The Somerset reporter., 1906-06-28
The Message
From Bleaker's
Copyright, 1905, by Ruby Douglas
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

sVVVVvVVNIvN/V\N/VJvN/VVvN/vVVs
The night operator at Bleaker's Lift
had been crying Job DAILY. the taci-
turn old track walker, saw that with
half an eye-which was all he ever d.
rected toward the seX-when he came
| Taxing his Imagination for cause,
Job surmised that Rhoda wept because
her father was laid up again with his
! crippled back, memento of the last
! landslide, whic1 he had deied In order
! to tick off u warning to others AS a
matter of fact the girls tears were not
filial ones. but pertained to the discov-
cry that the young engineer OF No. 7
was no ordinary sweat-of-the-brow run
ming man, but chap of very different
caliber-ln short, a son of the first vice
! president. with a penchant for practi-
cal knowledge concerning his fathers
road
True, Dave maintained that man
| Is not accountable for his father and
had clustered reassuringy when Rhoda
| wormed out of him the admission that
his sire had shown tendency to a
hot box when told OF their matrimonial
| plans.
dad needn't be so doggoned crit
| ical," grumblcd Dave, blissfully deposit
! ing cinder smudge near Rhoda's pink
mouth. Hes self made, every inch of
him; began at rock bottom forty years
ago He isn't snobbish either In some
| col
named for an old buddy of his; some
one he thought the world of and would
| give a lot to find"
Notwithstanding the vice presidents
magnanimity toward the memory of
whilom buddy" Rhoda felt that her
humble self as a daughter in-law
should not be wantonly thrust upon
him, particularly since Dave confessed
| light heartedly that the act might bind
him to an engineers life in dead ear
nest. She was girl with a conscience,
and that unfeeling mentor represented
that she ought not to wreck her low
er's career. Therefore Rhoda was dig
Ging a little heart grave that night at
Bleaker's Lift and trying to shovel big
Dave into It,
Old Job in his wordless sympathy
had filled up her coal stove so solicit
ously at 10 O'Clock and again at 1 that
Rhoda was driven to the open door for
breath of the keen mountain air OF
late November The black night show
ed only a few slckly stars above the
tall pines and Job Days lantern
swinging along the winding path to-
ward his own shanty. Suddenly this
one friendly twinkle amid the darkness
lurched sideways and went out.
Job" called Rhoda concernedly.
Sob, did you fall?"
There was no answer and the girl
turned resolutely within the office She
had lighted another lantern and was
reaching for a wrap when unusual
sounds made her wheel quickly. Five
burly, evil looking men blocked the
doorway.
Rhoda stepped across to the table,
her eyes seeking the old fashioned pho
tograph hanging above it as one might
appeal 70 a crucihX. 1t was the like
ness of her father. whom she idoliZed,
and she was taking counsel of him
now and also thanking God that it
was she on duty that night instead of
him. Then she coolly faced the in
truders. her back to the table and one
hand creeping out stealthily behind her.
Drop that, curse your snarled one
Of the men. you'll finger that ticker
when tell you to and not before.
See?'
1t was the ugliest villain Of them all
who spoke, and Rhoda's arm fell at her
side
"Now you'll wire the old man at
Rumford," the fellow commanded lev
elllng shining barrel at her head,
that there's a rock or a tree-make it
a tree-on the track. and the express II
have to take the siding. Tell 'em the
old guy Is hurt and they'll have to
throw the switch themselves" He low
cred his voice, speaking to the others,
''Thatll give us time to fix the engineer
and get aboard"
His accomplices nodded
NOW hump yourself, girl This man.
/ Telegraph Bill, is next to the dot and
dash lingo. so you can't fool us, and
you'll do the job up proper or it'll be
all day with you" A metallic click
emphasized the threat
Rhoda glanced slowly about the cir
Gle of dark, sinister faces. Coming
last to Telegraph Bill, she saw that the
man was listening inteligently to a
message passing over the wire, and she
knew the leader had spoken truly.
They were not to be fooled.
An ashen pallor overspread her face
She reached hesitatingly for the key.
Her fingers stiffened on it unwillingly,
and jerkily the instrument began to
tick At the first sound Telegraph Bill
looked up. and their eyes held each 9th
er for an instant, then the mans brow
contracted doggedly, and he looked
down. Even a train robber may not
relish seeing a loyal hearted woman
compelled to betray her post.
Tick, tick, tick, sped the message,
while Rhoda gazed fasclnatedly at the
one man who understood 1t. When she
had finished their eyes met again, but
his spoke only bold admiration before
which Rhoda's lashes sank.
After cutting the wires the men filed
out engaged in muttered colloquy.
Rhoda flung herself down, her head
upon her arms Then, at the thought of
all that might yet be, she drew bright
Iva 20 drox rn nd