The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-01-25

ground, and the rain had nearly punched
the ire. Every attempt made by the
hand to lire the station had ended in
failure, and the Sioux were now prcnar-
ing to storm the fort. II was hard for
bankers to Keep quiet in the car while
the agent sold his life bravely and so
dearly 10 the Sioux. but there were his
VIE ana baby and the helpless school
ma am, who had been persuaded by the
bahkorSes to come to this wild region,
ana he felt 1t his duty to protect them as
best he could. Presently Bankers felt
the stock car vibrate pcrccptibly. as
though 1t was being rolled slowly along
the rails. His first thought was that the
Indians were pushing the empty cars
down near the station. and that they
WoulG set fire to the straw, and then
there would be no possible escape. Now
there was roar as of an approaching
train. and an instant later a great dark
object hove in sight drawing dozen box
cars and running without headlight.
Inc shouts of the hcSicgers, the rattle of
rifles and the wild cry of the night pre-
vented the Sioux from feeling the vibra-
tlon or hearing the sound of the ap-
preaching train.
The agent, who had been severely
wounded, now crawlcd to the KEY and
called Ogallala. At the first attack he
had wired for help, and now he told the
operator there he could hold the place
only little while longer. The agent was
still at the key when the engine. rolling
up to the station, shook the building. and
he knew the moment he felt the culver
of 1t that help was at hand. Instantly
a n e l,,,
company of government scouts. all
iaWneeS except the officers, leaped to the
ground. Inc Sioux were making their
last desperate charge upon the station.
Before they could realize that re-enforce-
mentS were at hand they were beSet by
the scouts, who always fought to kill.
The battle was short and decisive, and
when the Sioux fled they left more than
half their number upon the field.
Probably the most anxious man in the
whole party was the conductor of the spe-
cial train that had brought the scouts
from Ogallala. He had ridden all the
way on the LOCOMOTIVES, and the moment
the train stopped he had lcapCd to the
ground and gone through Il shower of bull
lets to where the cottage which had been
the home of the Bankcrses had stood.
The sight of the house in ashes made him
sick at heart. but there was still hope.
They might have taken refuge in the sta
tion. and, facin" about. the fearless CON
ductor fought his way to the door. BY
this time the Sioux We're giving all their
attention to the scouts. and the conductor
forced his body through the shot riddlcd
door. The agent lay upon the floor in a
pool of his own blood. but he was still
alive, where are they asked the con
ductor, glancing about the dark room.
Among the stock cars. if they are stll
alive was the reply which came in a
faint whisper. II saw them leaving the
house at dusk Go to them-Im-Tm all
right" And the conductor, having placed
the wounded man upon his bed, made for
the stock cars.
bankers, where are youY he called,
and Bankers answered, only two ears
away. Now the conductor lighted his
white light and climbed into the car The
brave Mrs. Bankers greeted him with
smile that soon changed to tears, for in
the light of the hand lamp she had seen
her habys face and it looked like the
face of a dead child. Emma" She call
ed excitedly, but there was no answer.
as she dcad?" cried the conductor fall
ing upon his knees and holding the light
close to his swccthearts face
"No. you chUmp,' said Bankers. 'She
only tainted when ! killed this Sioux"
and he gave the dead Indian a kick and
rolled him out of the car.
But the baby?" pleaded Mrs. Bankers
"She's all right" said the husband
"Only little too much paregoric.' And
so it proved.
"Here. En-" said Bankers. shaking the
young woman, who was rcgaining con-
sciousness, "brace up. You've got COM
pany."
Are we all safe" asked the school.
ma'am. feeling for her back hair. "Oh,
my dear, brave friend, you have saved us
ALI"
Eyes. I've been" said Bankers, hid
ing here in the straw while the agent was
being murdered"
But you saved the women" said the
conductor. who was overjoyed at finding
all alive.
"Ies." said Bankers. that's some
thing after ALL"
And all this is not dream. 1t is only
a scrap of history of the early days of the
Union Pacific. The brave station agent
is an old man now, and one of his legs is
shorter than the other-the one that was
shot that night. The baby having re-
covered from her severe tussle with collie
and paregoric. is now one of the most
charming women in a western city The
conductor of the soldier train is at this
writing general superintendent of
well known railway The SHOWS of 40
winters have fallen upon his wife's hair.
1t is almost white, but her face is still
young and handsome, and ] remember
that she blushed when telling thie story
to me and recalling the fact that she had
tainted in stock car on that wild night
at Wood River.-EXchange