The Washington herald., 1915-10-03
How Rufus Trapped
the Burglars
By WILLIAM HEMINGWAY.

By WILLIAM HEMM1NG"AN-
The squealing of dry snow under horses
hoofs awakened Rufus Walker. His room
was the nearest to the turnpike crossing.
Perhaps that was why he was the only
sleeper in the railroad station at Winona
to he aroused hy the approaching sleigh.
Rufus Walkers father was the station
in the heart Of a vast wheat-raising sec
ton OF Dakota.
Right opposite the station and across
the railroad track stood grain elevator,
Its gigantic shape rose over the little
station like 4 castle towering above a
tiny cottage. The farmers for miles
around would begin to haul wheat 10 the
elevator tomorrow. for Mr.. Price, the
elevator superintendent. had arrived that
day He had brought a satchel full OF
packages Of new, crisp banknotes and
fat little rolls Of gold eagles and double
eagles. He always paid cash for the
wheat as he bought it.
The thick black hag of alligator skin
that held more than 5000 was locked
IN the safe that stood in the office Of the
grain elevator The money was the at
traction that had brought the three men,
who silently GOT out Of the sleigh in the
shadow Of the tall building. They tied
their horses TO 4 ring near the once
door. then stealthny crept through the
snov- TO the railroad station.
Little Rufus Walker woke uD with
start big man with handkerchief
tied across the lower part OF his face was
shaking him by the shoulder.
How Ole are you. sonnv?" asked the
stranger.
Ten years last August" Rufus an
svered. huskIly
Well. you're o!a enough 70 have
sense saId rne man An you've got TO
40 ;. 10 keep still Were Just soin' 10
,e:.5,4 Nj. Pr.ce Of that bag 0 money.
-. Eesr sr.u d.ye hear
IN hls man ode out Of Rufus room
-.a ,,.-sd his two cong Ean!oHs at the
f -bar lrd Of the hallway. They mad
-a-fsr.3 Ny Price. RUFUS father. Mrs
vs..-.. .-5 big Tom Walker IN one Of
.h4 ,oozas E-,lden1ly the strangers had
,.,c.4-z,ed Pufus last ot all He sat up,
ss.,z-z.laE. With the blankets wrapped
.-ouad him His hair WAS standing up.
, straight that il seemed to bend back
..s 4.s teeth chartered.
-U1s.rs the bovo" he heard a
..-s.-e vol,e asE.
..,. .e.r him IN ms bed replied the
... 20 O.. N. b!g man HIS no bigger
. ,...~ tas,lb. and he--
a~.,-r bring HIM IN here with the
.--. " ,.ii ~. strange voice.
<.. e, mn? stay IN his he'd" said the
~ 1s....s yo.ce He ant sizable enough
ID, nan, 'ro,.D.e H couldn't live to go
100 MIKES 10 ,he nearest house for help
All ..s.,.' said the strange voice
No. u, Price. We don't aim to bust
v.... s,:- II YOU was = polite gentle
ma v6.'G Jlst skip over and open her
-,~ IS However. we've got the little
,s..-r..-,= here. and we'll have her open
ig t.-s ,Ean an hour fair an easy Bill.
..,. keen these folks ,,uiet till we whistle
- you
Hu.u. hard the two men go down
z,a.-s TE~a he heard them stamping
r.ro,.za he snow 70. ard the grain ele-
,.4t7-. The, was silence for five min
.;es o. %. and then he heard the blink
-.al INK OF hammers falling on steel
,cG-es
Him. suddenly wondered II ne couldn't
-ag he.o n a way tho robbers hadn't
Thought Of He stealthily got out OF bed
and p.t On MS coat. trousers. and thick
noouec stockings. His heart tiuttered
AID jumped so hard that he was afraid
az,d lose Il as he crePt inch by inch to
,-r stars that led down to the ticket
a.ld telegraph ONCE
How glad he was when at last he stole !
,a there as silently as ghost! How
glad ne was that his father had encour-
aged him 10 learn how to telegraph He
wasn't fine operator vet, but he thought
he could manage to telegraph something
us-fuL
Very slowly he pulled out the plug in
The switchboard that cut in the instru-
naent on the telegraph line. He threw
over little brass lever so that the noisy
..sounder" was cut OF from the relay
instrument He screwed the points OF
the relay down so fine that the instru-
!nent ticked no louder than watch He
tightened up the key. too.
From upstairs he could hear the gruff
voice of the big robber as he made jokes
at the expense OF his victims. Rufus
knew that the night train dispatcher at
Springfield was always at the wire, so
he telegraphed:
''Sg-Sg-Wn.''
That meant. Springfield. winona is
calling you!''
In moment the relay licked out. "Ay
-ay-Sg" That meant that the dis
aatcher heard the call. Then Rufus. his
fingers stiff from the cold and clumsy
with fright. bravely ticked this message: