Wichita eagle., 1888-09-21
DEFEATING DEATH.

GOOD by, Nellie, dear, and don't forget
me while 1 am away"
Their hands warmly pressed each other as
their lips would have done had not Others
been near. Then they separated. Nellie
Browning watched the TALL strong form of
John King until it was lost in the high grass
of the prairie and with a sigh returned to
duty.
Never before had the little isolated way
station seemed so dull, the click of the tele-
graph instrument SO monotonous. There was
literally nothing for her to do after the Gus
tomary putting to rights" No train would
pass for hours messages seldom troubled her,
she had exhausted her little stock of reading.
What could she do to make the hours pass
less YEARLY?
She rested her head upon the keyboard and
gave herself to pleasant waking dreams, to
mentally following her lover and murmuring
aloud of the pictures thought photographed
in her heart.
at will take John all day to inspect the
line to the little wooded island in the middle
of the prairie, and he will have to sleep there
alone in the log cabin l wonder if he will
think of me all the time, as l will of hims
How 1 wish I could be with himi"
She blushed crimson as the Indian pinks
that splashed the prairie as with blood at the
unmaidenly thought, and endeavored to fix
her attention upon other things But do
what she would her thoughts wandered to
her lover, the lack of comfort he would ex-
perience, and the happy day when she would
have the right to be ever by his side.
As if the hours had become leaden footed
they crept along. At noon she listlessly ate
the lunch she had brought from her farm
home; then wished night would hurry along
that she might be with her lover, at least in
dreams.
Darkness did come after long and weary
waiting; her hours of duty had ended and
she was preparing to leave when the station
was called and she was told in clicking whis-
pers that on account of an extra that was
validating she would have to remain until
midnight.
With the reverse of a pleasant expression
upon her face and an almost defiant tossing
back of her auburn curls she sat down again.
The workmen about the station went home
and left her alone; the frogs croaked mourn
fully from a neighboring slough and the
wires made weird music as the brisk night
wind played upon them. But the experience
was not to her; there was nothing to
fear and her father would come for her when
The night was DONE
Eight, Q, 10 passed and the silence was be-
coming painful. Something must be done.
She failed to remember being so much OPP
pressed by the lack of society and wondered
how Robinson Crusoe could have existed be-
fore his man Friday Then she thought of
female friend who was operator at the next
westward station, and, nearly dying for
some one to talk to- summoned Sterling"
,Ivr T'.1- cc1,o Ii
rectly she could get none, but utilizing cir
cult she was answered, and asked:
"What lis the matter with the main hne."
''Matter enough" was answered, and her
trained ear instantly told her the touch was
not of a delicately fingered girl, but a heavy
handed man. ''The prairie is all on fire be-
tween here and Buffalo Heart Grove; that
is beginning to burn, and when the flames
sweep round on your side you'll have to look
sharp if they don't catch you mapping my
pretty daisy
At another time she would have closed the
key with an angry snap at the impudent
familiarity. Now there was room in her
brain for only one maddening thought.
John King was sleeping in the cabin in the
grove, would be surrounded by fire, be
stifed by smoke, be burned to death!
prairie round Buffalo Heart Grove sea
of fame line down, bridges over culverts
probably burned. Stop all trains at X" she
managed to flash back over the wire
Then she dashed out where all should have
been darkness but was not For miles earth
and sky were illuminated, the roaring of the
flames could be distinctly heard, their furi-
Gus leaping distinctly traced, their speed
swifter than the greyhound and their force
resistless as cyclone. Nothing to her now
was duty, nothing that it wanted two hours
of midnight, nothing that many lives might
hang upon her remaining at her post. One life
she knew was in danger, and that was to her
more than all others In the world.
With flying feet with desperate resolve
forming in her brain. she FASTENED home
ward. but did not enter the house-dared not
for fear Of the thwaTting of her purpose. As
she passed the window she saw her old father
nodding in his chair, and satisfied smile
parted her lips. For all the hidden wealth Of
mountain and canyon she would not have
him waken.
! Well she knew the swiftest and most untir-
ing horse in the stable That it was one she
had never ridden, a young, fiery, valuable
blue blooded stallion, she never gave a
thought. Speed and courage were the things
now to be desired, and all other considerations,
even her own safety, were dwarfed into moth
ingneSs by them.
With soothing voice and gentle hands the
girl led the horse out, bridled, Saddled and
mounted. Astonished by her daring he
quietly submitted The charm of woman
hood had easily accomplished what had ever
been difficult task for men. Then, startled
by the unusual burden and Tapping of skirts
about his flank he reared, plunged. paved
the air. kicking vigorously and made des-
peTate effort TO unseat the rider. 1t was IN
successful The hands that held the reins,
little as they were, had grip Of iron, and
the whip left a. welt upon the glossy skin.
Madly shaking his head, dashing out with his
heels, with the breath whistang through the
thin nostrils, he made a second attempt:
shivered as he received a still more singing
blow, then dashed furiously down the road
The clatter of Loofs disturbed the dreams
OF the old farmer he sprang to the window,
but only TO catch an indistinct vision q
something, glanced a: the clock, nlurmured
contentely OF having an hour before going
for Nellie. and settled himself for another
nap.
LATHE Idea nsd he that h. only child and
costly steel were indulging in the widest OF
races under sky lighted SIS by the flames Of
he'll and surrounded by is fires.
The switchman saw the girl as she 6ew
past; saw the swift gaIloping horse, the rider
With her long hair streaming II the wind.
the horse as If breathing smoke: saw without
recognition. and superstItiously imagined
that the ghost Of some red child OF the wilder
ness, whose bones had been disturbed IN build
ing the iron track of the pale face, was out
e. 80