Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1879-03-29

By and b. Ed. Gordon, the engin-
Ger, carried a picture over his heart,
and on Violas bureau lay the photo
tographic semblance of his face.
Thus the acquaintance at the sta
tion during the Red Birds trial over
the new road, had ripened into love,
and two midnight shrieks told her he
was safe and driving his engine to-
wards the river metropolis.
She sat at her window of-times,
with the lamp on the sill, and often
fancied she could see him leaning
from his engine, with his eyes fixed to
catch glimps of her, but the train
would be swallowed up in the woods
again.
This life was exciting and joyous to
Viola but it was passing away. The
time was coming when Ed. Gordon
would leave the road and accept the
superintendency Of the company's car
shops in a fourishing way.
| But let me return to the October
night when Viola left her hcme to
investigate the sounds that seemed to
corae from Gwynne's Cut.
She felt that obstructions were be-
ing placed upon the track in the dis
NAL place.
Oflate the company hal incurred
the hatred Of several persons residing
in the vicinity of the station and
once or twice the track had been
tampered with, but fortunately to no
serious extent.
The night express generally went
through the cut with undiminished
speed, for no obstruction had been
encountered there, though the cattle
guard in the centre would assist the
evil disposed.
Viola at last reached the cut, III
to which the mellow moonbeams fell !;
and paused. Something high and
dark obstructed the track before her,
at the very spot where the cattle
guard seemed to be, and she held her
breath. 1t was II o'clock when she
left the house, and her walk had &C.
cupied q number of precious minutes.
The shrieks of the Red Bird would
soon be heard, and a moment there
after its head light would flash into
the cut or gorge.
She saw more than pile of strong
ties on the track. She saw the dark
figure of man moving about the
pyramid, as if contemplating his
nights work and specializing upon
the death and ruin it would cause.
She watched until she believed that
one man had accomplished the dia-
bolical deed, then she crept forward
through the shadow of the bushes
that lined the sides of the cut, until
she stood within ten feet of him.
"I'llgo back to the station, now
she heard him say to himself. II car
get there before the accident, and
when it occurs, why I can run ur
there and see him under the ruins Of
his engine, 80 crushed that the doll
faced girl of his will not recognize
him."
A cruel laugh rippled over his lips
as he stepped back from the heap Of
} ties, several of which he had forced
into the guard, where they were
wedged like posts of iron. He en-.
| joyed his own words, and viewed the
work Of his mad hands.
I'LL crush the Red Bird" he said
turning away, "and put him out o.
the path forever"
The last words, full of devils tri-
umph, still quivered on his lips, when
Viola stepped from the shadows and
thrust the muzzle of her revolver
into his face.
He started back with cry of hor-
ror and muttered her name.
"This is your revenge, Morgan
Duke" she said, looking sternly into
his eyes. "Now, obey my commands
or Tiers will be a Efeless body Oh this
track, to be mingled among the ruins
of the night express. To work at
once; off with your coat, and remove
every obstruction your wicked hands
have placed here.
"The train can't be saved now,' he
said, and there was joy in his tones
"It took me one long hour to OBJ
struct the guard. In twenty minutes,
or less perhaps, You'll see the Red
Birds headlight up the cut"