The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-06-07
the siding at pering,s, Gut, and wait;

| Kirke's watch hung on nail beside the
| clock. It was a fancy Of his always to
hang it there when he was off train,
go that he could make no mistake IN the
| time. O..
| He glanced at the clocf, and from it to.
his watch. Both indicated the same hour
-7.l5.
"7.l5," said Kirke, meditatingly, "and
we leave at 7.50, and the pay train meets
US at Dering's Cut at 1915. Seant time
to make the run in this thick weather,
but it must be managed"
And he turned away to give some brief
orders to the fireman. .,-'
Jack Halliday was there-he had been
strolling in and out of the room for the
past half hour, smoking cigar, and
swearing at the bad weather. His trair
did not leave until near midnight, so b,
had plenty of. time to swear.
We all went to the door and took a look
at the weather, and unanimously Voted it
duced bad, and then we walked up and
down the platform; and smoked our after
supper ci~ars, and by the time we were
through it was time for the train hands to
be getting into their places. Both the
clock in the engine-room and Kirkes
watch indicated 740.
Kirke was putting his watch in his
pocket as he said:
"Garth, are you going with me on the
Flyaway."
"No, thank ye," said I, 81 get enough
of that sort of thing in my everyday life.
l am going to do little swell business to-
night, and take passage in the palace car.
Want to rest my back. Goodnight to
ye, and hold her in we'll round Rocky
Bottom curve. The road.bed's little
shaky."
"Aye, ave. sir!' responded Kirke,
and swung himself to his position on the
Flyaway. =.
The bell rang-I scrambled to my COM
partment in the Pullman, and felt horrid-
| ly out Of place among the silks and broad
cloths and smells of musk. But | was in
for "first class" and made the best of it
so effectually that five minutes after Glib
son, who fancies he owns .ail creation be-
cause he has got silver colfn-plate on his
breast with "CoNDucToE" on it, had
shouted: Al aboard'' l was sound
asleep. y
What occurred in other quarters to az
feet the fate of Kirke's train [ learned af-
terward.
Old Whately, the superintendent of the
road, as | guess | have already said, had a
country residence in Leeds, on mountain
spur, which commanded a. view of the
surrounding country for more than a score
of miles. The line of the railway could be
distinctly seen in each direction fifteen
miles, and Whately was wont to say his
lookout was worth more to the safety of
trains than all the telegraph wires on the
line.
Whately was rich old buffer, kind
enough in his way, but sharp as ferret
in looking after the road hands, and de-
tcrmined that every man should do his
duty.
He had but one child, daughter; and
Floss Whately was the belle of the coun-
try. She was brave, beautiful, and
spirited, and more than once when her
father had heen away, had she assumed
| the responsibility of directing the trains.
and she had always acquitted herself with
credit.
Old Whately was very proud of her, as
he had a right to be, and he kept all the
young fellows at distance, until it was
= said that he intended keeping his daughter
single till the Gar of all the Russians
came on to marry her.
This night in November, old Whately
and Floss were out on, the piazza Of their
country home, peering through the gloon
and fog for the GolOsha train, which wa,
nearly due.
Its deyilsh strange 1t doesn't come II
sight" said Whately, lying down his
night-glass In disgust. "It is hard on to
ten now! They ought to show their
light round Spruce Pond by this time -
I "You telegraphed them, father2 You
let them know the pay train was on tht
rcadY' asked Floss.
"To be sure And good heavens, there
is the headlight Of the pay train now
See! not ten miles away; and running
like the devil, as it always does'"
He pointed with trembling finger down
to the valley gorge, where, far away,
. mere Speek in the gloom, could be seen ;
light, scarcely moving, it seem, but those
anxious watchers knew it was approach
ing at Lightning speed.
Father and daughter looked at eacl
other.
The truth was evident For some rea-
! CON the tra;n from, GoIocha ,.,c +o,> -, -,