Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1885-11-26
Milly and his mother aud moments
chat. His dispatch tonight read :

|
81 will start only just in time to get
there as the train arrives" said Milly,
as they made the coffee and frizzled
some slices of ham; "lf | walk fast l
can get there in fifteen minutes, and |
don't believe the coffee ican get cold in
that time, all wrapped up in this big
bottle and shut up in the pail"
"You might carry it in little pail
and set it on the stove in the station
till jim comes" suggested Mrs. Hos
mer.
81 don't believe there would be fire
there; and besides, l would rather not
go in. l can't bear Tom Kennedy's
comments or company. l shall just
stop under the porch till the train
comes, and then I can hand Jim the
lunch-pail and slip away before any one
notices me-"
"Maybe that would be BEST" assert
ed Mrs. Hosmer, who knew how disa-
greeable the attentions of the sandy
haired young station agent were to her
adopted daughter. 'But, Milly, do be
careful and take care of yourself. II
anything should happen to you | should
never forgive myself-never In fact,
I have half mind not to let you o:af.
ter ALL"
"What with this for company ?"
said Milly, gaily, showing the revolver
clutched tightly under her waterproof
"what foolish mamma Now good.
bye I shall be back before you know
it." And with kiss Milly disappear
ed in the dismal drizzle with skip,
and a good little laugh as soon as she
was out of sight at the thought Of see
ing Jim.
Arriving at her destination, she soft
ly crept up into the shelter of deep
doorway and looked down the track,
where she expected even now to see the
distant light of Jim's engine. But not
the faintest gleam was visible. Sur
prised, she crept along and peered in
at the clock through the station win
dow. The hands pointed to half-past
nine.
"That stupid old clock " she ex-
claimed, petulantly,as she slipped back
to her hiding place, 1--WE might haye
known it would be too fast or too slow;
it never Is right, except by accident.
Now Jim's coffee will he as cold as a
stcne-and l too, for that matter -
she added, shivering and drawing clos.
er into the corner out of the wind.
But the next moment the sound of
low voices almost at her side sent her
heart. Into her throat, aud at the next
bound her blood flew through her veins
like fire.
"Don't turn cussed fool now," ex-
claimed q gruff voice in ahoarse under
tone. "It's "a little late to turn soft
hearted just when the game is ours J;
and amt no hand to put up with no
nonsense, you know that, Bill"
II don't mean nothing-only if 1
was sure there wouldn't be no women
and little children-specially little chill
dren-ever since little Tillie died"
"Now, bother that 10 angrily inter-
rupted the other, with a fierce oath.
"If I'd supposed you'd ever turn out
such chicken. livered coward I'd seen
you starYe before I'd have taken you
into this. But it is too late now; there
is cool fifty thousand on that express
train to night, and I'll have it or die.
You do your part and share the plum
der, or you back down and I'll put an
end to you. But you shan't stop me-
I'll see to that, Bill"
"Jest give me pull at the flask and
I'll be all right. never desert friend
you know that, old fellow"
Cali right, then," said the other,
now notified; ''let's get to work. Mike
is at his post, isn't he ?"
"Yes,j jest the other side of the build
ing. If that station chap sets foot out
side before we've had time to finish oul
work Mike will send bullet into that
sorrel top of his before you could wink
He will meet US at the old oak ten min.
utes after the train is due, and we'll be
off. Now let's 60 up to the cut and
, get them rocks down on to the track
J mighty lively. There amt much time
, to..spare.''
, AS they noiselessly moved away the
J mans last whisper rang in Milly's ears
like death-knell. Sure there was moi
"much time to spare ~ Of course
they knew nothing of Jim's train, tha
would, within few minutes, come
rushing into the death trap they were
to set. And she could give no alarm
The express meyer did more than slight
ly slack its speed to drop some packag'
t on the platform; no one was at the sta
/, tion except the sleepy agent, all uncon
| scious Of the terrible guard that stoot
] beside him long before she could ge
the nearest neighbor there it would b.
q too late-all these thoughts rushed lik
F. lightning through Milly's distracte,