The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-07-08

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Lost Lost !" cried the lady, in a
dearest treasures gone Impossible
impossiblel" Tears ran down her cheeks,
and she stopped hurriedly here and
there, casting more glances into the OBJ
security of the car.
Knots of people gathered about her
and about the gentleman. Maxwell has
tily joined the latter. The pocketbook
had been carefully placed in his pocket
at Millington, and he now discovered
that it was gone. 1t contained ivory
portraits of the lady's children and hus-
band, all of whom were now dead, and
also papers of inestimable and peculiar
value.
AT this point the relator cast an invol-
untary glance at the still sleeping sep
tuagenarian. The travellers looked with
extreme compassion upon the weeping
lady, and many attempted to console
her. But, filed with grief, she refused
to be comforted, and fastened up and
down the aisle of the car like one de-
mented
The other gentleman endeavored to
soothe the lady, but instead of yielding
to his prayers to be quiet, she cast her
self upon his breast and gave herself up
anew to grief.
A strange feeling of confusion over
came Maxwell. II turned aside to
study out something that seemed to cling
i'll his head, and he could not tell how it
got there. A half-formed train of pic
lures ran through his mind, all connected
with pocketbook; but all was as misty
ho1 @ol H.,
Any one that had seen his face at this
time would have been startled at the
changes that crossed it. Now it seemed
intelligent, and now it seemed puzzled;
now it seemed to understand something,
and now it seemed tobe more astonished
than ever.
All at once the train gave evidence of
coming to a standstill. 1t slowed grad
ually, and the roar lessened. 1t was
about to stop at Moldhill. Maxwells
mind was one that worked quickly. He
got up and was about to leave the train.
Search that boy!" cried some one.
in moment heavy hand was laid
upon his shoulder. He looked up, and
saw the uncle looking at him with sus-
picious eyes. He passed his hands
down his sides and down his pantaloons
Then he said: " You can CO." and he
released him. The boys indignation
caused the blood to leap into his face
like lightning.
He clenched his hands and gazed after
his insulter with burning eyes. But his
glance fell once more on the prostrated
lady. His sense of honor got the better
of his rage, and in another instant he
was upon the platform of the small sta
ton. In another, he dimly saw the
train move off, and in another it was
beyond his reach, speeding rapidly
away, with it's red lights burning bright
ly behind.
He was alone, or nearly so. 1t was
still quite light, and it would be two
hours before dark. He asked some
questions of the station master.
Are you very well acquainted with
the road, sir?"
" Ought to be-" returned the other,
grlAly, swinging an empty coat sleeve
toward the boy; "used to be brakeman
before 1 had my arm took off.
" Well, do you remember q place,
twelve miles from here, in that direction
(pointing), where there are three pine
trees =
L,
they are on old Gouldings farm. We
always used to whistle when we got
abreast of 'em, fur there's little station
named Goulding's crossing close by,
with a road over the track"
Three trees, are you sure?
Yes. They kinder lean together,
don't they9"
Yes"
Maxwells heart leaped within him.
This part of the notion that was wander
ing in his head, at least, was true.
Can go to Goulding's crossing to-
day?"
"No, for the last down train has
left. You can walk, of course" "
Thank you"
The man went away, wondering.
Maxwell reflected. He must reach the
pine trees in some way, and before eight
o'clock. 1t was then six. Even should
he walk with prodigious swiftness, it
would take thre" hours, and then it
would be dark. He asked a farmer, who
stood near by, about the road. The man
said that it was rough and roundabout.
The boys eye fell upon little brown
building that stood close by the track.
He knew that it CT ntained a handcar.
In moment he was walking toward it.
When he reached it, he looked behind
him. The depot was deserted. He saw
the station master in the distance, walk
ing OFF with little tin box under his
arm.
He was alone. The whole region did
not contain a single man. The lock of
the little house was simple enough. 1t
consisted of a peg OF wood driven into a
hasp. Maxwell pulled it out, opened
the door, and beheld, standing upon its
rails, yellow handcar, with its cranks
extended, as if in welcome. He shivered
a little at his undertaking. He might
be arrested, and locked up in some Jail.
He began to push the car out of the
house. 1t ran out almost of its own ac-
cord. But it made horrible noise.
Maxwell wondered why men didn't come
from everywhere to stop him.
With little or no trouble the car was
turned upon the proper rails, and was
headed for Goulding's crossing. Max
well got upon it, and seized the crank.
In an instant he was of, spinning away
like ligh ming, his slender back going
up and down like a jumping-iack, and
the crank going round and round like q
coffee mill, and all growing rapidly less
and less in the distance.