Milish'
fire in the air, because as a rule they have friends in the crowd and
don't care to hurt 'em."
Pokeville was one hundred and two miles from Bridgeton and the run was
carefully made and without incident. When the volunteer engineer and
Captain Stillings, who was playing conductor, went to the office for
orders, they found the place deserted. A sullen-looking crowd was
looking on and appeared to enjoy the discomfiture of the soldiers. They
had put the operator _away_ for a while. Pressing up near the sides of
the train they became somewhat ugly and Captain Stillings brought out
his company, and lining them up alongside of the track he turned to his
1st lieutenant and said:
"Mr. Mitchell, I'm going into this telegraph office. If this crowd gets
ugly I want you to shoot the first damned man that moves a finger to
harm anybody."
But without an operator orders could not be procured, and without orders
the train could not go. Captain Stillings was in a quandary, but all at
once he stepped out in front of his company and said in a loud tone, "I
want an operator.
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