River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-12-02

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glow at her heart for she was sure
there had been an answering hight, ana
she could picture a tall form IN blue
clothing, standing on the platform De-
tween two cars.
And now, while the October days
grew cooler and the glorious evenings
longer, GRANDMOTHER Crownlnshleld
began to grumble at the disposition her
darling evlnced to pay so very many
visits to Aunt Betsy.
cts a long walk for you, child, she
said, "and it's through the cut, too.
What if a railway train should come
along before you get ont z"
80 Grandma, that'll never happen,
laughed Kate 1.-THE railroad and are
very good friends. "
" You ought to be, said grand
mother. 81 never saw any living
being care more for II dumb thing than
you've always done for that there
train"
But grandmother was nearer right
than Katie; for only a night or so
after that--it must have been that Aunt
Betsy's clock was slow-for Katie was
in the middle of the cut when her ears
were suddenly filled with the shrek
and roar with which the train dashed
in at the upper end.
Her heart beat quickly for moment
but not for fear; for, as she sprang
lightly upon projecting rock that she
had often before noted as a very avail
able perch, she gathered her futtering
dress more closely about her and ex-
claimed
There, I'm safe enough but to
think of Its coming so near !"
Near enough, indeed, and Katie
leaned back hard against the crag be-
hind her for it seemed as if she could
feel the breath of the iron monster on
her cheek. In one hand she clutched
more tightly the folds of her shawl, and
in the other she raised the lantern, as
if its feeble star could be of some pro-
lection, and then her grasp of 1t grew
suddenly very tight, indeed for lean,
ing out little from the platform of a
car, aud looking forward, as if impa-
tient for the train to clear the cut,
stood tall, handsome, bearded man,
in dark-blue clothes, with lantern in
his hands, and bis eager, watching,
expectant face, came so very close to
her own
1t was like q flash of lightning; but
Katie knew the face, and she knew
also that she herself had been seen,
and she had even marked the swift
paling of the bronzed visage rs it re.
cognized her and then swept on into
the darkness beyond.
He was afraid / would be hurt. y
she thought; and then she said aloud
But he must have seen how safe |
was up here on the rock. | don't be
lieve he swung his lantern at our gar
den gate tonight"
Aunt Betsey's house was some little
distance from the upper entrance, and
the approach to the latter was gloomy
enough, the next night of her visit.
even foI one Who knew every inch Of
the way as well as Katie did; but her
little lantern shone out cheerily against
its bright reflector, throwing its radi-
ance ahead, as if it were trying to tell
her: "There, dear, that's it; don't be
afraid, now, I'll show you the track 20
She had not gone far, however, before
the granite walls brought to her ears.
all the way from the lower end and
round the curve, as if the cut had been
a dpeaklng-tube, the souLd of voices
that were evidently meant to be low
and guarded. There were other sounds
mingled with the voices, and Katie
could not make out more than word
or so here and there, but there
was something about it all
that startled and frightened
her. At first she was half inclined
~ turn and make the best of her way
back to Aunt Betsey's; but that SEEM
ed foolish, and Katie was really cour-
ageous little soul She hid her lantern
under her shawl, however, and stepped
very lightly aud swiftly forward, trv-
ing to remember if there were not a
rock or hollow where she wonld be as
safe from men as she had been from
the passing train. She was very near
ly through. herself, before she could
any way make out what it all meant;
but, as she paused in the deep shad
ows of the rocks and peered timidly
out toward the now dull and muffied
oOuHuSs WIN WHICH the voices We're nc
longer mingled, a broad quick CLEAN,
as from lantern, suddenly shaded OF
extinguished, shot across the track not
many yards below, and then all was
darkness and silence.
But that one moment of illumination
had revealed. extraordinary things to
the keen, excited vision of Kate Crown.
| inshield.
! There were men, three or four, she
could not say just how many, but
rough, fierce, wild, and anxious.look-
ing, and before them on the railway
track, from which the rails had been
prled away inst there, was a confused
heap of heavy granite boulders and
fragments. Katie understood it as
clearly as il those Inen had taken her
INTO their confidence, and had told her
in words.
IL was plot to wreck the train
And now she was out in the open air,
/ beyond the upper entrance, and she
could see the peaceful light still shin.
ing from Aunt Betsey's window. But
there was no time to go there for help.
The train must be so very near
Katie did for moment think OF