The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-12-28


A sinking sensation struck in her heart.
What was she to do? Were she gifted
with the flying footsteps Of Mcrcury's
self, she could not get to Miners Arms
in time to avert the impending catostro-
phe And even supposing she could, was
Harry Rivers in condition to compre-
hend what she said to him ? And with
u bitter groan rising from the depth Of
her heart, she realized all the horrors
which have their beginning in the wine
cup.
Suddenly CLEAN Of hope shot athwart
her BRAIN She knew where the switch
key was kept-she remembered having
once seen Harry slip it under projecting
ledge of rocks upon sor. of natural
shelf, secure from dew, rain or tempest
just beyond where she stood. What il
she herself attempt to save the lives oi
the doomed passengers every instant COM
ing nearer their fate The idea and to
act upon it was tclegraphed almost in
simultaneously from brain to hand.
Snatching the key from its resting place,
she stopped in the faint twilight now be-
ginning TO glimmer through the breaking
clouds, and strovo with all tho force Of
her weak woman's strength to move the
iron rails.
God be thanked they strickland
even at that moment in which the great
red eye Of the approaching express train
blazed in the ioggy distance. Hero
dragged the switch into its proper place.
Yet even then she could scarcely be.
lieve that it was right, as with the key
dangling by her side, she leaned painting
against tho rocks until, with a
shrek like that of some fire throatcd
demon Of Avernus, the train swept by,
a dizzy succession Of lighted windows, ,and
darkness and silence again settled down
over her.
Hero Lewis neither tainted nor wept.
She was not of the material that shrlckers
and faintors are made Of, She knew that
she had saved all the lives upon the ex.
press train; she knew that she had avert.
ed a great crime from Harry Rivers
soul, and that was enough for her,
AS she climbed the hillside few min
utes later, she met Harry Rivers stag.
gcring down the road. She stopped him
peromptorily.
"llarrY, whore are you going?"
Don't get in my way, lass, for heav-
ems sake" he cried, in thick uncertain
voice. "It's the midnight express /
| amt quite sure of the switch"
"The midnight express train passed by
fifteen or twenty minutes ago." said Hero
firmly. 81 heard the whistle"
"Are you sure 2"
"Quite sure"
"Then God have mercy on my SOUL"
said Rivers, fairly sobered at last by the
shock.
"You need have no fears" said Hero,
coldly. 81 was there. turned the
switch"
"You?"
Eyes, l. have seen you do it. l
know where the key was kept"
Hero" cried Rivers with strong sob
in his throat, "you are my guardian an.
GEL Hero, you are woman among q
thousand. Kiss me, my darling"
"Never again, Harry Rivers" she an.
swered, shrinking from him. This night
has opened my eyes. Hereafter We are
the merest strangers to one another"
So she left him, scarcely believing the
evidence of his own senses.
The next day his formal dismissal from
the service Of the railroad company camo
and he accepted it without protest. He
knew how dark record would have lain
against his name had Hero chosen to
speak, and did not hazard remonstrance
AS for Hero herself, she never saw him
again.
my girl said Uncle Royal, "you orc
worthy Of your name. And believe me
you never could have respected Harry
Rivers as wife should respect her hus.
band"
huV" A., U.-~i-,'. - --is, .~~iJ.
But alone, within the depths of hel
own soul, she kept the secret oe the mid
night exnress train.