The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-10-17

look up from tne nOOr req lantern. L
knew it the moment / saw it, as the one
l had carried that night, and remem-
bered dropping it as began to fall.
4" It's that that saved usl said he.
81 was puzzled both at his manner
aud at what he said, but was more puz-
zled and startled, too when he went
on to explain:
"'We were coming down the road
little late, full drive, at forty-five miles
an hours, said he, and ha just passed
the station, and | had whistled for the
crossing, when l caught sight ahead of
us, and not a great way off either, OF
danger signal, the red light. 1t was right
in the middle of the track, and evidently
approaching, moving up and down
quickly, as though the man who car
ried it was running with all his might.
"'Of course, reversed and whistled
down the brakes in an instant; and it
wasn't half minute, maybe, before we
came to q standstill, with the light now
almost upon us. And almost before we
were fully stopped, jumped down and
ran ahead to meet it, and learn what
was the matter.
/" 1T was some rods ahead yet, and /
could still see it swinging from side to
side, rs though the person bringing it
had now slackened his pace to walk.
"A second later it seemed station
ary, and seemed to be waiting for me to
come up. AS came close upon it, you
may imagine my astonishment to find it
set down in the middle of the track, and
not soul to be seen anywhere around.
81 spoke, and then called aloud aud
then shouted, but got no response. And
before this, had not heard any sound
or football. And when, moment later,
the conductor and some of the train men
came UP with lights, we searched out,
and could not find any tracesNof the per-
son who seemed to have left it there. -.
"'Then we went on down the road !;
and there we found the bridge gone.
As we approached, your dog commenced
bowling, and we found him on the edge
of the embankment, and inferred that
you had fallen down the embankment.
We searched at once, and found you al
most dead, though l am very glad to
say not quite that"
"That was the way Joe told me the
story. And when he had finished, /
lay there thinking it over for some time.
/ At last / said:
"'Joe, how could it have got there
the lanternP
/ "Joe shook his head.
/ "T can't tell, said he. 'All l know
about it is, that it YVES there, and it
saved the train. But I'm sure it wasn't
done by any human handn
81 thought 1t over some moments
longer. / did not belle in ghosts, or
;eiN ,f
body or something living must have
taken the lantern from the spot where
dropped it as | fell down the embank'
ment, and carried it up the track TO the
place where Joe Varnish first found it.
And all at once was sure l had solved
the enigma.
"'Joe, said /. Il have it'
"How is that:' he asked.
So There were three of us that went
down, and found that bridge gone,
said |.
"Three2' repeated he, more mystifed
than ever.
"'Yes, said I. Myself the lantern
aud the dog. Now l could not have
taken the lantern up the track. And il
couldn't have taken itself up there.
Therefore, it must have been the third
one of us-don't you seer
"Joe stood a moment puzzling over it.
Then his face broke into broad smile,
and he nodded his head;
"'Yes, he said, at length Yes, ]
see >"
The old fagman ended his story. and
looked up at Harry and me as we stood
there, not quite comprehending even now
just how it all happened.
"What, don't you see, either!" asked
he, and he laughed heartily to himself
for moment. Then he put his finger:
to his lips, and gave a shrill whistle.
The next instant a large bla k dog
came bounding down the road, and came
to the old flagmans side. His master
lad his hand atfectionateiy on the black,
curly head, aud looked up at Harry and
me once again.
"Ill make you acquainted with Sig, u
said he. "Signal is his full name. I've
called him by it ever since that night
1t was Sig that carried the red light up
the track" Youths Companion.