Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-02-09

tie shaky.
"Aye, aye, sir!" responded Kirke,
and swung himself to his position
on the Flyaway.
The bell rang, l scrambled to my
compartment in the Pullman, and
felt horribly ont of place among the
silks and broadcloths and smells of
musk. But I was in for ''ffrst-class,' -
and made the best of 1t so etfectually
that in FIVE minutes after Gibson,
who fancies he owns all creation be-
cause he has got silver coffin-plate
on his breast with "Conductor" on it,
had shouted, Gall aboardw l was
sound asleep.
What occurred in other quarters
to affect the fate of Kirke's train l
learned afterward.
Old Whately, the superintendent
Of the road, as ! guess have already
said, had a country residence at
Leeds, on a mountain spur, which
commanded a view of the surround
ing co untry for more than score of
miles. The line of the railway
could he distinctly seen in each di-
rection fifteen miles, and Whately
was wont to say that his lookout was
worth more to the safety to trains
than all the telegraph wires on the
line.
Whately was a rich old buffer,
kind enough in his way, but sharp
as ferret in looking after the road
hands, and determined that every
man should do his duty.
He had but one child, daughter;
and Floss Whately was the belle OF
the country. She was brave, beauti-
full and spirited, and more than once
when her father had been away, had
she assumed the responsibility Of di.
rectlng the trains, and she had al
ways acquitted herself with credit.
Old Whately was very proud Of
her, as he had right to be, and he
kept all the young follows at dis
tance, until it was said that he in.
tended keeping his daughter single
till the Gar OF all the Russias came
on to marry her.
This night In November, old
Whately and Floss were out Oh the
piazza Of their country home, peer
ing through the gloom, and fog fol
the signal lights of the Golosha train
which was nearly due.
"It's devlish strange it doesn''
come in sightw said Whately, lay
ing down his mght-glass in disgust
sit is hard on to ten now! They
ought to show their light round
Spruce Pond by this time"
"You telegraphed them, father:
You let them know the pay trair
was on the road?" asked Floss.
"To be sure. And good heavens
there is the head light Of the pay
train now! See! not ten miles away
and running like the devil, as it al
ways does''
He pointed with trembling fnge1
down to the valley gorge, where, tal
away, mere speck in the gloom
could be seen bright light, scarce
ly moving, it seemed, but those anx
ious watchers knew it was approach
ing at lightning speed.
Father and daughter looked Il
each other.
The truth was evident. Fo
some reason the train from Golosh;
was ten minutes behind time, and i
would not reach the siding at Der
ing's Cut until the pay train hat
passed beyond on the single track
And then? Why, then there woult
be another item for the morning pa
pers, to read under the head of cap
palling Railway Disasterw and :
few more homes would be rendered
desolate, and few more heart,
would be made to mourn.
Father and daughter looked a
each other i'll dismay.
SIS there timer" asked the ole
man, trembling.
"Selim can do it," said Flos
quickly. 'If l can reach Leeds five
minutes before the train-yes, two
minutes-all will be well. DO no
stop me, father!" as he laid a hanG
on her arm.
"But you must not go! 1t is dark
and dismally lonely! No, Floss!"
81 shall go, father! Selim knows
only me, and you could not ride
HIM. l have ridden darker nights
and he is the only horse in the sta
BILE! Don't you remember? The
others were sent to town yesterday
Before old Whately could stoE
her, she had ordered the hostler tt
saddle Selim, and she was alread,
buttoning on her riding habit with
rapid, nervous fingers.
The horse came paving to the
door. Floss sprang into the saddle
leaned down and kissed her father,
forehead.
"Pray heaven to speed mel" she
cried, hoarsely, and touching the
horse with her whip, he bounded
down the sharp declivity,
1t was raining steadily now, ant
the gloom was intense, but Selim wal
used to the road, and he was sure
footed, and his rider was courageous
She urged him Oh at the top Of his
speed, up hill and down, through
Pine Valley, over Pulpit Hill, and
then she struck upon the smooth
road which stretches away to Leeds
two miles, and straight as an arrow,
She could see the head light on
the pay train far down the valley
distinctly now, and to her excited
fancy it seemed but stones throw
away. She even thought for a mo-
ment that she heard the grind of the
wheels on the iron track, but no! i,
was only the soughing of the wind
in the pines.
On, and still on she went. Selim
flew. One might have fancied that
he knew his mistress, was on an er
rand of life and death. The lights
of the station were in vicw-nay, she
even saw the station-m masters white
lantern as he strolled up and down
the platform-the white lantern
which was to signal the approaching
train-to tell them to go on, for all
| Al.