Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1878-05-08
THE INSTRUCTED TRACT.

a1 IhAOls
On crisp night in October, til
wind rustled the leaves in th
woods that surrounded Ytol Va
thek's house.
Above the fair girl who locke
out of a small dormitory window
shown countless stars she nigh
have seen Bootes and Orion ha,
she looked up, but that night tn
worlds Of heaven had no attraction
for her.
She was listening to a strapg,
sound borne from the west by tn,
nocturnal breeze that chilled bel
cheek. / might have said, will
propriety, secession Of sounds
for it seemed that some per.
sons were cording wood or NOV.
ing heavy timbers not far away
Save this noise the night was quiet,
and she heard without interruption
from the simple boudoir.
81 believe it is in Gwynne's cut >
she said at last, to herself. per-
baps some villain is obstructing the
track for devilish purposes. The
Red Bird will soon be due and this
rs Eds trip down."
Her face was a trifie paler, as she
spoke, and a moment later she
stood before the ancient wall sweep
ing in one of the lower rooms.
The moonbeams stealing in at
the window, fell upon the face of
the dial, and told Ytol that it was
twelve o'clock.
Twelve" she murmured. "What!
twelve o'clock, and he whistles to
me at half pastl My heavens
what If the track is INSTRUCTED in
the cut!"
With the last word on her lips,
she turned and soon left the house.
At the gate she paused moment
and listened. The sounds were
still to be heard, and she believed
that they emanated from the spot
in the cut near the cattle-guard.
Then she started forward again,
crossed the meadow that lay be-
tween her home and her destina-
ton.
The stars looked down upon a
Frttle object that glittered like
silver in Ytol Vathek's hand. It
was revolver, and her fingers held
it firmly. Once or twice she glanc-
ed at 1t as il to satisfy herself that
1t was there. Then she looked up
again with an air of determination.
She was the belle of the country
she inhabited. Her father was
dead, and, with her widowed moth
er and little brother of twelve,
she dwelt in the humble house won
by the sweat Of her fathers brow.
A railway station called Beaumont,
was the only settlement near, and
it was six miles from her home.
She seldom went tbither, for there
was no society there, and she could
enjoy herself better at home.
The track of iron was the max
ing Of Beaumont, for the road was
new, and towns were springing up
all along the line. Ytol could see
the cars from her window, and
often had she sat there until the
flaming headlight Of the midnight
express had appeared and disap-
peared. An opening in the woods
enabled her to see the light for
moment and then the lighted win
dows of the coaches.
Did the engineer know she was
watching-that bis engine gave
two shrill shrieks as II reached the
opening-two shrieks that seemed
to say, "Ytol Ytol !" she always
smiled when she heard the sounds,
and with the smile lingering on her
face . blush, she would listen to the
numbering Of the train as It died
away beyond the cramped bounds
ries Of monumental Beaumont.
That brace Of shrieks, loud and
shrill told her who drove that en-
CINE toward the great city on the
Mississippi's bank. They recalled
the day, one year since, when the
Arst engine she had ever seen stop