Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1876-04-06
g,
out myself whether he is to be trust

out myself whether he is to be trust
ed or not"
The Miners Arms, at the corner
of three roads, was alight as she ap
preached it, and from the wide, oper
easement she could hear the uproari
ous chorus of song, the clinking o.
glasses and the harsh sound of besot
ted laughter. And lifting a trail Of
scarlet-leaved 'woodbine which form
ed q natural curtain to one of the
windows, Hero Lewis peeped in.
With sinking heart and chilled
sensation of despair she saw Harry
Rivers rise, staggering to his feet
With brimming glass in his hand,
and propose some hiccoughing toast,
which was received with noisy APP
plause BY the riotous assemblage.
Hero did not wait to hear more.
Dropping the woodbine once more
she hurried away with a white, set
face.
..Gad helpme! God be merciful
to mem she murmured; "for the idol
whom worshipped has fallen to the
groundr
Just at that moment the far-off
whistle of train smote the silence
of the night-a sudden, CHASTITY pos
sibility took possession of Hero's
heart.
"The midnight expressi" she NUT
tered to herself, '"and he dead drunk
in that bar -roomr
Hurrying down a steep ravine,
Needless of scratching briers and
cruelty piercing thorns that rent her
dress and drew the blood from her
tender skin, she sprang like a wild
deer down the declivity, scarcely
pausing for breath until she reached
the iron track in the valley below,
where side rail marked the ihtersee-
ting course of little freight road.
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. IL
Had he remembered to do
night, or was the long, heavily-laden,
express from the west even now rum
ming onward to destruction?
Hero knelt to feel the track. Her
deadly doubt had too much founda-
tion, 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
forehead, 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
surprising that she could, was Harry
Rivers in condition to comprehend
-yl,at she said to Kim. And V"
bitter gruau rising up np -
depths of her heart, she realized all
the horrors which have their begin
ming and end in the wine cup.
Suddenly a CLEAN of hope shot
athwart her brain. She knew where
the switch key was kept-she remem-
bered having once seen Harry slip it
under projecting ledge of rock, upon
sort of natural shelf, secure from
the dew, rain or tempest. just beyond
where she stood. Snatching the
key from its resting place, she stoop-
ed in the starlight, now beginning to
glimmer through the clouds, and
strove with every force of her weak
woman's strength to move the iron
rails.
God be thankful! they stirred
they grated in their sockets-and
even at the very moment at which
the fiery red eye of the approaching
express train blazed in the foggy dis
tance, Hero dragged the switch into
its proper place.
Yet even then she could scarcely
believe it was right, as with the key
dangling at her side, she leaned pant
ing against the rocks until, with a
shrek like that of some five-throated
demon of Avernus, the train swept
by, dizzy succession of lighted win
dows. and darkness and silence swept
over her.
As she climbed the hillside n few
minutes later she met Harry Rivers
staggering down the road. She stop
ped him peremptorily.
"Harry, where are you goingT
"Don't get in my way, my lass,
for Heavens sake" he cried, in a
thick, uncertain voice. "It's the
midnight express; II. amt quite
certain about the switch "
"The midnight express train pass
ed fifteen or twenty minutes ago."
said Hero, firmly. 81 heard it whis-
tle."
"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. 81 was there. 1 turn
ed the switch"
"Your
"Yes, /. 1 had seen you do it.
knew where the key was kept"
"Hero," cried Rivers with strong
throb in his throat, 'you are my
guardian angel. Hero, you are a wo-
man among 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 another"
So she left him, scarcely believing
his own senses.
Next day his formal dismissal from
the service of the railroad company