Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-09-16

NAAS~ ~~NSA NV pAOSSNNANA A8A "hSAA DoA~A"
den ''lift'' of the engine nearly threw
me down. l stopped and descended.
At the side of the track lay body bor-
ribly disfgured. The cow-catcher had
struck him, and dragged him along. An
indefinable sensation of fear took pos
session of me. Was that Abel after all ?
Itwas too awful. | managed, how
ever, to turn the corpse upon its back.
The features were indistinguishable, but
by my lanterns light | recognized Abers
cap tightly clasped in the dead mans
hand.
[ staggered against the engine. The
excitement was now over and | was
sobered like a child. The passengers
in the train we had left, the up mail,
all were forgotten, until | had reverent-
ly placed the body upon the engine
The silence was terrible. [ persevered
till | covered the remains of my poor
mate as well as possible, and as [ sat
down upon the engine rail I fancied |
heard distinct rattle of an approach
ing train. ! arose and listened atten-
lively. After pause a whistle, long
though very faint, broke the stiffness.
| stood ready to run if occasion demand
ed it, when again the whistle rose, this
time loud and clear, and after dying
away in a long, wailing sound, sudden
ly ended in three sharp, quick notes.
My heart leaped to my throat-this was
Abel Storer's signal.
With trembling fingers | replied. In
a few moments dark object loomed in
sight, and Abel's 'hallo'' was ringing
in my ear. In two seconds more [ was
beside him.
Don't ring mans hand off," he
cried, "I'm rather DONE"
"Good heavens, how did you escape ?'
[ said.
''I'd toughish bout of it." Abel re-
piled, "but by gosh I've won.'
81 fancied you were shot," said l.
'Look here and taking him to his
own engine | showed him the body
which still lay there in all its CHASTITY
reality.
''Shot," he laughed, in no way affect
ed by the sight; no sir. That's the coon
L pipp'd in the skull he grabbed my
cap too: | may as we'll have it agin,
guess. So saying he relieved the dusty
head-covering from his late antagonist
grasp, and calmly brushing it, continu
ed: ''Yes, you see when the engine:
closed | leaped on Jne suep, and spotted
this fellow at once-didn't you hear tn,
shot?"
| said | had heard noise, but fan
cied it was steam-pipe which had Civ
en- way.
"No," said he, ''that was my frs
fire. These Injuns had but one derrick
between them, and this fellow was goin.
to use it in my favor, but luckily stop
ped that. The other tried a knife OF
my skin, but he was soon plugged
Then had to go to Landerville to Civ
information, and was returning for yor
when l saw your head lamp, and whi:
tied accordingly-that's all"
"Is the other unfortunate man dead {?
I asked.
"Not he," replied Abel; Il onl
shot him in the shoulder-but he'l
lose his arm, reckon. We'd better
going, and see about the passengers mo-
| think"
We then coupled the engines, an
leaving the dead undisturbed on one
mounted the other. On arriving 6
Bunkum city we told our tale, the mar
gled body of the filibuster bore grievou
testimony, and after detention of ratf
er more than an hour, the passenger
were dispatched on their journey. u
on their return to headquarters we wei
, specially thanked, and otherwise mo-
, substantially rewarded. Abel was pr
NOTED to comfortable permanel
berth in New York city, while l W;
' made an engine driver, with the highe
, scale of pay, in his stead.
| What befell me in my new appoin
, ment my readers may perhaps be inform
ed upon future opportunity.