Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-03-02
THWARTED.

Jack English was ticket agent, baggage
master and telegraph operator at the little
| station called Ranchman's Confer. 1t wa
a now station, far out on the prairie, fully
half a mile from the nearest habitation,
but being situated in tho midst of a wild
belt of excellent grazing country it already
did moro business than many places or
the road boasting of several hundred in.
habitants.
AS the last train-the cast bound ex.
p~ress-passed he locked up the station and
crossed the prairie to the little cottage,
half a mile away, where his mother and
sister Lizzie kept a pleasant home for him.
Lizzie was a bright, active girl of IA,
but with all her intelligence and industry
she was an inveterate coward. She was
afraid Of everything and often made her.
self miserable by imagining danger when
none existed.
When he took charge Of the little office
down at the crossing, she announced her
determination of studying t~elegraphy.
Jack assured her that the art was al full
of electricity as a thunderstorm, of which
she stood in mortal dread, but she perse.
vered in her effort Notwithstanding and
in q few weeks could manipulate the in
strument SO as to receive and send mes
sages as correctly, If not quite as speedily,
as her teacher.
Pleased with her progress, the brother
secured two secondhand instruments and
q coil of wire and put a line from the
house to the station, SO that she might
have practice without having to walk to
the office during the cold weather.
Fearing that the of1cious linemen might
object to the instrument on his end of the
line being in the office, Jack put it upon
n side of the big, empty freightroom,
and here, when the weather was not too
cold, he spent many a lonely half hour in
conversing with the little sister at home.
One night about the middle of February
there was a terrific thunder and wind
storm, with a binding fall Of rain and
hail, a very unusual thing at that season
of the year. 1t came up suddenly about
II O'Clock, after the west bound train had
passed and an hour before the eastern one
was due.
Above the roar Of the thunder and the
beating Of the hail against the window he
heard the clatter of horses feet. A mo-
ment later there came q loud knocking at
the outer door.
Thinking they were people from a dis
lance to wait for the train, he inquired,
more from habit than from suspicion,
"Who Is thereY"
Passengers to take the midnight
train" was the quick response. "We're
wet to the skin and half frozen"
Without a moments hesitation Jack
drew back che heavy bolt and threw open
the door, when In crowded half a dozen
rough looking men muff1ed to the ears in
furs and wooden oomforters.
Te was seized by one of the stalwarts
and hurled unceremoniously to the floor.
Then, while two Of the number held him
down, the others busted themselves in
binding his hands and feet.
He supposed, of course, that they would
90 through his pockets in search of the
key Of the safe, but they didn't. Instead
they carried him into tho freightroom and
laid him down against the side of the
building, with the injunction to keep
mum if he valued his bacon.
His thoughts were interrupted by one
of the men opening the door and inquir-
ing:
"Is the train on time, sonny?"
''It was at 10 o'clock, y answered Jack,
and then with q wild hope in his heart
he added, LET me loose, and III find
Not much, my hardy" responded the
"Let you at that Internal instru
ment and you'd send the train through
like lightning and SO cheat us out of the
pile Of gold we're after"
He understood now why they had not
asked him for the key of the safe. 1t was
the paltry sum that might be found
in the little country depot they were after.
They intended to rob the train.
He tried to loosen his hands, but In the
darkness he could accomplish nothing.
just at that instant an opportune fash
Of lightning revealed to him the blessed
fact that In their haste his would be captors
had failed to draw tho knot ON the cord
with which his hands were bound as tight.
as they doubtless intended.
In an instant the slack end of the loop
between his teeth, and a few vigorous
0 o set him free. 1t required but a
moment more to whip out his knife and
cut the cord that bound his feet. Lizzie
was a sound sleeper, but his one hope was
that she might have beeen awakened by
the storm and SO made available as an as
His conjecture was correct, and
almost Immediately the circuit was opened
and the response anne
Then as rapidly as possible he made
known the situation at the station and
asked il she would 60 down to the cut, a
quarter OF a mile distant, and signal the
rain. The reply was in the affirmative,
and there was no indecision in it either.
Then he flashed back:
"Put a piece Of thin, red flannel around
The lantern, go down to the deep cut and
wing your red light across the track as
soon a. the train rounds the curve. Keep
up until you are sure 1t has been seen,
when the train stops go to theLcon-
1uotor with the news I have told YOU"
"All right" returned Lizzie. I'm be
of inside Of three minutes" And coward
,hough she was she kept her promise.
1t was still laundering in the distance,
md every flash Of lightning made her
'hrink and cover as II wounded by the
sheet Of fire. But in spite Of her
error she did not slacken her speed and
cached the cut just as the headlight Of
he approaching train began to glimmer
mound the curve beyond.
Faithfully she delivered the message
to her and then fell fainting at
he conductors feet.
1t was not long after this that Jack
leard the train rumble up to tho station
md the cry Of ttHanda mp
A week later a check for 5000 from the
company, payable to jack and
Lizzie English for the use Of their private
In capturing the robbers, oame.-Ex-
hanQe. |