The Press., 1904-01-28
lAIHEN PEGGY
!" TOOK THE KEY
BY MARJORIE STEVENS
Copyright. 1908. by T. G. Mcclure

Donald Murray was not thinking
about the strike.
In fact, it made precious little diff
ference to him ut just this moment
whether any trains ran on the d. R.
and G. tracks at all. His engagement
with Miriam Bentley had been sudden
ly derailed, and that was trouble
enough for him. He had appointed
himself q wrecking crew of one to act
that very night at the church fair and
possibly to undo the mischief wrought
by too much steam in the form of
hasty words. And then had come the
orders from headquarters to stand by
his instrument until relieved.
Brownsville was an unimportant sta
ton in the center of a thriving farm
ing section. Its stockyards and grain
elevator dwarfed the passenger sta
ton, and there wasn't enough bust
ness in the whole town to support
night telegraph station. In fact, Don
aid, with his lusty helper and messen-
ger boy. Andy Johnson, constituted the
Young Murray was not afraid of
work, and at any other time the order
to remain at his post for twenty-four
hours would have affected him not at
all. But tonight he thought of Will
son, Graham. Donaldson and the rest
all clustered about the table where
Miriam was selling fudge and other
hnu 10
were plunged into his pockets, even as
his soul was plunged deeper in gloom.
The idea of disobeying orders. how
ever, never entered his head, though
he did not fully realize the danger
which beset the road. This strike
through the great wild west was not
the ordinary seething turmoil of sud-
den dissatisfaction which yields quick
ly to pacific treatment. 1t had been
a prolonged, quiet struggle between
capital and labor, with no apparent
gain on either side, but an attempt to
install a yard force of "scabs" at Mid
ford Junction had precipitated active
demonstrations. Seeds of trouble had
been sown with reckless hands in the
shops and yards, where the stolid
Swedes, seeing their jobs and COM
Portable home lives threatened, had set
their teeth hard. And when a Swede
says nothing, but draws his eyelids
down to a narrow slit, railroad author
tiles know that trouble is brewing in
the brain behind that stolid face.
Andy Johnson stuck his head into
the door, Murray caught sight of a
coming.
You won't need me. will you? 1
want to take in the fair again"
Andy's long. lank body, clad in a
wonderful store suit of gray, green
and brown checks, followed his good
natured face He closed the door, and
his voice took on wheedling tone.
''There's goin' to be such doin's.
honest there is, Mr.. Murray! That
you get the funniest things what you
ain't expectin' to get. Then there's
goin' to be votin' contest tonight
That silver toilet set cost so much no
one won't buy it, so they're goin' to
vote it off to the most popular lady
present"
Murray's face was suddenly illu-
mined
''Of course you can go. Andy. There
won't be much doing here tonight. Be
sides. l want you to do some voting
for me-" He laid a five dollar bill on
the table. Miss Bentley must have
that prize"
''Of course she will. Everybody likes
Miss Miriam" assented Andy. with
eyes fairly devouring the bank note.
But we want her to be so far ahead
of the other girls that they won't be in
the running. See? Now. you vote that
money slow. Have it changed and vote
1t quarter at time"
Andy nodded and then. filed with
Importance, turned to go.
''Wait a minute"
Murray drew a pad toward him and
bit his pencil nervously. But at last
the note was finished and carried away
by the elated Andy. 1t read:
My Dear Miriam-I am sorry that I
cannot be with you tonight when you win
the prize. for of course you will win it.
Andy will vote for me, and when 1t Is over
won't you send me word how many votes
you received? / ask very little, and it is
so lonely down here. l must stay because
there is trouble of some sort up the line.
/ know it can't be as bad as the trouble
that has been in my heart since we quar-
relied. Yours. DONALD.
Murray went out into the passenger
room and stared up the street where
the lights from the town hall shone
gayly. Then. with sigh. he returned
to his little office. locked the door and
threw himself on the carpet covered
sofa for nap. He was reused by a
sharp call Mt his keyboard.
Trouble brewing along the Hne,"
sang the little ticker. "Al Reeves, with
Il gang of Swedes, has slipped out of
town. Keep sharp lookout for No. g."
No. 8 was the D. R. and G.'s crack
train. 1t carried the mail and the bulk
of the cross continent passengers.
Murray was wide awake now. He
went the rounds of his little station,
sure that all was secure. Then
he examined his revolver and laid 1t
within easy reach on the table and sat
at the instrument while he re-
viewed the dangerous points between
Brownsville and the stations east and
west. There was the cut seventeen
miles east. 1t had once been a favor
lite spot with train robbers, but little
harm could come there from a derail-
ment. The one dangerous spot was
the Jamison arroyo, below the town
by three miles at least. II No. was
stalled there and the fast freight Lap
)ened to whirl after it round the curve,
Is it usually did now that the time
ard was demoralized by weak service,
here might
Murray closed a nervous hand over |
his revolver. Nothing must happen.
He sat thus with straining ears for |
lalf an hour. To him it seemed as
T hours had passed when suddenly |
ne heard faint tap at the outside
ioor- Very cautiously and with re-
1olver in hand he stepped to the door
md asked i'm firm clear voino