Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-04-02
THWARTED...

" ~" '1oNASAAb A$sA ouS vi lu6 pIulTlSD July
half mile from tho nearest habitation,
but being situated In tho midst Of wild
belt of excellent grazing country 1t alrca,dy
did moro business than many places on
tho road boastiny Of several hundred in
hnbitantS
AS tho lust train-tho cast bound OK
press-pnsscd no locked up tho station and
crossed tho prairie to tho little cottage
half II mile nway, where his mother and
sister 1.izzio kept pleasant homo for him
Lizzie was bright, active girl OF IA,
but with all her intelligence and industry
she was mn invcternto coward. She was
afraid OF everything and often nndo her
solf miserable by imagining danger whom
mono existed.
When he took charge Of tho little office
down ut tho crossing, she announced her
determination of studying telcgrnphy.
,Inck assured her TINT tho art was us full
of electricity as u thunderstorm, Of which
she stood In mortal dread, but sho pcrse.
vercd in her effort notwithstanding und
in few weeks could manipulate tho in
strumcnt so rs to receive and send mes
sagcs MS correctly, IL not quite us speedily,
as hor teacher.
Pleased with her progress. tho brother
secured two secondhand Instruments md
coil OF wiro and put limo from tho
house to tho station, 80 that sho might
have practice without having to walk to
the Office during tho cold weather.
Fearing TINT tho oflioious lincIncn might
object to tho Instrument OIL Ills entl Of tho
limo being In tho Office, jack put 1t upon
ono sido of the big, empty freIghtroor,,
and hcro, when tho weather WINS not too
cold, he spent many n lonely hnlf hour in
convcrsing with tho little sister ut homo.
One night about tho middle Of February
| there was n terrific thunder and wind
storm, with u binding fill OF rain and
hall, very unusual thing ut that season
Of tho year. 1t cnmo up suddenly about
IL O'Clock, after tho west bound train hnd
passed and M hour before tho eastern ono
WINS duo
Above tho roar Of tho thunder md tho
beating Of tho hnll against tho window he
hcnrd tho clutter Of horses feet. a mo-
| ment latUr there cnno q loud knocking at
tho outer door.
Thinking thoy wero people from dis
lance to whit for tho train, no inquired
moro from habit than from suspicion,
"Who Is theron
Passengers to take tho midnight
train, was tho quick response. "Wo'ro
wet to tho skin and half frozcn.'
Without u moments hesitation Jack
drew back the heavy bolt ind threw open
tho door, when In crowded hnlf dozen
rough looking men muillcd to tho cnrs In
furs and wooden comforters.
| lie WINS seized by ono Of the stnlwnrts
and hurled unceremoniously to tho floor
| Thun, while two Of the number held him
down, tho others busted themselves In
binding his hands and feet
He supposed. Of course, TINT thoy would
go through his pockets in search Of thu
koy of tho safe, but they didn't. Instcnd
thcy carried him into tho frolghtroom and
laid him down against tho sido of tho
building, with tho injunction to keen
mum If no valued his bacon
Ills thoughts were interrupted by ono
of tho men opening tho door md inquir-
Ing:
Is tho train OH time, sonny?'
= 1t was mt 10 o'clock" answered jack,
and then with II wild hope in his heart
| no added, Lot mo loose and I'll find
| out"
mot much, my hardy" responded tho
rough. Let you ut that informal instru
mcnt and you'd send tho train through
like lightning and go cheat us out of tho
| pilo of gold we'ro aftor."
| lilo understood now why they had not
asked him for tho key OF tho snfo 1t WIS
not the paltry sum that might DO found
viz llItiS COuHlTS ucpOG tnGS were
| They intended to rob the train
He tried to loosen his hnnds, but in tho
darkness no could accomplish nothing.
just mt that instant an opportunc flash
of lightning revealed 10 him the blessed
fact that In their haste his would DO cnptors
had fnilcd to draw tho knot OH tho cord
| with which his hands were bound us tight.
| ~ ms thoy doubtless intended.
In M instant the slnck end Of tho loop
| was between his tooth, and "a fow vigorous
| jerks soon set him FREQ. 1t required but q
moment more to whip out his knife and
cut tho cord TINT bound his feet. Lizzie
was sound sleeper, but his ono hope was
that she might have bceen awakened by
tho storm and SO made available as mn as-
sistant. His conjecture was correct, and
almost Immediately tho circuit was opened
| anu tho response came
Then as rapidly us possible ho mndc
! known tho situation at tho station and
asked If sho would go down to tho cut, a
| quarter OF mile distant, and signal tho
train. Tho reply was III tho affirmative,
and thero was no indccision In 1t either
Then he flashed back:
Put picco Of thin, rcd flannel around
tho lantern, 30 down to tho dcop cut and
swing your rod light across tho track ms
| soon as the train rounds tho curve. keoI,
1t up until you nro sure 1t has been seen,
and when tho train stops go to tho con
ductor with tho nows have told you"
All right, returned Lizzie. "I'll bo
OIL inside Of three minutes" And coward
though she WINS she kept her promise.
1t was still laundering In tho distance,
and every flash Of lightning nnde her
shrink and cover rs II wounded by the
glnring sheet Of fro. But In spite of hor
terror she did not slncken her speed and
reached the cut just as tho headlight OF
tho approaching train began to glimmer
around tho curve beyond
Faithfully she delivered tho message
committed to her md then fell fainting at
! tho conductors feet
1t was not long nftcr this that Jack
heard tho train rumble up to tho station
and the cry of Hands upl"
a week later a check for 5000 from thu
railroad company. payable to Jack and
liZzio English for the use OF their private
| line III capturing the robburs, came. Tx.
chnngo
Vengeance.