Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1884-06-10

flaxen head on the desk before her, she
was soon-as one of the good old ladies
of Parkerstown was wont to express it
gin the arms of Morphine" ..
Afterward, the first thug she could
remember about it, voice seeming to
come from her dreams said: Giant
likely she's left here alone, and asleep;
too"
NO." responded another evil voice.
"tho old mans prob'ly around some
whero-but," in lower tone, "come
on, let's go long. The down train'il be
along, and we'll lay 'em out"
Mike was wide-awlke enough now,
but she had presence of mind in her
small body, and realized that safety lay
in keeping still.
GLOW fur is it up thereP"
"Shl Keep mum. Do you want to
knock the hull thing in the head, and
yourself, too?" and then the girls quick
ened hearing caught the sound Of heavy
footsteps passing by the window and on
up the track.
Mike waited until she couldn't hear
the foot steps, and then cautiously
turned and looked out of the window.
There they were-two misunderstanding
tramps Fastening up the track. She
recognized them at once rs two men
who had been discharged from con-
struction train that had been at work
down the road. What should she do !
Oh il she could send for her father?
But there was no one anywhere near,
and beside, by the time he could get
home it might be too late for it was ev-
ident that the desperate wretches were
bent upon revenging themselves Of their
fancied wrongs upon the innocent. She
looked at the clock. Half-past 4 She
ran out and looked around the lonely
station. No one living in sight. She
called once, feebly-but where was tho
use. If she sent for her father she had
20 tangible explanation to give or real
reason to make him hurry home-only
she was sure there vas harm coming to
the down-train-that long, crowded ex-
press filed with mountain tourists. But
she must do something. ..
The men had disappeared around a
slight bend in the track. Mike ran in,
locked up the Office, snatching hat
from nail in the corner, and then hur-
ried up the track until she arrived at the
slight curve. Then she "made haste
more slowly" for there were the men.
Stepping behind a clump of bushes she
watched them. They had stopped and
were doing something, she could not a
first see what, to the track. Pretty
soon, up came a rail, and in minute
more it was thrown down q step ledg
within four feet of the track where tn
whole train must be precipitated in les
illan mn hour if something could not b.
done to warn them. Mike sawitall nov
and for a moment stood, her eyes di
lated with honor, while she saw tn
scoundrels shake their fists toward he
\ way and heard an impreca.ion. The
they passed on and Mike, grown col
in the sudden extremity, turned an
sped toward the depot.
The rail had been removed on curv
n which was shaded on the west side by
high bank SO that at half-past 5 it We
lutte dusk there, and, as the trains a
NJ Ways came in ON q down grade, the
amo at full speed. So Mike though
. herself, "Im so glad l came, for no
I'll hurry and telegraph to Stratford b.
= fore the train comes by, and then we
,. see, Mr.. Tramps, howyour little schen
ID comes out"
IS She reached the office and looked
le the clock. Five minutes to five ! al
r. the train left Stratford at SOB. We
ct eight minutes was plenty Of time if g.
IN could "raise" Stratford. She grasp
w tho key. "Sd-sd-sd," clicked the
8. strument. Never before was there
re impatient an operator on that line. Wi
re her eyes on the clock which seem
then, if ever, to say, "forever-never
it, never-forever," she kept up the Ca
y Somebody on the other side "bro
he her" twice, but she gave all the dang
signals she could think of and kept c
er The moments kept on-one, two, thr'
yh four, fve-slowly pealed the old clock
RS each stroke an agony to the girl.
Meanwhile the agent at Stratfc
he could not operate at all, and the be
lr- who could and who served as q gene
'pt chole. boy about the place, had gone
lai swer the call on which so much depend
he A few minutes and it was too Ia
ID and Mike was in a new dilemma.
me Mike closed the key in despair.
Ter did not know the train signals, but (
nd seized the red flag under the old d,
$50 and ran for dear life-literally the d
ne lives OF her fellow creatures. Not Ill
ie- she got to the wrecked place did she
'aI member that she must go beyond
GO rrve to stop them or she would be
ont no IT, Already she heard the
h,t Proacning ~Nin rumble in the distan
, raster, faster sh>sped round the Gu
straight up the tracA. She could
aln them now coming in. On O.ev rusb
Tug the great engine bent on destroylAo
Pn- precious freight. Mike stopped in
midst of the track and frantically swl
we her red flag, but still the monster ru
y ed toward her, showing no abatem
pie of speed.
Meanwhile the engineer and firen
ase had seen the slight form of the girl, {
on. the fireman stood aghast to see the
zen gineer 80 utterly regardless of her.