The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-05-21

and blinded the girls eyes for the moment.
e6etween two appalling claps OF thunder,
Florence asked, nesting up to Lefty:
lis there hope that he will get there in
timer"
Lefty hesitated to give hope, and as she
paused In her answer she heard the three
dots that formed the .-caIl" signal for the
Smyrna station sharply clicked out on tn,
sounder OF her instrument, rs" IS. !" So
was repeated in the telegraphic language
with rapldity, the signals then running OFF
into meaningless medley as if the ghost
OF some crazy operator was manipulating
the key. Lefty started TO her feet. The
chattering ceased; then went on again
more wildly than before. The elements
themselves were operating her instrument,
Enthusiastically choosing for their first ex-
pertinent the signal of her own station,
whose peculisr sound had at once attracted
her attention
THANK Godi" calculated Lefty.
Here was indeed relief literally from
above. The power of which Sammy had
ignorantly deprived the wires was sup
piled by the lightning flashing through the
stormy air.
Lefty hastily joined the circuit and called
Marlborough. The lightning did its work,
and the answer came. By the clock at
tvs lover and carrying the lover OF Flor
ence must at that moment have drawn up
by the platform at Marlborough.
''Hold the express :" were the words that
Letty's trembling fingers sent humming
on the very wings of the storm. They
we're repeated back by the operator al
Marlborough.
Landslide near" thus the girl was
continuing the message on which so many
lives depended, when, just, as safety was
assured, the elements asserted their power
as master In the place of servant. A swift
ly moving fiery mass seemed to glide along
the wire leading to Lstty's Instrument,
noiselessly fused the points of the key un-
der her very hand, and stretched her in q
limp heap on the floor.
Florence Van Amdsn, who, thong daZsd
by the phenomenon and trembling, sprang
to the girls side, dragged her unconscious
body out, as well as she might, to th 9
larger room, and opened on it the door
which let III the cool, damp torrent of air,
comprehended it only as an accident. She
understood nothing of the terrible nature
of the power which Lefty had for a brief
moment compelled to her service, and much
less did she realize that the little blonde
fragile telegraph operator had settled her
self at the instrument with full knowl-
edge of the risk she ran in tampering with
the wild elemental force.
SO quickly had it all passed, and without
explanation, that even then she did not
know that her lover, and probably many
lives besides his, were saved by the quick
wit and the unheSitating heroiSm of Lefty
Brooks.
This all came to her later. LEFTY Law as
II dead for long hours Tom Porter was
seated with Florence by his side when she
awoke ut last TO 4 bewildsred conscious
ness. IL that gay young gentleman had
at any time INDUCED in complacent sus-
picion that his fascinatious had touched
the village girls heart, he was undsceive6
by her first words.
"Where is he? where have they taken
him? o. OH"
flush, my dear; he Is safe" answered
the doctor, at venture, with professional
readiness.
''If you mean Billy Johnson spoke 10
Sammy, who seemed to read his sisters
thoughts with the wonderful perspicacity
OF youth, 'he's with his engine at Flaxbor-
ough, where you stopped him. SO you'd
better be patient, sis"
"Ah" sighed Lefty, feebly, while two
tears showed themselves on happy face.
She had recovered her memory with her
life.
When the newspapers from the large
towns at either end of the line reached
Smyrna the next day there was no thrill
Ing account of an escape from a great ac-
cident on the road. These things are man
aged better. There was in each brief
mention OF the detention of the express for
1t few hours in consequence of an obStruc-
ton on the track, which was promptly re-
moved, the admirable system of train
dispatching having enabled the efficient
superintendent to prevent any great delay
to travel.
But even this unpretentious item Of news
was probably read by greater number
than the announcements-which appeared
in the usual form just two months later
of the marriage of Thorn as Porter and
Florence Van Amden, and William john
son and Letitia Brooks, both of which
events, it appears, took place upon the
same day, with an interchange of kindly
wishes AMI wedding gifts, of which the
public, judging only from the differences
in station of the two couples, could of
course, have no knowled ge.-Frederick
TryOR, IN Hdrper'S Weekly.