Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-12-10

gotten the whipping you gave me, but III
show you l see the signal board out fol
Number s, and I'll turn it back again
Then see what my revenge isl"
Gliding stealtLiiy from the spot, h
hnstened toward tho depot.
In his hurry Harry had neglected to close
| the door lending from the waiting room
into his Office, and it was but the work of c
moment to steal into the little Office anG
pull the lever which holds the signal board
in place.
/ AS Jamison passed silently out into the
night once more. after carrying ont the first
part OF his fiendish plot, pair of dark
| giiltcring eyes followed him with a sus-
picious look.
| "What can be be doing here at this time
| OF night?" unused the person of tho dark
eyes; Surely he is about no good. Why
did he slip into the Office so stealthily and
pull the lever? Can it be possible he is
| plotting 10 wreak some revenge on Harry
I'll follow him and see;" and the mysteri-
GUS person came forward from the shadow
and we see a lady closely enveloped in a
waterproof. CHANGING at the clock, she
turned TO follow 1amison.
The hands Of the clock showed the time
to be just midnight, and it now lacked but
thirty-tve minutes until the train Harry
had orders to hold would be due: but she
knew it not. All she knew wns that Jami-
son was acting suspiciously, and she would
follow him.
Silently she opened the door and passed
out into the darkness and storm. A
strange impulse seemed to lead her in the
direction of the section-house She paused
irresoutely when she had reached the Sec
ton house, and seemed at loss which way
to proceed.
Suddenly a bright flash Of lightning re-
vealed to her startled gaze the form Of
Jamison hurrying swiftly along in the di-
rection Harry had taken.
The same flash shows the face of
Mary Strand, tho lady Harry had so nobly
defended.
She sped on after the villain, being care
full TO koepat a safe distance, lest he should
turn and a fash of lightning reveal her
presence TO him. And then. she shuddeled
TO think Of the result.
She has reached turn in the road.
What is it that causes her to start suddenly
and then spring away in the direction she
has been pursuing?
One glance toward the east and we see
the faint glimmer of light and hear the
shrcak OF the engine Us it approaches
crossing two miles below the junction!
The bridge is yet half mile away and
the sigma! board at E gives no warning
to the disappointing train!
Will God, in His infinite mercy, permit
the plot of this arch demon in human
shape TO succeed?
1t seems that no power can arrest them
in their onward rush TO destruction.
But what Of Harry?
After passing the section-house he
hurried swiftly forward in the direction of
the bridge. At last he has reached it and
starts across! The center of the bridge is
reached at last! He listens a moment
and then hurries forward. He has no
time to lose. Full five hundred feet IF
trellis work must be examined before he
has completed his mission, and it will be
but few moments before the special
should appear.
at last he has completed his mission
and sits down to rest moment before
starting to return.
Once he starts TO return, but some un-
seen power seems to hold him TO the spot.
Suddenly he starts up and his face bushes
to an ashen hue.
And we'll it may, for the alarm he re-
ceives is the roar Of rushing water and
sounds like the stormy pillows upon a
rock bound coast.
My God! the dam at Kennedy Falls has
given way. and little chance is there now
to save the bridge. Can warn the special
in timc?" he cries.
The roar grows louder and more sullcn.
He can now sec the dark bank of water as
1t rushes on in the direction of The bridge.
Another moment and the bridge will be
swept away.
He turns and looks up the track. The
special is coming down grade not u Quarter
OF milo away.
He dalted forward, lantern in hand. to
give the warning signal. AS he does so
he hears the crash Of timbers and knows
the bridge has parted.
Great beads of Precipitation cover his
brow us ho realizes the danger menacin o
the special. He stops, swings the lantern
to and fro. once, twice, three times, and
then reels, falls, and sees the revengeful
eyes of Jamison upon him and hears him
hiss: "My time of revenge is at hand and
you die with the rest! Let the special 90
over the bridge to her doon," and then, a
flash of lightning, a deafening roar, and
he knows no more until the engineer is
bending over him, holding flask to his
lips.
Number meets you at F.. The
bridge is gone" he murmurs, and the
engineer waits to hear no more.
He can hear Number SIS whistle as
she passes out of the yard and knows she
has not been notified. His wife and only
child are Oh the train, going to visit friends
III neighboring town.
lie finds the first and second spans of the
bridge all right, but at the third he pauses