Evening journal., 1909-08-09
HOSe, She Cor
a Position.
Iorirlnnl1

houses at this stopping point Tor trains
were the station and Thatcher's dwell
ing. a few hundred yards away.
Thatcher's daughter, Molly, sixteen
years old. was anxious to learn teleg-
raphy. Her father encouraged her.
and as soon as she knew her tele-
graphic letters he ran a wire under
ground from the station to the house
and put in key for her to practice on.
At first he used the regular key at the
station but Molly's line was an inde-
pendent one, and she was liable to call
him at any time. In summer, having
little TO do. he would sit at the station
door trying to keep cool. That he
could chat with his we'll beloved
daughter without inconvenience he i'm
provised an extra key in the floor
where he was accustomed to lounge.
1t wasn't much Of key, and its click
was not easily heard, but it sufficed.
Thatcher would sit in his chair and
by q slight pressure OF his foot give
Molly lessons in telegraphy till she be-
came sufficiently expert to take a po-
sition and earn her own living Then,
not being satisfied with her desolate
abode, so far from companions of her
.own age, she prepared to so TO Omaha
with view 10 becoming an operator
One night Thatcher went from his
house to the station to attend the pass
ing Of two trims, the one going east
due at 9;05. the other going west due
at 11:15. After the latter hour there
would be no trains till morning, and
he could pass the night at home. The
first train passed on time. Then
Thatcher settled himself for a doze
while waiting for the next one, having
nearly two hours to wait and not car
ing to disturb his family, who went to
bed early, by going back to the house.
He had scarcely settled himself on a
bunk he had in the freight house ad-
joining and opening into the station
when he heard a distant gallop Of
horses hoofs-not one horse, but sew
eral.
Passengers did not usually come that
way. The agent scented danger.
Jumping up, he went to the telegraph
apparatus and called Molly.
"Are you upg' be asked.
There were a few moments delay,
when the answer came, HAD gone
to bed but hadn't got to Sleep"
"Stand by the key. Don't cali.
Molly asked for an explanation, but
received none, for at that moment the
thud OF horses hoofs was directly
without the station. and one in ad-
vance gave a rap at the door. Thatcher
opened it. and a man with a drawn
revolver the muzzle pointing in the
agents face, stood in the opening
Others were dismounting and coming
up on to the platform. There was
nothing for Thatcher to do but to dc
nothing.
where's yer telegraph outft?" ask
ed the man.
"In there in the ticket Office"
"All right. You 90 in there" And
covered by this time with three re
volvers. Thatcher passed into the
freight house, where he was searched
for arms and bound hand and foo
with a lariat The men after this
made themselves comfortable and wait
cd
"Is the westbound 1115 train OF
timer asked one who appeared to b,
the leader.
Don't know. I can find out TO
you"
"Howw
"By asking over the wire"
Il don't think you will. Where
your red lightf"
IT'S somewhere around herein
I corner there. 1 think"
The man found the light. am
Thatcher knew that they would sigma
the train to stop with a view TO hold
ing up the passengers or robbing tn
express car OF a shipment Of money.
There are some things about tha
, train" he said, you'd ought to know.
! well. what arc they;"
''If you'll let me come In there witt
you. I'll tell you"
S The men loosened the lariat abou
. his legs. and he walked into the othe
( room. One Of his captors sat in th
b chair in which he was accustomed {
e talk to Molly. and they stood him O.
y the floor a few feet from the TELEGRAPH
r key. He began to tell a plausibl
story. giving them just the informatio
they wanted-that the conductor Of th
train was timid and they would hav
no trouble with him. but the expires
messenger was a fighter, well arme
and with an assistant Of the same kln(
(, Then he gave them the informatio
!, Cmade up) that $4,000 was being shiI
ped on that very train. By mlnglln
truth with falsehood he won enoug
( Of their confidence TO interest theI
and while talking sided along till b
d got a foot on the telegraph key. Thei
). warming up with his subject TO th
= train robbers to fix their attention, /
4 called Molly and told her Of the situ'
tion.
i whats that clicking in the ticket o
ficeT' asked the leader suddenly. pricl
Z ing up his ears.
e "Oh, my key clicks with every di
IS patch that goes through" said Thatcl
er. while he read by sound bis daug
n ter's message to the next station east.
y This satisfied the robbers At
O'Clock a man with 4 red light wei
out and waited to signal the train.
was twenty minutes late and when
= came disobeyed the signal, pushing
10 the station. where a dozen men wit
- rifles jumped off and confronted Il
rohhers All were captured.