Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1898-04-01

/ At that moment three shots rang out
clear and iSrinct, from the detached
train. The man at the telegraph in,
strument sprang 10 his feet and ran tc
a side window in the waiting room and
looked up the track.
Now was her chance. Hardly think.
Ink what she did Polly sprang to the
engineers cab, threw back the reverse
lever and opened the throttle steadily.
The big steel wheels began to turn,
very slowly AT first. Farther and far
ther the throttle opened and faster and
faster turned the wheels, and yet they
did not go half fast enough TO suit
Polly who was now glancing fearfully
over her shoulder.
Suddenly the depot door was thrown
open, and she saw the robber darting
up the track. He had pistol in his
hand. He was pointing it at her and
shouting for her TO stop, but the engine
was now going at good speed, and, run
as he would, the robber could not catch
1t, but he stopped and fired, the bullet
ripping through the cab over Polly's
head.
The engine was now tearing down
the track at full speed. Polly knew
that 1t must be fired or it would not 20
far, and so, leaving the throttle open,
she sprang to the coal pit, flung open
the tirehOle, and with the heavy shovel
in her small white hands threw In load
after load of coal When she returned
to her place she could see the first sig
nal light of Mercer already blinking
into view She pulled down on the
whistle cord and the engine shrieked
its distress.
Five minutes later Polly strained at
the heavy reverse lever, turned hard
ON the airbrake and brought the great
iron horse to a sudden standstill. How
she ever managed to stammer the story
she never knew, but in few minutes
the engine was headed back with
half dozen armed men aboard of her.
Behind them came another load of men
on a switch engine and two men We're
racing up the street of Mercer calling
the alarm.
They heard the firing before they
reached Kane Creek, but it ceased soon
The robbers had gone,
They had taken with them much plum.
Ter from the passengers, but they had
not been able to get into the express
safe, although they We're at WORK drill
ng 1t open when relief came.
From the time that the engine
stopped Polly was missing. When the
'escued and excited passengers and cy-
'ress messengers began to crowd
lround and inquire, the Mercer men
remembered her. a party of them went
'ut to find the girl who had brought
lelp to the beleaguered train.
In little Clump of bushes they heard |
man moaning, and an instant later
hey saw Polly kneeling in the sand |
With her fathers head in her lap, cry
ng bitterly, and they gathered up the |
,rave engineer and his daughter and .
'arried them down to the train, cheer
ng all the way.
Engineer Marshall was not badly .
lurt, and he was able to be in Mercer
when the general manager of the road ,
banked the blushing Polly officially
md offered her a new and better posi-
ion in Mercer, and, of course, all the
passengers and express messengers
leard about Polly's brave deed and
aid Il great many pleasant things.
bout her, but Polly, being a sensible
;irl, only bluShed and said that she had
o do it, and that any other girl would
lave done the same under like circum-
stances. Which no one believed, of
curse.
Later, when the robbers were can
ured, Polly was able to identify one of
hem pOSitively-the one who had run
he engine-and through him the en-
Ire party was convicted and sentenced
o the penitentiary.-Brooklyn Stand
lrd-Union.