or nearly thirty minutes I sat still as death, where
they had flung me. Safety lay in not attracting their attention; but a
dreadful ordeal was in store for me.

The instrument, which had been silent for a time, again awoke to life.
The dispatcher was calling my office. Like a flash the order to detain
the down express that he had sent came back to my memory, and with a
thrill of horror I remembered that I had omitted to turn the red lamp.
The dispatcher, I knew, wanted to ask me if the train had arrived.
Involuntarily I started to my feet.

The only sounds now to be heard were the ticking of the instrument and
the ceaseless cries of the storm. The Indians, the instant they heard
the former, ceased their uncivilized mirth, again looked
apprehensively at the mysterious instrument, and hurriedly glanced at
me. Their treacherous, suspicious natures were thoroughly aroused on
seeing me looking eagerly toward the instrument. I knew not how near
the train might be; act I must. I thought of the fearful loss of life
which would surely occur unless I could reach the cord that hung above
the instrument, and with one pull swing round the red lamp and let it
beam across the track. I had received the order to expose the light,
and unless I did so I knew full well the Company would hold me
responsible for any accident that might occur. I had written the order
in the order-book when receiving it.

All this passed through my mind like a flash. I did not dread the
Company, but I could not let scores of lives be sacrificed in order to
save my own. I had always thought I was not the stuff brave men are
made of, but when put to the test I gloried in finding that I was not
a coward.

I was quite calm as I began carelessly to walk over to the instrument.
The drunken savages were upon me almost immediately. As they felled me
to the floor, my ears caught the distant rumbling of the east-bound
locomotive. The Indians also had heard the noise, and as they turned
to listen I once more sprang to my feet and dashed past them. One of
them I passed in safety, but as I dodged the big brave he struck
viciously at me with the broken bottle.

His aim was but too true; the ragged mouth of the bottle opened my
face like a conical bullet. I had only a few more steps to go. Before
I fell I knew that I had turned the light.

* * * * *

The conductor put me on the train and took me to Winnipeg, where I
remained in the ho