Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1898-04-01
SA WE'D THE TRAIN.


-: -. - - .s' .s., .-.t .sst - ss. iss. ts.z
l further communication from the sta
= tlon next to the eastward. What coul,
the trouble be? Polly sprang 10 he,
feet remembering that the night ex
press of which her father was the en-
gineer was the next train due. CoulG
anything be the matter? She ran out
on the dark platform to see that hel
lights We're all in place and that the
switches were properly set, so that the
express would slip past the station
without an accident Then she went
back and called up Mercer.
Cant you get PinckneyT she asked.
/ Pinckney was the station which had
sent her the warning dispatch so mys-
teriOus interrupted. She knew the ope-
rator at Pinckney we'll. Every night
he told her Of the approach of her faith
er's train and whether or not 1t had
left his station on time.
"Pinckney quiet Can't get answer"
was the report of the wires. whats
the trOuble?"
Polly answered as we'll as she could.
and Mercer made another attempt TO
arouse PInckney.
Her fathers train was now due. II
should be whiStling cheerlly at the
lower bend. Polly stepped out on the
platform and peered up the track. Yes,
there was the familiar headlight. She
would have known 1t among a hun
dred. Then came the whistle, Hello,
Polly" and Polly ran back into her
office much relieved, and sat down to
warn Mercer. At that instant she heard
peculiar cracking sound that sent
her heart quivering deep in her bosom.
Then there was the shrill scream of the
locomotive whistle, suddenly interrupt
ed rs If the hand that had drawn the
lever had been struck from its place.
Polly knew it was cry of distress.
1t seemed to say Help in long,
tremulous wall. Instantly Polly dart
ed outside and flew up the track. Al
ready the express should have thun-
dored past the station, but she could
see It's headlight a hundred yards or
more away.
With a hundred terrifying questions
flashing through her mind, Polly ran
on through the gloom. When she was
almost within range of the big head
light, she saw half dozen armed men
swarmlng around the engine, she heard
fierce oaths, and then the engine start
ed up again. She saw in an instant
that it had been cut free from the train
In the cab window, where her father
usually stood, there was n big, unfa-
miliar figure managing the lever and
throttle, Terrified Polly sprang to one
side into n clump of bushes. As the
locomotive passed her on its way nm
the track she saw that the man in the
cab Wore black mask on his face. and
then she knew what had happened.
She understood why Plnckney had
tried to warn her and failed. Robbers
had held up the train and We're pre-.
pairing to rob the express car.
For moment Polly was torn with
doubt and terror. Had they shot her
father? She knew that he never would
submit to have his train captured with.
out n struggle. Should she go to him?
Then she remembered her station and
the telegraph, and, without a moments
delay, she was flying down the track
toward the depot. She would send for
help TO Mercer, hut squarely in front of
the little depot the locomotive stopned
and the black masked man Spranr from
the cab window and darted across tho
platform. Hardly thinking what sha
was doing, Polly ran up on the other
side-thc tlreman'S side of the engine
and, raising herself up, peered into rho
cab. She had half expected 10 SEQ har
fathers dead body lying on the floor
for she had heard much about the for.
rihle doingS of train robbers,
Through the cab window she cou,d
see the robber sitting at her own little
desk In the depot sending message
II flashed over her all at once thar no
was wiring Mercer that the express
was delayed, thus preventing any
alarm. The robber had pushed up his
mask, and she saw him plainly.
what should she do2 She dared not
enter the office, and she, mere girl,
could be Of no service where the rob
berS We're making their attack on the
'rain. If only she had the little revol.
Yer that lay in the drawer Of her desk,
She set her teeth as she thought what
she would do with It.