The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-01-21
THE EN- GIN EER
ACURIOUS STORY.
1COnclusiOn.l

At this moment the signal was given
for backing up to the eplatform. Isprang
to my place upon the engine without
another word. When / again looked
towards the spot where he had been
standing, the stranger was gone.
Isaw them take their places,-duke
and duchess, secretary and priest, valet
and maid. ! saw the statiOn-master
bow them into the carriage, and stand.
bareheaded, beside the door. could
not distinguish their faces; theplatform
was too dusk, and the glare from the
engine-fre too strong but recognized
her stately figure and the poise of her
head. Had 1 not been told who she
was, should have known her by those
traits alone. Then the guards whistle
shrilled out, and the station-master
made his last bow; turned the steam
on; and we started.
NY blood was on fire. no longer
trembled or hesitated. / felt as if every
nerve was iron, and every pulse instinct
with deadly purpose. She was in my
power, and ! would be revenged. She
should die,-she, for whom had STAIN
ed my soul with my friends blood! She
should die, in the plentitude of her
wealth aud her beauty, aud no power
upon earth should save her.
The stations flew past. Iput on more
steam; i bade the fireman heap in the
coke, and stir the blazing mass. l
would have outstripped the wind. had
it been possible. Faster and faster
hedges and trees, bridges and stations,
flashing past-villages no sooner seen
than gone-telegraph wires twisting,
and dipping, and twining themselves in
one, with the awful swiftness of our
pace! Faster and faster, till the fire.
man at my side looks white and scared,
and refuses to add more fuel to the fur
mace. Faster and faster, till the wind
rushes in our faces and drives the breath
back upon our lips.
would have scorned to save myself.
l meant to die with the rest. Mad rs !
was,-snd believe from my very soul
that was utterly mad for the time,-l
felt o passing pang of pity for the old
man and his suite. would have spared
the poor fellow at my side, too, if
could; but the pace ut which we were
going made escape impossible.
Vicenza was passed. mere confused
vision of lights. Pojana flew by. Al
Padua, but nine miles distant, our pass
engers were to alight. / saw the fire
mans face turned upon me in remon
STRANGE; saw his lips move, though
could not hear o word; / saw his eI
preston change suddenly from remon.
STRANGE to o deadly terror, and then
merciful Heaven! then, for the first time
saw that he and / were no longer
alone upon the engine.
There was third man,-a third man
standing on my right hand, as the fire
man was standing on my left,-a tall
stalwart man, with short, curling hair
and q fiat Scotch cap upon his head. Az
fell back in the first shock of surprise
he stepped nearer, took my place at the
engine, and turned the steam of.
opened my lips to speak to him; he
turned his head slowly, and looked me
in the face.
Matthew Price!
uttered one long, wild cry, flung my
arms wildly up above my head, and fell
as if had been smitten with an axe.
ann prepared for the objections tha,
may be made to my story. expect, as
q matter Of course, to be told that this
was an optical illusion, or that was
suffering from pressure on the brain, OF
even that labored under an attack oi
temporary insanity. / have heard oil
these arguments before, and, if l may
be forgiven for saying so, l have no de
sire to hear them again. My own mint
has been made up upon this subject fol
many q year. All that can say-al
that | knou is-that Matthew Price cam'
back from the dead to save my soul ant
the lives of those whom /, in my guilt!
rage, would have hurried to destruction
believe this a. / believe in the mere!
of Heaven and the forgiveness of repent
ant sinners. "a .g.t.a .it