Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-06-03


''In few inmates the freight will
stop opposite the office and the con.
ductor and engineer will bang on the
door for their orders. | can tell them
my predicament In jiffy and the ras-
col won't dare % tackle three of us. I"
Quite satisfied with this reasoning
l shut the window softly and fixed tho
shade so that the lantern might not
he hidden entirely from my view, Leaf
any one should disturb il.
That done, 1 returned to the key
and took the order from the des-
patcher. The lamp was too low for
me to see plainly, but il seemed I'M
wise to increase tho light. As il 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, l took courage.
BY the body of the order / learned
that the conductor Of 252 was Frank
Henderson, q strong, courageous,
manly fellow, who had seen me with
Ed and had several times slowed up
his train to let me of near my home.
Gust wait till Henderson gets hold
OF you, You villaini" 1 thought, almost
aloud, grating my teeth and shaking
my clenched fist in the direction of the
ticket window.
Perhaps fifteen minutes had now
elapsed since / 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 were quiet
for little while, which suggested that
my man was trying TO devise an easier
means OF effecting an entrance.
"What can be keeping the freight
40 long2" Wondered. 1T must
be close on TO half past l."
looked mt my watch.
Great heavens! 1t was ten minutes
to3l
l 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 mo not more than
twenty minutes.
"No. 252 must have gone by over
an hour ago and who knows what
terrible disaster has resulted from my
carelessness!'
Northbound freight No. 253 and
southbound freight No. 252 were
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 held.
My terror at realizing the destruc-
ton and loss fife that might already
have ensued from my criminal stupid
ity dispeiled for q brief time oil
thought Of what was going on twelve
feet behind me.
"Not in yet?" inquired the de-
spatcher.
"Not ill.," I replied, fully conscious
Of my uncertainty, but fearing to
acknowledge it.
Attracted by strange ray of light,
III looked around and saw that tho
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 / stood, could not pos
sibly be seen from the waiting room.
Hence, the thief would doubtless
think the place unoccupied,I expected
momentarily to see the iron guard
smashed In.
"No. 252 left SY (the nearest night
station north of Hampton, six miles
away at l.15. For Gods sake, don't
let Il get by you," urged the des-
patcher, excito'lly.
II was not necessary to invent q
response. I heard talking outside, and
recognized Henderson's voice.
Putting one foot on the table, I
ierked open the window and leaped
out. g.
In less than twenty seconds THERE
after Conductor Henderson. Engineer
Cole, Brakeman Kelly, each carrying
. lantern, and myself, marched into
the womsn's waiting room. We found
part Of the glass in the door cut away,
and the fastening removed.
Mr.. Thief was oil prepared to make
his exit, but the sudden arrival OF
four misunderstanding spectators made
him conclude that II was better 10
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 Hender.
son to his prisoner, pointing TO thu