Thomas County cat., 1885-06-04

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folks: Here they come now. Tumble in,
Sammy; I'll take you home;" and while
speaking Tom had unfastened one of the
teams. 'GOod-bye, and God bless YOU
Florence. Meet me at the station with the
carriage when the down express comes in
Tomorrow. wouldn't go a step now un-
less knew it ought to be done for father"
Miss Van Amden's hand was still ting
ling with Toms fervent grasp when Tom
himself and his small companion had clat-
tered out Of sight along the road toward
the station.
The evening at Squire Porter's mansion
was dull one for this young lady, and she
arose the next morning under the posses
sion of that indefinable unpleasantness of
general sensation which we know by the
name of presentiment. Not even the mem
ory of that scene in the woods the day be-
fore offset the disagreeable and persistent
impression that something was about to
happen. She had Dorothy, the girls quiet
horse, harnessad up more than two hours
before the express was due, and drove of
to make the circuit of the Blue Hill be-
fore meeting Tom at the station.
Down by the railroad it was seasonably
hot. The reflection from the long line OF
rails stretching into the distance quivered
in the heated air that rose from the yellow
sand embanknents. The vast stores OF
pine-wood piled beside the track sent out
balSamic odors as it baked under the rays
of the sun. The crane-like spout that fed
the locomotives from the tank at the end OF
the freight-house stood erect and parched
as the throat of Tantalus. Lefty piled her
palm-leaf fan, and sighed for the thunder
showers which the telegraphic friend at
her elbow-only hundred and fifty miles
distant-had just announced as clearing
the air in that more favored locality.
The accommodation had passed. The up
express had stopped for water and gone its
way. Two freight trains had numbered by.
The afternoon was well advanced, when
''thunder-cap began to pile up from be-
hind the hills, and Lefty imagined that she
shifted moisture and freshness in the air.
"lt'll be ripper when we do get it, re-
marked the station-maSter, looking in at
Letty's window. There's tremendous
black streak round at the west"
From that quarter there was rising a
dark screen with ragged edges, pushed up
from below, and steadily cutting away the
bright sky. The spruces on the high hill
sides caught the voice of the messenger
winds sent in advance of the tempest, and
whispered it to the valleys below. Awhiff
of the breeze reached the station just as the
edge of the storm cloud gashed the disk of
the sun. 1t was followed by another,
whirling little eddies of dust from the re-
pose in which they had been left beside the
wind began to blow mora steadily, and Let
ty shut down her window with prudent
precautiOn, calling to Sammy as she did so.
Sammy did not respond: but at the mo-
ment of closing the window the sound of
carriage rapidly driven and drawing up
hastily at the station fell upon her ear. No
train was due at this hour, and it must be
some one seeking shelter under the carriage
shed from the approaching storm.
ha of har la off n c
swung violently open, and on the threshold
stood the young lady whose arrival she
had watched from behind her curtain little
more than two weeks before. She was
pale now and agitated.
"Where is the man-the station master
the one in charge here." asked Miss Van
Amden, hurriedly, breaking in before
Lefty had time to formulate the naughty
little salutation that was rising to her
lips.
''He has gone home for a few minutes,
but will return before the express arrives.
Do you wish ticket:"
mo! no. no." cried Florence, with as
near an approach to wringing her hands
as women of this day know. II want to
save lives! There is great landslide on
the track. l saw it as | came around Blue
Hill, and drove on as fast as | could to get
help. What must we do: Quick! quick"
and the excited girl grasped Letty's arm
and almost shook her.
Letty'S experience in the business of
running a railroad by telegraph stood her
in good stead at this crisis. and her sense
of superiority to the situation was evident
in the calmly frigid air which she opposed
to her companions eager anxiety. She
even INDUCED in sort OF self-coniplacent
contempt for the frightened helplessness
of Miss Van Amden, while conscious of her
own power to stay all disaster with a
single movement of her hand.
'''There is no hurry" she replied, with
such dignity as her little figure and bird
like voice were capable of expressing.
''The express is not due at Fla thorough for
fifteen minutes yet, and | shall telegraph
TO hold it there until the track is cleared.
There is no other train on this section
except the up accommodation, which stops
here. If you expect any friends on either,
you needn't be alarmed"
She seated herself at the table, and
touched the telegraph key with that grace
full motion which displays shapely hand
more effectively than any other employ
nent except violin-playing She called,
the station at Marlborough. But as her
fingers ratified off the familiar dots and
iashes her pracsiced ear detected the fact
that no message followed along the wire
in consequence. She examined tha switch,
aud quickly frightened screw. Again no
life came at her manipulation. The spirit
Of the telegraph had fled.
Quickly rising. Lefty went to the closet
in which the local battery was kept, and if
the empty cells had not been enough to ex-
plain the situation, the appearance of
Sammy at the door, with an approbative
on his face and two neatly
,leansed copper cups in his hand, would
have left no doubt as to the cause of the
inpotence of her instrument. Jealous to
e., 7. L..
'ore, the useful boy had taken this occasion
% perform for his sister the somewhat
lrtv service of securing out the battery.
40, Sammy, what have you done?'
'ricd Lefty, now as pale as Miss Van
Amien.
"Clsaned 'em up" answered the boy;
that's ALL"
30 dear. oh dear. you meddlesome.
wicked child. l put the last drop OF acid
n this morning, and now you have poured
{ all away
"Get some more," suggested Sammy.
'Don'tt talk to me, "retortad l. city. "They
we're to send me some by the express this
afternoon, and until l get it the wires are
lsaless."
"Wait till it comes, them" was Sammy's
'ejoinder.
''You don't know what You are talking
,bou.. Run Just as fast as you can to Mr..
,'Aito .tAi 'ih dStitiCLt v!i
5he road, and he must hurry here. Run
,long." and she pushed him out at the
loor.
The station-maSter came in haste,
leralfie1 by a clap of thunder and accom-
panied by the loud pat5sring OF the first
-ain- drops.
''What is it, Miss Brooks?" he asked, as
le burs: into the room.
This lady has just como arouni the Blue
Hill, and says there is land slide across
he track. The wires won't work, and the
lown express is due at half past"
~ here is the slidc?"
"Juss beyond the covered bridge, an
weral Miss Van Amlen.
-Four miles OF, and in bad place." The
looked at his watch. The
'xpress is due at Marlborough in five min