The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-10-26

room and Kirke's watch indicated Z. 40
Kirke was putting his watch in hi
pocket as he said:
II Garth, are you going with me on th'
!, Flyaway:
; "No, thank ye," said l, II get enough
of that sort OF thing in my everyday
life; am to do little swell business to
night, and take passage in palace car
Want to rest my back. Goodnight tC
ye, and hold her in well around Rocky
Bottom curve. The road is little
shaky."
"Aye, aye, STRIP responded Kirke
and he swung himself into position on
the Flyaway.
The bell rang; I scrambled into my
compartment on the Pullman, and felt
horribly out of place among the silks and
broadcloths and smell of musk; but
was in for first class ride, and made
the best of 1t SO effectually that five min.
utes after Gibson, who fancies he owns
all creation, because he has silver cof
fin plate on his breast with conductor
on it, had shouted Cali aboard |" was
sound asleep.
What occurred in other quarters to
affect the fate of Kirke's train learned
afterward.
Old Whately, the superintendent of
the road, as l guess / have already said,
had country residence in Leeds, OH a
mountain spur, which commanded a
view of the surrounding country for
more than score of miles. The line of
the railroad could be distinctly seen
in each direction for fifteen miles, and
Whately was wont to say that his look
out was worth more to the safety of
trains than all the telegraph wires on the
road.
Whately was rich old buffer, kind
enough in his way, but sharp as ferret
in looking after the road hands, and de-
termined that every man should do his
duty.
He had but one child, daughter; and
Floss Whately was the belle of the
country. She was brave, beautiful, and
spirited, and more than once, when her
father had been away, had she assumed
the responsibility of directing the trains,
and she had always acquitted herself
with credit.
Old Whately wasvery proud of her, as
he had right to be, and kept all the
young fellows at distance, until it was
said that he intended keeping his daugh-
ter single till the Gear of all the Russias
came on to marry her.
This night in November old Whately
and Floss were out on the piazza OF their
country home, peering through the gloom
and fog for the signal lights of the Go
losha train which was nearly due.
cts devilish strange it doesn't come
in sight" said Whately, laying down
his night-glass in disgust. "It is hard
on to ten now! They ought to show
their light round Spruce Pond by this
time I"
"You telegraphed them, father ?. You
let them know the pay train was on the
road T' asked Floss.
To be sure. And, good heavens /!
there is the headlight on the pay train |
now! See not len miles away, and run
ming like the deuce, as it always does !"
He pointed with trembling finger down
to the valley forge, where, far away, a
mere speck in the gloom, could be seen
bright light. scarcely moving, it seemed,
but these anxious watchers knew it was
approaching at lightning speed.
Father and daughter Looked at each
other.
The truth was evident. For some
reason or other the train from Golosha
was ten minutes behind time, and it
would not reach the siding at Deering's
Cut until the pay train had passed be-
yond on the signal track. And then?
Why, there would be another item for
the morning papers to read under the
the head of " Appalling Railway Disas-
teri" and few more homes would be
made to mourn.
Father and daughter looked at each
other in dismay.
"Selim can do it," said Floss, quickly.
eff can reach Leeds five minutes be-
fore the train-yes, two minutes-all
will be we'll. DO not stop me, fatherw
as he laid his hand on her arm.
"But you must not go! 1t is dark and
dismally lonelyl No, Flossr'
"Shall go, father? Selim knows on
ly me, and you could not ride him. l
have ridden darker nights. And he is
the only horse in the stable. Don't you
remember? The others were sent to town
yesterday"
Before old Whately could stop her she
had ordered the hostler to saddle Selim,
and she was already buttoning on her
riding habit, with rapid, nervous fin
gers.
The horse came paving to the door,
Floss sprang into the saddle, leaned down
and kissed her fathers forehead.
"Pray heaven to spare me !" she cried
hoarsely, and touching her horse with
her whip, he bounded swiftly down the
shorp declivity.
1t was raining steadily now, and the
gloom was intense, but Selim was used to :
the road, and the rider was courageous. !
She urged him on at the top of his speed I
up hill and down, through Pine Valley, ,,
over Pulpit Hill, and then she struck /,
upon the smooth road which stretched
away to Leeds, some two miles, and
straight as an arrow.
She could see the headlight on the
pay train far down in the valley distinct
y now, and to her excited fancy it .
seemed but stones throw away. She
sven thought for a moment that she
heard the grind of the wheels on the
track, but it was only the signing of the .
wind in the pines.
On and still on she went. Selim
'.o"S" W ny Obo hiiBnJ nave lanCteu :
hat he knew his mistress was on an er- ,
rand OF life and death. The lights of
The station were in view-nay, she even
.aw the station masters white lantern
Is he rolled up and down the platform
tho white lantern which was to signal !
he approaching train-to tell them to
70 on, for all was well! On to their
loom!
She dashed across the track, flung the ,
inc to an amazed bystander, and, strik- /,
ng the white lantern from the hand OF
,he astonished official, she seized the om- !,
nous red lantern from its hook, and
'pringing upon the track, waved it in /,
he very teeth of the coming train. >
Two sharp, short whistles told her that !
ler signal was seen, and moment later r
he train came to stop, and officers !