The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-07-02
I will keep her till you come

renee TO ner 1atnef, VINO LOOK inc
precious burden in his arms and re-
turned with her to his box, before
which lamp was burning. All
around darkness covered the tracks,
which crossed each other in every di.
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.
"Yon can't catch me, }" said she.
eyes | can"
But the little witch evaded Laurence's
pursuit, leaving laughter behind her.
Here, here!" she said, and rushed to
the track and began to cross it.
Don't go there, darling" said her
father. 1t was very darkxthe 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"
20! yon say that because you can't
catch me-"
"Come back, will give youa cake"
''That isn't true; you haven't one.
You want to make me come back"
ooh! l shan't let you catch me. The
train has gone by"
"'There is another"
Instead OF replying, the child said:
Kun after me. Dal)a run. :"
Laurence saw there was nothing to
be douc 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. victims It would
BET catastrophe with incalcaiable con-
sS4uSlCts, lOI tI1tAa eNaS btOtJpihS Nv
the station q little way ahead, and if
the express was not switched off there
must inevitably be a collision. Laur
ence shook off his torpor.
"Amiee!" 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-
er than will, urged Lawrence toward
the switch. He seized the instrument
which ought to turn the train. "No, u
he cried, II must save her. aimee
Aimee! where are vou?" 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
YVES 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. Thetrain would go on to crash
against the one at the station. What
matter! Aimee would be alivel All
this went through his mind like light
ming. There would be the killed and
wounded-twenty families in despair
but Aimee would be safe and sound
There would be an inquest; he
would be condemned to prison, dis
honored, ruined! But his daughter,
his Aimee, would live and be happy
All how quickly one can think in sucl
terrible nom ents!
The train came laundering on, but il
could not be seen on account Of sharr
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 voice
straneled with fear" Aimee come here;
you will kill mel"
Suddenly the advancing lights of til.
engine appeared. The train was upor
Inn; it was here. The man felt hi.
whole being shaken. He was bewilderet
could see nothing; thought did no
stop, however, but travelled faster tha,
the train. He recalled in second hi:
honorable soldiers life, when he hai
sacrificed everything to duty. He saw
in the station the frightful accident ht
would have caused, and heard the erie
of the wounded, the last gasps of th'
dying. The problem was before him
his daughter or others? There was II,
alternative without miracle. Will
astonishing promptitude the sentimen
of duty became most powerful, and h
seized mechanically the handle of tn,
iron bar. The stoical soldier at thi
moment WAS uppermost, and etiace,
the father. He pushed, hardly know
ing what he did, and the express trail
crossed the switch.
On, on it went, and he could see j
passing before the station, going By Q
if it were happy to escape danger an'
| disappearing in the darkness. Dut
! had been strongest. Stupetied, stag
gered, speechless, Laurence was roote,
to the spot, holding still the curse
handle which had helped him to xii
his child.
Now" he said, it is my turn to die.
The other tram was about to pass
He stepped forward, crossed his arm
and awaited it. Tho whistle sounded
the heavy engine putfed.
/ Bewildered, thinking of nothing
there he stood.
But that instant burst of laushto
sounded behind him. He turned, viii
with hope.
"Oh, naughty papa. he won't nla
with Aimee, said the most beloved Q
voices.
The child was clinging to hin
Laurence did not seek to know how th
child came there alive. He seized hel
ana i;ew with his treasure into his Iii
tie cabin. Then he put her on Il!