The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-01-16
HOW POLLY SAVED
THE EXPRESS.

IL was one night late in the tall that |
Polly Marshall had need Of all her
knowledge Of engines. She was sitting
at her desk in the little observation
window, shaded light throwing its
rays down On her telegraph instru-
ments and the sounder clicking sleep
fly. Suddenly she was startled by the
sudden call of her number Instantly
her fingers sought the keys, and she
gave the answer that signiled 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 past the station
without an accident Then she went
back and called up Mercer.
"Can you get 2inckney?" 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?"
PGlly answered as well as she
could. ar's -q.-D.. r.'' .',,-e e-..s~..
Her fathers train was now due. II
should be Whistling cheeriIy at the
lower bend. Polly stepped out on the
platform and peered up the track Yes
there was the familiar adlight-she
would have known it among a hun
! dred. Then came the whistle, "Hello
! Polly" and Polly ran bacl;0 into hel
| Office much relieved and sat down tC
warn Mercer. At that instant shl
heard a peculiar cracking sound tina
sent her heart Quiyering deep in heI
bosom. Then there was the shril
scream of the locomotive whistle, sud
denly interrupted, as if the hand tina
! had drawn the lever had been srucl
from its place. Polly knew it was
cry Of distress. It seemed to say
Help" in long, tremuIous vail. In
stantly Polly darted outside and Gev
up the track. Already the expires
: should have Numbered past the sta
ton, but she could see its headlight
hundred yards or more away. Th
l train had stopped
t With hundred terrifying question
: flashing through her N I'd, Polly ia
D ON through the gloom. When she wa
T almost within range of the big heat
t light she saw a half a dozen armed me
7 sw2rming around the engine, she hear
4 fierce oaths, and then the engine star
4 ell up again. She saw in an insta1
d that it had been cut free from ii
train. In the cab window, wher
It her father usually stood, there w;
# q big, unfamiliar figure managing Il
l. lever and throttle. Terrified. Pol
J. sprung to one side into n clump
Is bushes. AS the locomotive passt
h her on its way up the track she sa
a that the man in the cab wore n bla,
1t mask on his face, and then she kne
il what had happened She understo
" why Pinckncy had tried to warn h
IS and failed. Robbers had held up t
SIS train and were preparing to rob t
n express car.
e, For q moment Polly was torn W.
in doubt and terror. Had they shot b
ed father? She knew that he never wou
w submit to have his train captur
at without 4 struggle Should she
&c 20 him? Thcn she remembered 1
ie. station and tie telegraph, and wi
or nssrnesfs delay she was Gvi