Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-08-22

Ills Collected manner relSsured me.
Was this all? A ride through the rain
was not much. ''Of course | VIII 90"
He grasped my hand firmly. Are
yor cai,uus n he said, as he held it in
his " steady grasp.
Nonsense" replied, laughing; I'm
be ready in five minutes, il its import
ant. Is the horse here?'
ran up for my waterproof. When |
came down the horse was at the door
and McCausland was inspecting him. |
mounted. Now" | said, for this
great message, if you please Me-
Causland's tone had something very
solemn in it, as he replied:
Tell the station-master at Ammering
Junction, and any person You see, that
the South Reservoir will not last three
hours. 1t will burst down the valley,
and will destroy the Apps Niaduct, and
carry away the bridges on the Homes
dale Branch. Stop the travel and save
the passengers. God bless you; and
bark ye, ride for your life. | will fire
the signal cannon as Il warning. Good
bye"
Ammering junction was some miles
away. My route lay through an I'M
known country, across moorland inter
sected by flooded streams and swept by
the fierce wind and rain.
must do it, | thought, as my horse
picked his cautious way amid the loose
stones down the steep by-road we had
assembled the previous day. should
need all my strength, though, to execute
my task, so | pressed on. A valuable
slice out of my time had been eXpend-
ed when | reached the broad highway
and urged the horse to speed. | had to
turn off again, | knew, but | fancied |
should easily find the path. Besides,
was there not "a sign-post?
/ reached the turning and pulled up
to read the direction l should take. |
nearly tainted with horror as read.
The fatal finger pointed up the cross
road | was pursuing-to Holmesdale
and Seaham. The opposite index
to Ruddell and Ammering. | could
scarcely credit my senses. Surely, |
was right. We had come up the previ-
Gus day, and up the hill to the reser-
voirs. l had merely to reverse the
route we had travelled. This was a ter
rible mistake. 1t was now past six
o'clock. One of the three precious
hours had elapsed, and l was further
from Ammering than when | started.
| was seized with despair, What could
| do now? Two hours remained and l
had three up hill miles to ride, and then
fore | could reach the junction, and
before that the trains mighthave started,
and them!
| bnrst out into a cold perspration at
the thought, and then, desperate and
only half conscious, rode madly back
to the Ammering road and up the hill
again.
The SUBMITS of the n%eighboring hills
were shrouded in n veil of mist, but far
i'll advance, on the level, | could trace
the railroad line. From the elevation
at which | stood, | could trace the chan
mel of the Apps river down the valley,
and could guess the spot at which the
flood would strike the railroad, and the
branch line ovcr the spur of the hill.
| could just distinguish the junction in
the middle distance. A dark smoke
appeared to be rising from it; an engine
perhaps waiting to start with Il train,
and | was lingering on the hill. All
this, and more | could perceive as
rested on the summit. Somewhat re-
freshed, rode manfully forward into the
storm.
How my horse kept his feet | do not
to this hour understand.
| was quite alone, not a human being
in sight. but suddenly the whistle of a
locomotive was carried to my ears. An
engine moved out of the station. An
other whistle shortly afterwards. That
train was safe. watched it glide away
over the viaduct. Five minutes later
| rode into tho station, and called for the
station master. As | dismounted the
clock struck eight. The time was up,
and no signal from McCausland. Telc-
graphing would now be easy. A por-
ter came out in response to my sum
mons:
"I'm sorry you lost the express he
began.
II don't want the train" | replied
Il must telegraph at once through.
Where is the station master?'
Hell be here in Il minute. But we
can't telegraph. The wires are all blown
down. We had to send q pilot with
the express to clear the line up to Hand
leigh"
"Not telegraph! | tell you mar |
must stop the traffic. The South
Holmesdale Reservoir will burst this
very hour"
Can that be true?' inquired IA cool,
gentlemanly man ut my elbow. 1t was
the station master himself.
"True!' | echoed. 1T is only too
true. have ridden to tell you. We