Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-02-23
THURMONT FREDERICK COUNTY, MD, THURSDAY FEBRUA

| began to pass, and l began to compre-
hcnd what had happened. l stopped
and looked at the tracks that stretched
away to the vanishing point before
and behind me. There was only one
| explanation possible. | had had some
| terrible dream, and under Its spell !
| had in some miraculous manner got
| off the moving train. The group that
| | had seen hurrying through the car
and down the steps had been only the
| shadows of a dream.
"Gradumlly the difficulties of my po.
ston forced themselves upon ME.
| What was to do: Here I was, alone
upon the great prairie, with no habita'
ton within miles. My clothing. my
| ticket and my money were all CT the
train that was fast making its way to
The East There was only one thing
| could do. In some way | must stop
the next train.
"ln the meantime | continued my
walk. The morning light was now
sufficient to give me a clear view, ana
after n little. as | looked far ahead
down the narrow. glisteninC tracks. my
heart gave Il great leap. Surely there
in tie distance was a building near
the tracks.
1T was still early morning when,
footsorc and exhausted, | reached Ut
tie telegraph station. where | found
n sleepy night operator. He opened
his eyes wide when Il young woman,
attircd in Il dressing robe. Il young
woman whose hair was diShcvcled ami
shoes scratched, appeared before him.
told my story as cohcrently rs poS>,-
bic, and was relieved to find that he
agreed with my explanation.
"'IcS,' he said, when | bad finished,
you must have had the nightmare, and
had it bad. But how you ever got
off that express train without breaking
yO,lr neck is more than | can see.
Il never think of that night operator
without feeling of gratitude. lie
was Il man of resource. In lew mo.
mcntS hn had made and placed before
mo Il cup of StcaminS coffee, clear and
strong.
"'Now.' he said we must plan
what's to he done. In about an hour
your train will reach lIamlin. where II
makes II stop of twenty minutes.
will telegraph there to have your things
removed from the car and held for you.
Then will get orders to have tn" next
express stop here and take you aboard.
1t Will not delay YOU mary hours.
Gle seated himself at the inStru-
mcnt, and then began the click. click
that seemed to me To continue many
weary minutes. At last he turned to
me with smile.
"Its all right he said. They will
take Your things from the train, ana
the next express. that goes through
in about two hours. will stop for YOU.
Doubtless your disappearance has not
vet been discovered, and wont be IN.
til the train reaches HAmlin.'
"Anothcr weary wait began, broken
at last 10y ne insistcnt lick Of the
telegraph. As word after word of the
message WAS spelled ont by the inStrn.
mpnt. look of surprise and keen ln'
trrest came into the face cf the opera
tor. Al last he turned and looked at
me curiouS'y.
"Thcn he told me that message that
had just come over the wires. My
train had reached Hamln, ana my
absence had not been discovered until
thrn. SO far, nothing very StartllhG'
hut listen to this When the tram
from which | had made such myS-
tcriouS exit reached lIamin it had
strange tale 60 tell. The night before
on the open prairie. it had been board
cd by large band Of train robbers.
There had been a brief struggle. Ill
which the robbers had been success
fully rcpulscd, and the train had gone
on its way.
"A few weeks before there had been
n daring and successful robbery on ono
Of the roads in the Southwest, \ large
sum Of money had been taken from
the express car and the mails rtied,
The detectives who worked on the case
believed this robbery was one OF
series that had been carefully planned.
and had warned all the Western roads
10 he on the alert. When the train Oh
which I had taken passage started for
thn East. il had on board. all unknown
10 the passpngcrs, strong guard.
"In the struggle that followed the
ATTEMPT to hold up the train, the rob-
bers soon saw they would he over
powered. and sought to make their es.
cane, TO create confusion and to make
il more difficult for the guard i'll the
,.,.,,,,.,s, .o, a., vbn,t thnv had pllIuUpU