The star of Pascagoula. [volume] (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1873-1878, 1877-07-27

Wasthis allY A ride through the rain was
not much. "Of course, / will CO."
He grasped my hand firmly. care
you nervous?" he said, as he held it in
his own steady grasp.
Nonsense" | replied, laughing /; "Tll
be ready in five minutes if it's important.
Is the horse here %
ran up for my waterproof, When |
came down the horse was at the door, and
McCausland inspectingh him. mounted.
|. "Now," | said, 'for this great mes
sage, if you please" McCausland's tone
had something very solemn in it, as he
replied
Tell the station-master at Ammering
Junction, and any people you see, that
the south reservoir will not last three
hours. 1T will bust down the valley, and
will destroy the Apps viaduct, and carry
away the bridges on the Holmesdale
branch. Stop the traffic, and save the
passengers. God bless you and, bark
ye, ride for your life. | will fire the sig
nal cannon as a 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 az
cended the previous day. | should need
all my strength, though, to execute my
task, so | pressed on. A valuable slice
out ofmy time had been expended when
raophaI tho broad h,.bu,n, nrI ,s..l
my horse to speed. | had to turn off
again, | knew, but | fancied | should
easily find the path. Besides, was there
not a sign-p0st?
| reached the turning and pulled up to
read the direction | should take. |
nearly tainted with horror as | read. The
fatal finger pointed up the crOss-road |
was pursuing--To Holmesdale and Sea
ham. The opposite index pointed-to
Ruddall and Ammering. ! could scarce
credit my senses. Surely | was right
We had come up the previous day, and
up the hill to the reservoirs. | had merely
to reverse the route | had Travelled. This
was a terrible mistake. 1t was now past 6
o'clock. One of the three precious hours
had elapsed, and | was further from Am
than when | started. | was
seized with despair; whatever could | do
now? Two hours remained, and | had
three uphill miles to ride, and then
about seven more across the moor before
| could reach the Junction, and before
that the trains might have started, and
thIen-!
| burst out into a cold perspiration 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 neighboring hills
were shrouded in a veil Of mist, but far
n advance, on the level, | could trace
.he railroad line. From the elevation
1t which | stood, | could trace the chan.
lel of the Apps river down the valley;
md could guess the spot at which
he flood would strike the railroad, and
ne branch line over the spur of the hill.
could just distinguish the Junction in
he middle distance. A dark smoke
ppeared to be rising from it an engine
waiting to start with a train, I.
nd | was lingering on the hill. All
bis, and more, / could perceive as l
ested on the summit. Somewhat refresh
| rode manfully forward into the ,
.orm.
How my horse kept his feet l do not
} this hour understand.
| was quite alone, not a human being
but suddenly the whistle ola 10.
Dmotive was carried to my ears. An !
ngine moved out of the station. An I
whiutla Gl,nrt1u oIta, uorl That \
ain was safe. | watched it glide away 4
YER the viaduct. Five minutes later | |
)de into the station, and called for the :
ation>master. As dismounted the :
ock struck eight. The time was up ;
I'd no signal from McCausland. Tele- |
would now be easy. A porter =,
me out in response to my summons. :
ppm sorry we lost the express" =
began.
81 don't want the train, " | replied, q =
ust telegraph at ice through. Where I
the station-master ?" '
Hell be here in a minute. But we q
telegraph. The wires are blown n
'wn. we had to send a pilot with the :
press to clear the line up to Hand l.
! \
"Not telegraph tell you, man, Unjust /
OPP the traffic. The South Holmesdale Il
will burst this very hour" L
"Can that be true ?" inquired a cool, =
ntlemanly nan at my elbow. 1t was Il
e staion-master himself. d
True ~ echoed. at is only too a a
lie. l have ridden to tell you. We ~
stop the trains" 81
The excursion leaves Handleigh at Il
%" unused the station-master. " There u,
az be time; come with me-" He Is
ossed the line and entered a shed oppo- " -
e. | followed. Just then a loud boom "
: sound rent the air. The sound came III
from the hills like thunder.
1T is the signal, " l exclaimed. The
ter is out. Heaven help us now !"
The station-master called out. A clean. in
appeared. as that engine ready?" in
eyes, sir, waiting for the excursion" W,
run and open the points. Now, sir, ca
B up. lis
[ obeyed mechanically and before / W,
tie realized the situation we had crossed az
the up line. The station-master gu
pped to get a red flag and give a few re,
tructions to bis subordinates. ] now so
that we were to race the flood.
am versus water. Which would i'll
tn
\ whistle; we started, "The flood, DO
food " shouted the porter. We ne
ned one glance up the valley. A NOV tn:
brown wall, capped with a snowy orr
ye, vas tearing down the devoted wo
No time to lose. go ahead" the
ID the station-master. | turned on hir
I'M, put the lever on another "notch," so
the race began in earnest the
t was an exciting race, and one never sta
be forgotten. On rolled the flood. hin
were running meek and neck" for trol
terrible half minute. Now the re- rail