The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-09-13

they were made, and would do wonders al
concealing everything she had to do and
wished to cUnceal.
The little lantern In her hand ready Il
light, the matches in her pocket. and Z
brave heart under Carl's heavy jacket
gave Minnie courage.
The river twisted itself in and Out
among the high hills, and by the rive,
ran for miles on miles the railroad, TO-
ward which Minnie took her way. Mwal
. bleak, lonely walk through the SNOW
and the night for girl at only twelve
years, hut Johns Minnie was mot afraid
for herself. Once she thought she saw
some one approaching; she left The track
and went into conssealment among the pine
trees that skirted the river bank, but NJ
one appeared.
Through the night came . rush and {
roar; 1t VA the train that Minnie knew
had passed in safety the place where tht
train-wreckers meant to do their work
The engine-driver, looking out, saw The
boy on the track In that lonely spot, and
gave awhistle of warning. Minnie quick.
y obeyed it and ran LIGHTLY aside, waiting
for the train to 60 whirring ON It's way.
Nov must hurry" she thought
the other train will be along soon," and
she tried to step from sleeper to sleeper
through the snow. At last, almost ready
to lie down with WEAKNESS and sleep, she
came to the long, long stretch Of straight
track where she knew the train men mas
see Ter lantern, if she began tosignal with
it the instant the head. ght could be seen
At the further end of the long line Of
straight track there was . bridge over the
river. Minnie thought she should surely
hear the train when IL Numbered through
the bridge, and that would be the minute
In which she would jump up and
run and swing her lantern with all heI
might, and keep on swinging it until the
train should slow down and stop. After
that she didn't know just what, but she
lit her lantern without fear of any persons
being down upon her, for there was moi
within sight either miners cabin or lum.
berman's lodge. She sat down on q rock
within shelter from the wind which still
tumbled the light snow from side to side
of the track, and waited.
John Jansen returned to his home 81
half past nire O'Clock, looked, a. was his
custom, into Min0ie's room, into the boys
room, kissed the twine, said good.
night" to his wife, and went out again, not.
withstanding her entreaty that he would
stay at home.
Outside the cabin the great savage
miner stood and wrung his hands in vain
agony. It was all of no use; he had
Joined the organization of evil workers,
and he could not get out of its rule. He
knew that the words he had spoken since
the afternoon, urging delay until another
night, had caused every movement to be
watched hat he made, but John Jansen
would have given anything that he pos
thing he himself had plotted and planned.
he made his way back to his friends.
ting still under the shelter of the great
rock, and the moaning needles of the
pending pine trees over her head lulled
her drowsy ears.
"This won't do at allr' she said,
springing up at the very instant the huge
headlight OF the locomotive engine
dashed itself and the train after it into the
bridge.
By the time 1t emerged the little signal.
maker was on the track, racing down TO-
ward it, swinging the lantern around her
head. up and down, to and fro, from side
to side.
The fireman on the tender, locking out,
said to the driver:
LOOK Quit There's light ahead"
He glanced down the long line, saw the
waving glimmer of brave Minnie's Ian
tern, and whistled for brakes.
Slower and slower grew the motion of
the cars, laden with precious human lives.
The headlight came near and utterly
blinded the lantern light that Minnie still
held.
Down from the engine sprang the two
men. Up walked to meet them Johns
Minnie.
"What the mischief, you boy, you, do
you mean, stopping the train in this
way?" shouted the foremost man, spring.
ing forward to seize her arm.
"Ohl" cried Minnie, whether from
pain or fright she herself could not tell.
-" had to stop you, or you'd 60 off into
the river, and there wasn't anybody else
to tell"
What's the matter ~
1.-The track is torn up down by the
bend" said Minnie.
"Come up on the engine, youngster,
with me" said the driver.
"Oh, no, noi' gasped Minnie. IL
should be killed if anybody found me out
a.teliing. I can't 60; but I've told true
oh, Aoce!''
With the words Minnie blew out the
fame in her lantern, and darted into the
pine woods just as the conductor came
forward.
A few minutes later Minnie, from her
safe covert, saw the train slowly moving
onward until it passed from sight.
She had done her best, and now she
must get home. The wav was long, and
Minnie was tired enough to lie down in
the soft moW, bat she kept on and on,
meeting no one in the still night. She
came within sight of her home. There
was . light in the window shining through
the leafy curtain of geranium.
Minnie crept softly up, taking long
steps to at her feet into the prints made
by larger feet than hers that lead up to
the door.
She peeped cautiously in. There sat
her weary, invalid mother, softly rocking
one of the twins in her arms. Minnie
saw that she was weeping, and she novel
nearer the window and tapped very gently
on the glass.
The mother-ear heard the sound. She
moved, and baby began to cry. Never
was baby-cr moro welcome. Under cover
of the sound Minnie opened the door, slid
softly in, having removed her boots out
side, and, crossing the room, gained her
own without having disturbed the heavy
sleep of her father.
In three minutes more the girl stood in
her nighs-clothes by her mothers side, Of
fering to take the baby, for the other baby
had Joined In the cry.
"Oh, mother, motherr' whispered Min
ME: ~ did It; and, oh, I'm 50 happy, !
Don't speak," whispered her mother.
I" Go into the kitchen, open the oven door,
and you'll find something warm to eat.
I'll come out"
When Mrs. Jansen went out she told
Minnie she knew she had saved the train.
How, m0therf''
"Your father came home Q happier
man than I have seen him since the
troubles came; and, Minnie, he has prom
ised that, come what may, he will have
nothing to do with harming man, woman,
or child from this night"
''And / saved father from being muir.
derer-didn't I, motheri Oh, hope he
viii nevea find il out. +"
Two days later the region " al about