Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1902-12-25
HOW POLLY SAVED.
THE EXPRESS.

1t was one night late IN the fall that |
Polly Marshall had need of all her |
knowledge Of engines. She was sitting
at her desk in the little observation
window, a shaded light throwing it's
rays down on her telegraph instru-
ments and the sounder clicking sleep
lily. Suddenly she was startled by the
sudden call of her number. Instantly
her fingers sought the keys, and she
gave the answer that signified that she
was all attention.
Look out for-". clicked the
sounder, and then it suddenly ceased,
and try as she would Polly could get
no further communication with the
station next to the eastward. What
could the trouble be? What was she
to look out for? Polly sprung to her
feet, remembering that the night ex-
press, of which her father was engi-
neer, was the next train, due. Could
anything be the matter? She ran out,
on the dark platform to see that her
lights were all in place and that the
switches were properly set, so that the
express would slip fpast the station
back and called up Mercer.
"Can you get Pinckney?" she asked.
.Pinckney was the station which had
sent her the warning dispatch so mys-
| teriously interrupted. She knew the
operator at Pinckney well-every night
| he told her of the approach of her
| fathers train, and whether or not it
| left his station ON time
| ''Pinckney quiet; can't get answer"
| was the report Of the wires. whats
| the trouble?"
| Polly answered as well as she
| could.
| Her fathers train was now due. 1t
should be whistling cheerily at the
lower bend. Polly stepped out on the
platform and peered up the track. Yes,
there was the familiar headlight-she
would have known it among a, hun
dred. Then came the whistle, Hello,
Polly and Polly ran back into her
office much relieved and sat down to
| warn Mercer. At that instant she
heard peculiar cracking sound that
sent her heart quivering deep in her
| bosom. Then there was the shrill
scream of the locomotive whistle, sud
denly interrupted, as if the hand that
had drawn the lever had been struck
from it's place. Polly knew it was a
cry of distress. It seemed to say,
Help" in long, tremulous wall In
stant1y Polly darted outside and flew
up the track. Already the express
should have thundered past the sta
ton, but she could see it's headlight q
hundred yards or more away. Tie
train had stopped.
With hundred terrifying questions
flashing through her mind, Polly ran
on through the gloom When she was
almost within range Of the big head
light she saw half dozen armed mer
swarming around the engine, she heard
fierce oaths, and then the engine start
ed up again. She saw in an instan1
that it had been cut free from tht
train. In the cab window, where
her father usually stood, there wa.
a big. unfamiliar figure managing th'
: lever and throttle. Terrified, Polly
: sprung to one side into q clump O.
3 bushes. AS the locomotive passed
] her on it's way up the track she saw
l that the man in the cab wore a blael
t mask on his face. and then she knew
, what had happened. She understood
' why Pinckney had tried to warn he
9 and failed. Robbers had held up th
8 train and were preparing to rob tn
: express car.
J, For a moment Polly was torn wit
q doubt and terror. Had they shot he
L ffather? She knew that he never woul
Y submit to have his train capture,
t without a struggle. Should she g
e to him? Then she remembered he
). station and the telegraph, and with
r ! out a moments delay. she was fyin
down the track. toward the depot. Sh