Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-06-03
| signal was quickly made fast to ls

bracket.
"In few minutes the freight will
stop opposite the office and the con.
duotor and engineer will bang on the
door for their orders. / can tell them
my predicament In jiffy and the ras.
col won't dare to tackle three of us"
Quite satisfied with this reasoning
I shut the window softly and fixed tho
shade so that the lantern might not
be hidden entirely from my view, lest
any one should disturb ii.
That done, / returned to the key
and took the order from the des-
patoher. The lamp was too low for
me to see plainly, but it seemed un-
wise to increase the light. As II was,
things looked much better for me than
they had short time before, and IL
all went we'll there was good pros
pect 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
Henderson, strong, courageous,
manly fellow, who had seen me with
Ed and had several times slowed up
his train TO let mo of near my home.
Gust wait till Henderson gets hold
OF you, you villain!' I thought, almost
aloud, grating my teeth and shaking
my clsnched fist in the direction Of the
ticket window. ..
Perhaps fifteen minutes had now
elapsed since I first discovered the
burglars presence. During that time
operations at the window had been
active in spells lasting two or three
minutes, after which things werequiet
for little while, which suggested that
my man was trying to devise an easier
means of effecting On entrance.
"What can be keeping the freight
so long9" Wondered. 1T must
be close on to half past L."
I looked at my watch.
Great heayensi 1t was ten minutes
to3l
I nearly fell out of my chair. The
truth flashed to my mind that the
pounding had aroused me from sound
asleep and that two hours had passed
in what seemed to me not more than
twenty minutes.
"No. 252 must have gone by over
On hour ago and who knows what
terrible disaster has resulted from my
carelessnessr
Northbound freight No. 253 and
southbound freight No. 252 we're
scheduled in the time table to pass
each other ten miles below Hampton.
but that night 252 was little late out
Of Portsmouth and the dispatcher had
planned to "cross" them at Seabrook,
Ave miles north Of their regular meet
ing place.
Such were the instructions in the
order I held.
My terror at realizing the destruc-
ton and loss Of life that might already
have ensued from my criminal stupid
ity dispelled for brief time oil
thought Of what was going on twelve
feet behind me.
"Not in yet?" inquired the de-
spatcher.
"Not ill.," replied, fully conscious
of my uncertainty, but fearing to
acknowledge it.
| Attracted by strange ray OF light,
+ I looked around and saw that the
ticket window had been raised, the
shade pushed aside, and dark lantern
was being used to search the office.
The extreme western end OF the
Office, where 1 stood, could not pos
sibly be seen from the waiting room.
Hence, the thief would doubtless
think the place unoccupied, ] expected
momentarily to see the iron guard
smashed In.
"No. 1852 left SY (the nearest night
station north OF Hampton, six miles
away at LIS. For Gods sake, don't
let II get by YOU" urged the des-
patcher, excitedly.
twas not necessary to invent
response. I heard talking outside, and
recognised Henderson, voice.
Putting one foot on the table, I
ierked open the window and leaped
out. -
In less than twenty seconds there.
after Conductor Henderson. Engineer
Cole, Brakeman Kelly, each carrying
q lantern, and myself, marched into
the women's waiting room. We found
part Of the glass in the door cut away,
and the fastening removed.
Mr.. Thief was oil prepared 10 make
his exit. but the sudden arrival OF
four misunderstanding spectators made
him conclude that It was better TO
surrender.
No. 252 was standing just above
the station, and at the engineers zig.
nal his fireman pulled down TO whore
We stood.
Get In there, commanded Heuder.
son to his prisoner, pointing TO the
caboose. "We'll take care OF you"