The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-03-30

me J! she murmered; "for the idol
whom ! worshiped has fallen to the
groundp
Just at that moment the far-off whistle
OF train smote the silence of the night
"a sudden, CHASTITY possibility took pos
session of Hero's heart.
THE midnight express % she NUT.
tered to herself, "and he dead drunk in
that bar.roomW
Hurrying down steep ravine, heed
less of scratching briers and cruelty
piercing thorns that rent her dress and
drew the blood from her tender skin, she
sprang like wild deer down the decliv.
ity, scarcely pausing for breath until she
reached the iron track in the valley be-
low, where side rail marked the inter.
secting course of a little freight road that
led away to the north. At six every
morning and evening the freight trains
passed over the road bed, and it was
among Harry Rivers most important
duties to turn the switch that connected
this branch with the main track, after
the freight train had gone by.
Had he remembered to do so tonight,
or was the long, hcavily-laden express
from the west even now running onward
to destruction?
Hero knelt to feel the track. Her
deadly doubt had too much foundation,
in fact-the switch had not been altered
since the freight train came up at six
o'clock.
A chill dew then beaded over her fore
head, a sinking sensation struck to her
heart. What was she to do? Was she
gifted with the steps of Mercury's self
she could not 60 to the Miners Arms in
time to avert the impending catastrophe.
And even suppesing that she could, was
Harry Rivers in condition to compre-
hend what she said to him. And, with
bitter groan rising up from the depths
of her heart, she realized all the horrors
which have their beginning and end in
the wine cup.
Suddenly gleam of hope shot athwart
her brain. She knew where the switch
key. was kept-she remembered having
once seen Harry slip it under project
ing ledge of rock, upon a sort of natural
shelf, secure from the dew, rain or tenn
pest, Just beyond where she stood.
Snatching the key from its resting place,
she stopped in the starlight, now begin
ming to glimmer through the clouds, and
strOve with every force of her weak
woman's strength to move the iron rails.
God be thanked! they stirred-they
grated in their sOckets-and, even at the
very moment in which the fiery red eye
Of the approaching express train blazed
in the foggy distance, Hero dragged the
switch into its proper place.
Va< ax,on &bo, ,Lo oo,,Il .oo.oa1.. L.
lieve that IL was right, as with the key
dangling by her side, she leaned painting
against the rocks until, with shrek
like that of some five-throated demon of
Avernus, the train swept by, a dizzy
succession of lighted windows, and dark
ness and silence swept over her.
As she climbed the hillside few min
utes later she met Harry Rivers stag
gering down the road. She stopped him
peremptorily.
Harry, where are you goingw
Don't get in my way, my lass, for
Heavens sake," he cried, in thick, un-
certain voice. cts the midnight ex-
press; II amt quite sure about the
switch"
The midnight express train passed
by fifteen or twenty minutes ago." said
Hero, firmly. 81 heard it whistle"
"Are you sure?
"Quite sure"
"Then God have mercy on my soul %
cried Rivers, fairly sobered at last by the
shock.
You need have no fears" said Hero,
coldly. "I was there. l turned the
switch"
"YOuW %
eyes 1. I had seen you do it. knew
where the key was kept"
"Hero," cried Rivers with a strong
throb in his throat, "you are my guar
dian angel. Hero, you are a woman
among a thousand. Kiss me, darling"
Never again, Harry Rivers" she
answered, shrinking from him. "This
night has opened my eyes. Hereafter
we are the merest strangers to one an
other"
So she left him, scarcely believing the
evidence of his own senses.
Next day his formal dismissal from
the service of the railroad company
came, and he accepted it without a pro-
test. He knew how dark record would
have lain against his name had Hero
chosen to speak, and he dared not hazard
remonstrance.
As for Hero herself, she never saw him
again.
my GIRL" said Uucle Royal, "you
are worthy of your name. And, believe
me, you never could have respected
Harry Rivers as wife should her hus-
band"
"I know it, Uncle" she said softly.
But always within the depths of her
own soul she kept the secret of the mid
niuht eYpress train