The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-08-07

which cross ed each other in every d.
rection.
1t would not take Celine more than
twenty minutes to get to the station and
back. The child was in one of her
most frolicsome moods, she ran sud
denly into the garden; Laurence ran
after her.
"You can't catch me-" said she.
eyes / cam"
But the little witch evaded Laurence's
pursuit, leaving laughter behind her.
Here, herel" she said, and rushed to
the track and began to cross it.
"Don't go there, darling" said her
father. 1t was very dark-the switch
tender could hardly see his daughter.
"You can't catch me" repeated the
child.
"Come, come here" said her father.
Look for me-" answered the child.
aimee, Aimee, don't play any more.
/ shall be angry. Come here"
"Ol You say that because you can't
catch me-"
"Come back, ! will give you a cake. :"
"That isn't true; you haven't one.
You want to make me come back"
ooh shan't let you catch me. The
train has gone by"
"There is another"
Instead of replying, the child said:
"Run after me, papa; run"
Laurence saw there was nothing to
be done but to run after her and take
her out of danger. He rushed toward
the place where he heard her voice. 1t
was dark, and Aimee escaped him still.
His alarm increased. At any instant
the whistle of the oncoming train might
be heard, and Laurence redoubled his
appeals. His voice was hoarse with
fright. The fatal moment approached,
and still the child laughed and repeat
ed, "You can't catch me-" Now the
whistle sounded. The lugubrious call
paralyzed the poor man, and he lost his
head completely. The train would
have two victims if he did not regain
his composure. Two victims 1t would
be catastrophe with incalculable con-
sequences; for train was stopping at
the station little way ahead, and if
the express was not switched off there
must inevitably be a collision. Laur
ence shook off his torpor.
"Amieel" he cried, in laundering
tones.
"Here, papa" And the child con-
tinued to give sharp little calls, which
mingled with the roar OF the approach
ing engine. The instinct of duty rath-
Ell than will, urged Lawrence toward
the switch. He seized the instrument
which ought to turn the train. mo, :"
he cried, II must save her. AIMEE
Aimeel where are you?" and his ewes
sought to pierce the darkness. The
switch tender, with hair on end, thought
of throwing himself before the iron
monster. But no chance remained,
that Aimee was not on the track
over which the train must pass.
He looked again, and this time
he saw her-he saw her. She
was there, standing on the very
track the train must take if he altered
the switch. If the iron tempest did
not take its true course the child was
saved. The train would go on to crash
against the one at the station. What
matter! Aimee would be aliyel All
this went through his mind like light
ming. There would be the killed and
wounded twenty families in despair,
but Aimee would bo safe and sound.
There would be an inquest; he
would be condemned to prison, dis
honored, ruinedl But his daughter,
his Aimee, would live and be happy.
All how quickly one can think in such
terrible MON ents
The train came laundering on, but it
could not be seen on account OF sharp
curve in the road. There was still
time to save Aimee, but the child would
not stir. 1t seemed to her father that
she waited for the train with an air OF
defiance.
"Aimee," he repeated in a voice
straneled with fear-"A Aimee come here;
you will kill mel"
Suddenly the advancing lights of the
engine appeared. The train was upon
him: it was here. The man felt his
whole being shaken. He was bewildered
could see nothing; thought did not
stop, however, but Travelled faster than
the train. He recalled in second his
honorable soldiers life, when he had
sacrificed everything to duty. He saw
in the station the frightful accident he
would have caused, and heard the cries
of the wounded, the last gasps OF the
dying. The problem was before him
his daughter OF others? There was no
without miracle. With
promptitude the sentiment
of duty became most powerful, and he
seized mechanically the handle OF the
iron bar. The stoical soldier at this
moment was uppermost, and etfaced
the father. He pushed, hardly know
ing what he did, and the express tram
crossed the switch. -,
On, on it went, and he could see 1t
passing before the station, going by as
if it we're happy to escape danger and
disappearing in the darkness. Duty
had been strongest. Stupefied, stag
gered, speeches., Laurence was rooted
10 the spot, holding still the cursed
handle which had helped him to Kill
his child. ;. >,
"Now," he said, at is my turn to die. :"
The other train was about to pass.
He stepped forward, crossed his arms
and awaited it. The whistle sounded,
the heavy engine pulled.
u I'll II 4b;pEinO of nothing,