Connecticut western news., 1877-08-17
The Obstructed Track.

aAk sWdS cEIep tutSuIA LII OCtOUSE, duO the wind rustled the leaves in the woods ! that Surrounded Yto1 vathek's house. Above the fair girl who looked out of 8 small dormitory window, Ishone count less stars she might have seen Bootes and Orion had she looked up, but that night the worlds of heaven had no at- | traction for her. .A l" .5- .stA =~ -.
 sShe ,was4istening to g strange sound borne from the west by the nocturnal breeze that chilled her cheek. I might -a have said with propriety succession of sounds, for 1t seemed that some persons were cording wood or moving heavy g timbers not far away. Save this noise, :, the night was quiet, and she. heard without interruption from the window of her simple boudoir. ,..e.f,so-,.- essf believe itisin Gwynne's Cut" she said at last to herself. s'Perhaps some villain Is obstructing the track for dew 2 nishpnrposes. Phe Red Bird will soon , bssdpe, and this is Eds trip down.D s Her face grew trife paer,s as she spoke, anda:momentl lateE she stood be- fofefhe ancient walr lnlone of the lower rooms.
 The moonbeams stealing in at the window, fell upon the face of the dial, and told Ytol that itwas twelve o'clock.
 "Twelve!', she murmured., "What :! twelve o'clock, and he whistles to me at half pastl My heavensl swhat7if the track is obstructed in the cut!"
 With the last word on her lips she turned and soon left the house.
 At the gate she pauseda a moment and listened. The sounds were still to be heard, and she believed hatthey eman- ated from 8 spot in the cut near the cat tle-guard. Then she started forward again, and crossed the meadow that lay between her home and her destination.
 The stars looked down upon little object that glittered like silver in Ytol Vathek's hand. It was revolver, and her fingers held 1t firmly. Once or twice she glanced at it as if to satisfy herself that itwas there. Then she looked up again with anSair of deter imitation.
 She was the belle of the-country she inhabited. Her father was dead, and, withRher widowed mother and little brother of twelve, she dweltin the hum -ble house won by the sweat of that fathers brow. "A railway station called Beaumont was theonly settlement near, and 1t was six miles from her home She seldom went thither, for there was no society there, and she could enjoy herself better at home,
 The track of iron was the making oi Beaumont, for the road was new, and towns were springing up all along the line. Ytol could see the cars from hel window, and often had she sat there until the flaming headlight of the mid night express had appeared and disap peared. An opening in the woods en abled her to see the light for a moment and then the lighted windows of tho coaches. ....-. ..5
 Did the engineer know that she wa watchlng-Ihat his engine gave twt shrill shrieks as it reached the opening two shrieks that seemed to say, ''Ytol -Ytol?'' She always smiled when sh' heard the sounds, and with the. smile lingering on her face, or blush, sh would listen to the rumbling of the trail as it died away beyond the crampe' boundaries of uncommercial Beaumont
 That brace of shrieks, loud and shrill told her who drove that engine towar' the great city on the Mississippi's banks They recalled the day, one year since when the first engine she had ever seel stopped at Beaumont, scarcely statio then. The engineer was young an handsome, and when he saw her exam ing the great driving-wheels, and look ing with wonderment upon the might beauties of his iron pet; he leaped to tn ground. ...
 ''A pretty piece of machinery" h said to her, 'and she goes like bird.
 She blushed when she caught his eye and the sound of his voice thrilled he1
 Overcoming her timidity. he helpe her into his cosy apartment on the CT zine and explained to her the wondrou meek Eanism of the beautiful. monster Then he said goodbye, and she saw tn train move of, and his hat waving fror the engine was the last thing she say as 1t darted around the curve.
 ls A week later she found herself at tn station talking to him again. TheI meeting seemed purely accidental, an no doubt it was such; but am sure ths