The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-01-16

squaroly in front OF the little depot
the locomotive stopped and the blncE.
masked man sprung. from thc cab
window and darJcd across the plate
form. Hardly thinking what she was
doing. Polly ran up on One other side,
the hrcman's side OF The engine. and. |
raising herself up. pcagcl 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 doiues Of train robbers
Through the cab window she could
see the robber sitting 0t her own
little desk IN the depot sending %
message. IL flashed over her ain az
once that he was wiring Mercer that
the express was delayed, thus pre-
venting any alarm. The robbcr 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
her desk-she set her teeth as she
thought what she would do with IT,
at that moment three shots rang
out, clear ana distinct, from the de-
tached train. The man at the tele-
graph instrument sprung to his feet
! and ran to n side window in the wait
ing room and looked up the track.
Now was her chance. Hardly think
ing what she did, Polly sprang TO the
engineers side Of the cab, threw back
the reverse lever and opened the
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 hall
fast enough to suit Polly who was
now glancing fearfuny over her
, shoulder
Suddenly the depot door was thrown
J 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
? Der 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
I the track at full speed. Polly knew
G that it must be fred or it would not
t go far, and so, leaving the throttle
e open, she sprang to the coal pit, flung
+ open the fire hole, and with the heavy
: shovel in her small white hands threw
i in load after load of coal. When she
d returned to her place she could see
It the first signal light Of Mercer already
r blinking into view. She pulled down
e on the whistle cord and the engine
e shrieked its distress.
Il Five minutes later Polly strained a
It the heavy reverse lever, turned hare
on the air brake and brought til,
!. great iron horse to a sudden sTandstill
d How she ever managed to stammer TIM
s. story she never knew, but in q few
lie minutes the engine was headed baci
1t with half a dozen armed men aboart
u of her Behind them came anothe
it load of men on a switch engine an,
two men were racing uD the street o
;" Mercer calling the alarm.
s They heard firing before they reach
ed Kane Creek but it ceased 500
le afterward The robbers had Gont
They had taken with them much plur
1t der from the passengers, but they ha
le not been able to get into the expires
ne safe, although they were at wor
IS, drilling it open when relief came.
he From the time that the cngin
n stopped Polly was missing When th
10, rescued and excited passengers an
eli express inaasengaTs began to crow
to around and inquire the Mercer me
he remembered her. a party Of thel
at went out to find the girl who ha
or brought help to the beleaguered trai
i'll In a little clump Of bushes the
ID heard a man moaning and an l.
at slant later they saw Polly kneeling
ok the sand, with her fathers head
her lap, crying bitterly. And Tho
~, gathered up the brave engineer and h
In daughter and carried them down
ew the train, cheering all the way.
ISIS Engineer Marshall was not bad
Ia hurt, and he was able tobe in Mere
/ when the general manager OF the To-
he thanked Polly officially and offer
new and better position in Mere
ms And of course all the passengers al
an express messengers heard about Poll.
-as brave deed and said a great ma
adj pleasant things about her, but Pol
~ l,o;rcs i. eo7,ofb1o cr;r1 On1y b1lIsbpd d