The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-05-19

fingered 4ttlhiss - tliss 1g2a,alensgate title after
ffHof f6tum from Aunt Betsey's, to see
the night-express 90 flashing by. 1t
was u grand sight when it came, incom-
parabiy more interesting and myster.
ious in the darkness than ever in the
day, and Katie wondered she had never
thought so before but she almost un-
consciously raised her little lantern, and
swung it around her head as she had
! used to wave her handkerchief.
Could she believe her eyes
She almost refused to give them any
faith at first, but then there followed a
| quick flush in her cheek and q warm
glow at her heart for she was sure
there had been All answering light, and
she could almost picture Il tall form in
dark-blue clothing, standing OH tho
platform between the two cars.
And now, while the October days
grew cooler and glOrionS evenings long
er, Grandmother Crowninshield began
to grumble little at the disposition
her darling eyinced to pay 50 many
visits to Aunt Betsy.
she said, "and it's through the cut,
too. What if railway train should
come along before you get out 2"
pen," laughed Katie "the railroad
and l are very good friends"
"You ought to be-" said gra ndmoth-
er. 6 never saw any living being care
more for dumb thing than you've al
| ways done for that there train"
But grandmother was nearer right
than Katie for only a night or so after
that-it must have been that Aunt
! Betsy's clock was slow-fOr Katie was
| III. the very middle of the cut when her
ears was suddenly filled with the shrek
| and roar with which the train dashed in
at the upper end.
ller heart beat quickly for moment
but not with fear; for, as she sprang
lightly upon a projecting rock that she
| had often before noted as a very avail
| able perch, she gathered her tlutterlng
| dress more closely about her and ex-
claimed
There, Pm safe enough but to
| think or us coming so near
Near enough, indeed, and Katie
leaned back hard against the crag be-
hind her ; for it seemed as il she could
| feel the breath OF the iron monster on
her cheek. In one hand she clutched
more tightly the folds of her shawl and
| in the other she raised the lantern, as if
it's feeble star could be of some protec-
tlon, and then her grasp Of it grew sud-
| denly very tight, indeed for leaning
out little from the platform Of a car,
and looking forward, as ii Impatient
| for the train to clear the cut, stood Il
tall, handsome, bearded man, in dark
blue clothes, with u lantern in his hand
| and his eager, watching, eXpectant face,
came SO very close to her own
1t was like Il flash OF lightning but
Katie knew the face, and she knew also
that she herself had been seen, and she
had wen marked the swift paling OF
tne brollLed yls;tge as it recognized her
and then SwepL OIL into the darkness
beyond.
= lie was afraid I would be hurt, -
| she thought ; and then she said aloud ::
But he must have seen how safe
was, up here OH the rock. L don't be-
licve he swung his lantern at our gar
| deu-gaue to night"
Aunt Betsey's house was some little
distance from the upper entrance, and
| the approach to the latter was gloomy
enough, the next night of her visit,
| even for one who knew every inch of
the way as we'll as Katie did but her
little lantern shOne out cheerily against
its bright reflector, throwing it's radi-
ance auead, as II it were trying to tell
her: There, dear, that's it; don't
be afraid3 now, iii show you the
track !" She had not gone far, how
ever, before the granite Walls brought
TO iior o;;rS, iii tine way from the lower
end aud round the curve, as if the cut
had been spealIing-tube, the sound of
voices that were evidently meant to be
low and guarded. There were other
sounds mingled with the voices, and
Katie could not make out more than a
word or so here and there, but there
| was something about it all that start
| led and frightened her. At first she
was half inclined to turn and make the
best OF her way back to Aunt BetSy's !;
but that seemed foolish, and Katie was
| really courageous little soul. She
hid her lantern under her shawl, how
ever, and stepped very lightly and
swiftly forward, trying to remember if
| there were not a rock OF hollow where
she would be as safe from men as she
had been from the passing train. She
was very nearly through, herself, be-
! fore she could anyway make out what
it all meant but, as she paused in the
| deep shadows of the rocks and peered
O(tt COWtIu Oll6 IlOW utlll itIlu
muffled sounds, with which the voices
were no longer mingled, Il broad 4uick
gleam, as from "a lantern suddenly
shaded OF extinguished, shot across the
track not many yards below, and then
all was darkness and silence.
But that one moment Of illumina-
tion had, revealed extraordinary things
to the keen, excited vision of Kate
| CrOwninshield.
There were men, three or four, she
could not say just how many, but
rough, fierce, wild, and misunderstanding
and before them on the railway track, :,
from which the rails had been pried
away just there, was confused heap of
heavy granite boulders and fragments.
Katie understood it as clearly as If those
men had taken her into their confidence
and had told her words.
1t was a plot to wreck the train
And now she was out in the open air
beyond the upper entrance, aid she
could see the peaceful light still shining
from Aunt Betsy's window. But there
was no time to 60 there for help.
The train must be SO very near
Katie did for moment think of
kindling bright fire on the track, but
that would take too long, and the great
| ruin and horror wnul1 oOma haforo