Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-08-17
HER FIRST
LOVE MESSAGE
BY NOBLE X. WETHEREu
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

udO Ueeu dL SCuOOI VIII MdOel Town,
and they were very great friends.
Mabel lived about a mile from the
station, not far from the track. and
Johnny, in order that he might chat
with her during the lonely evenings
when he was obliged to stay at the
station with but little to do, rugged a
private wire from the telegraph line
extending along the railroad to MabeI's
house. introducing it in at her win
dow. Then he put In the rest of the
apparatus. and the two youngsters
could chatter through the keys like
magpies.
The principal time for these CONVEX
sations was after Mabel had gone to
her room and ostensibly to bed. but
really to chat with Johnny. Her room
was in an extension where the clicking
Of the key was not likely to disturb
any n else in the house. though no
one objected to their dialogues, be-
cause Mabel was supposed to be fitting
herself for a telegraph operator.
One evening Johnny had been talk
ing with Mabel as usual. 1t was a
stormy night, and. being oil alone in his
Office and consequently very lonely, he
kept her at the instrument late.
Mabel had been in bed perhaps an
hour when she heard in her sleep the
call that Johnny and she used to at
tract each others attention. Some
time was required for her to wake up.
and when she did she heard the ma
chine clicking. She began to read in
the middle Of a sentence:
Hes gone around to the other door.
I've locked it, but he can smash a
window easily. There! He's getting
in and coming for me-"
There was a brief lull, during which
Mabel. who by this time was wide
awake. waited. fearing that she would
hear no more. It was evident that q
robber had broken into the station. 1t
occurred to her that the first thing
be would do would be to order Johnny
away from the instrument that he
might not be able to give the alarm.
She was therefore surprised when the
clicking began again.
"He has ordered me to keep on work
ing the key, covering me with his re-
volver. He says the minute l stop
working it he will put a hole in my
head. I e his object. He knows
there is no station near enough for me
to send word and get assistance be-
fore he has finished what he has to
do. and while using the key my right
hand is employed so that I can't at
tack or shoot him. l can hear him 60
ing toward the safe. which he can do
without risk so long as he hears the
clicking Of my key"
There followed a few seconds Of
silence, during which Mabel held her
breath. and when the sounds recon-
menced they did not mean anything.
Doubtless the robber had turned and
ordered Johnny to keep on. Mabel ran
to her brothers room. awakened him
and told him what was going on at
the station. Henry Town got out Of
bed. dressed himself as quickly as pos
sible. put a revolver in his pocket and
a rife on his shoulder and started for
the station. Meanwhile Mabel went
back to the telegraph instrument, and
when the clicking ceased for a few
moments began to tell Johnny what
she had done and that her brother was
coming. 1t required some time for her
to get the message through. for every
time Johnny stopped the robber. who
was working at the safe lock. turned
and ordered him to proceed. But
Johnny managed to hear a few words.
such as coming" and courage" and
knew that he was to be relieved. But
whether the man would succeed in
opening the safe before some one came
to stop him vas a question. He was
evidently a skillful craftsman. the safe
was a very ordinary one. and be acted
as if be counted on getting it opened
before assistance could arrive. He
drilled a hole in the lock and began to
work the 1umblers.
He had not been engaged more than
twenty minutes when Johnny, facing
the window as he did, saw a figure
dimly looming up in the darkness
without, he was so agitated hat he
ceased to work the key. The robber
turned and sent a bullet close to his
ear. At first Johnny thought the shot
had been fired at the figure without,
but an order to "go on" convinced
him Of his mistake.
The burglar again turned his back
and recommended his work. Then
there were sounds Of dropping tum.
blers. and Johnny heard the safe door
pulled open. At the same moment
there was a "crack" at the window,
leaving a small hole. Something
dropped behind Johnny. and. turning,
he saw the robber lying on the floor
blood oozing from a hole in his head.
Springing to the window, he un.
locked it. and Henry Town stepped
into the room.
The first thing Johnny did was tt
click the news to Mabel. and the re
ply was the first message embodyine
love that passed between them.
1t happened that Johnny had consid.
cradle cash in the safe, which he in.
tended to send in the next morning,
This the robber doubtless knew. The