Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1902-12-25
HILLsBoRo, N. G., THURSDAY


squarely in front Of the little depot
the locomotive stopped and the black
masked man sprung from the cab
window and darted across the plat
form. Hardly thinking what she was
doing, Polly ran up on the other side,
the fireman's side Of the engine, and.
raising herself up, peered into the
cab. She had half expected to see
her fathers dead body lying on the
floor, for she had heard much about
the terrible doings of train robbers.
Through the cab window she could
see the robber sitting at her own
little desk in the depot sending
message. It flashed over her all at
once that he was wiring Mercer that
the express was delayed, thus pre-
venting any. alarm. The robber had
pushed up his mask and she saw him
plainly.
What should she do? She dared
not enter the Office, and she, a mere
girl, could be Of no service where the
robbers were making their attack on
the train. II only she had the little
revolver that lay in the drawer of
thought what she would do with it.
! At that moment three shots rang
| out. clear and distinct. from the de-
| tached train. The man at the tele-
graph instrument sprung to his feet
| and ran to side window in the wait
| ing room and looked up the track
Now was her chance. Hardly think
ing what she did, Polly sprang to4the
| engineers side Of the cab, threw back
throttle steadily. The big steel wheels
began to turn, very slowly at first.
! Farther and farther the throttle open
! ed 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 his 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 rob-
ber could not catch it, But he stopped
and fired, the bullet ripping through
the cab over above Polly's head.
The engine was now tearing down
the track at full speed. Polly knew
that it must be fired OF it would not
open. she sprang to the coal pit, flung
open the fire hole, 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 signal 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
| On the air brake and brought the
great iron horse to sudden standstill.
How she ever managed to stammer the
story she never knew, 1u. in a few
? minutes the engine was headed back
with half dozen armed men aboard
r of her. Behind them came another
t load of men on Il switch engine and
two men We're racing UP the street OF
Mercer calling the alarm.
$ They heard firing before they reach
ed Kane Creek, but it ceased soon
e( afterward The robbers had gone
They had taken with them much plum
t der from the passengers, but they had
e not been able to get into the express
E safe, although they were at work
!. drilling it open when relief came.
G From the time that the engine
: stopped Polly was missing. When the
j, rescued and excited passengers ant
/ express messengers began to crow(
0 around and inquire the Mercer mei
e remembered her. A party of then
t went out to find the girl who hat
l. brought help to the beleaguered train
Il In a little clump Of bushes the,
ii heard man moaning, and an in
t stant later they saw Polly kneeling il
k the sand, with her fathers head il
a her lap, crying bitterly. And the.
:, gathered up the brave engineer and hi
J., daughter and carried them down t.
" the train. .cheering all the way.
IS Engineer Marshall was not badl,
l. hurt, and he was able to be in Merce
q when the general manager of the roa'
e thanked Polly officially and ofere'
a new and better position in Mercer
IS And of course all the passengers an
n express messengers heard about Polly
is brave deed and said a great man
J. pleasant things about her, but Polly
n being sensible girl, only blushed an
d said that she had to do it, and tha
t. any other girl would have done tn
1t same under like circumstances-whic
,e no one believed, Of course.
Re Later, when the robbers were car
Is tured. Polly was able to identify on
,e Of them positively-the one who Ia
" run the engine-and through him th
Of entire party was convicted and SCI
ID fenced to the penetentiary.-
" Magazine.
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