The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1877-06-16

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work Of his mad hands
''It'll crush the Red Bird" he said,
turning away, and put him out of my path
forever"
The last words, full of devils triumph,
still quivered on his lips, when Ytol step
ped from the shadows and thrust the muz-
zle Of her revolver into his face
He st arted back with q cry Of horror and
muttered her name.
'This is your revenge, Morgan Duke, "
she said looking sternly into his eyes.
Now, obey my commands, or there will
be a lifeless body on this track, to be
mingled among the RUNS Of the night ex-
press. To work at once. Off with your
coat, and remove from the track every OBJ
struction your wicked hands have placed
there!'
He looked at her, and curse fell from
his lips.
''The train can't be saved now, he said,
and there was joy to his tones. sit took
one long hour to ohstruct the guard. In
twenty minutes. or less, perhaps, you'll
see the Red Birds head-l light up the cut. {"
"Villsinl" she cried, IF this track is
not clear whenI see hsr headlight, : Ii Ii
drive bullet through your BRAIN You
know What to do ] will talk no longer!'
Covered by her revolver as he was, Nor
gan Duke, the station master, doffed his
coat and fell to work.
Gtol never took her eyes from him, and
the silvery moon that rested over the cut
showed his every movement. He was up
on the pile Of ties, hurting them, one by
ne, with the strength of a modern Sam
son, upon the not over-wide grade. He
worked for life, for he knew when the
laundering train was due, and glance al
the girl on the track told him that she
would certainly slay hun if he did not do
her bidding.
Once she said to him, as he paused for
breath before attacking the ties which he
had driven into the guard
II never thonght this Of you. Morgan
Duke. When | rejected you, | thought
you would bear it like man"
lie rePled not, bur glanced at his
watch.
"Half past twelve he said.
TO work WAS the stern command, and
ltol, stepping forW ard, brought the revol-
yer nearer his head
He tugsed at the ties with great strength,
and large drops of perspiration stood bold
ly out on his forehead.
81 can't move them, he said at last,
tnrnin, upon ltol.
''1ou must Was ,he reply
=. dro, them III with the sledge.'
IL did not hear the sound"
1T was deadened with my coat"
The girls face grew paler than ever, and
she glanced fearfully up the cut.
Take them ouI Il she said suddenly
the tram Is coming. | heard it,
The vi..sInuus station master heard the
rumbing, and again turned to the ties.
You have your choice" Ytol said to
him. "A bullet, or an unobstructed track
She watched him as woman Lever watch
od man before. She knew that he was
doing all that could Ice done to undo his
wicked work, and while she watched her
heart grew still beneath the rumble Of the
express
He Il soon call me. she sald to her
self There, there
The familiar shrieks cleft the cool Oc-
tpber arr, bat they brought no Joy to her
heart. She Was not at the old window
bedside the light he loved to hail from his
engine. Perhaps she would be ths first to
kiss his ocld brow beneath the stars in
GWynns Cut. She almost shouted for iny
when she saw the first tie drawn from the
-7Iard by the desperate man
Quick the sicdge break the guard"
she cried
Goods ! never thought of that he
said, and the next moment he waslshatter-
ing the guard with the heavy iron ham
mer.
At last the last piece was broken, and
he thrust the other ties down into the long
opening he had made
At the moment the train, rounding the
curve, dashed into the cut, and the flash
ing d-light, not twenty feet away, al
most blinded the eyes of the twain.
Morgon Duke stepped from the track
and threw himself upon the heap of dis
ordered ties, utterly exhausted, he saw
triumph in the girls eyes, and watched
her as the tram came on.
Oh, for strength to hurl her upon the
track and beneath the wheels Of the thun-
derlng train! Her revolver had ceased to
cover him, but he could not have lifted
child.
The train dashed by,
ltol saw her lovers face for a moment,
and an exclamation of thankfulness welled
from her heart. He was safe, and the
precious lives that he carried westward
had escapee Morgan Ddke's machination
you're a worker, Morgan Duko," she
said te him, smiling We will separate
here.
He looked at her for a moment in ST.
lence.
Are you going TO telll' he said at last
such men as you are dangerous
Then you are going to expose met
IL am"
He did not reply.
They parted forever there. Morgan
Duke was never caught by the officers of
the law, but justice afterward overlook
him. The iron wheels Of a mad tram
crushed him on the track.
The company presented ltol with a
beautiful house, when her husband took
charge Of the car-shops. know she will
never forget her night i'll Gwynn's Cut
with her rejected lover.
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