express with its $12,-
900, 600 in bullion until s:15, but it did
not arrive. Then telegraphed up the road
to Tom, but there was no answer. wait
cd five minutes longer and telegraphed
again. but still no response.
1.-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
it came nearer saw IL was empty, and as
1t passed me boarded II.
Reversing the engine started back up
the road. Invent, with such fro ms l could
get up, back to Dismal Point. Here, In
front of the station, stood the express car,
rifled Of its contents. Across one of the
trunks the express messenger lay dead.
The engineer and fireman were so badly
stunned that at first thought they, too,
were killed, but after some time brought
breath back into the life of the former.
He, poor fellow, was too dazed to speak,
and lifted him into the car, thankful
that he was alive.
When l stepped into the little station
where Tom always sat, an awful sight met
my eyes. There, sitting at the instrument,
with his back to tho door, was my old
friend, a dagger sticking through him and
fairly pinning him to the table. ] grasped
the wooden handle and pulled it out with
all my strength, only to receive his cold
body in my arms.
Well. they never found out the robbers
of the train, The engineer had been struck
from behind and could remember nothing,
and after waiting only long enough to see
my old friend buried / resigned my posi-
ton at Rocky Forks and struck out again.
But on Toms grave, back in the woods ut
Dismal Point, l put u shaft of wood and
on it carved these Words Living will
pursue you to the end Of the world; dead,
will come back to you.
Below 1t put Toms name and age and
vowed aloud tho oath that had there
written 10 hnu the murderer OF poor Ton
browh'
Ihree years iater 1 found myself station
ed at New Ellsworth, suburb OF New
YORK. was IN charge OF private wire oil
the Pacific Telegraph company, which COM
muhlcated with all parts oil the new world
ana was PROUD 10 DO an operator In It's
employ
MY duty mere IN part was TO transmit
the private messages OF the higher officials.
never hked the president OF tho com
pahy, ehoush no hVed IN the hahdsomest
mousse III tho place anu treated me win
UNIFORM courtesy he had cold, uncer'
talh manner that uia not seem TO DO wor-
thy OF trust. certainly should not have
pun up my ihliiiohs ihto MS hahds'