The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-04-20

DsS"e1s oh0 ~ sho oohuo uAououI appllou
the air. As soon as the train had
come to a standstill he reversed, open
ed the throttle once more, whistled for
rear lights, and slowly backed the train
out of the tunnel. As the wheels
lazily revolved, the old man turned to
his son and in tone which was more
whisper than anything else, gasped
out:
ibid you s-see it,"
"Yes," Jack whispered in reply; "!t
was Mary. saw 1t as plainly as could
be. 1t was Mary standing in the
middle of the track, clad In angels
robe. Oh, l know it is Mary's spirit,
and she is dead"
at was woman's form, and she
held her right hand aloft in warning"
said Jasper, his eyes as large as oys.
ter shells and his frame trembling
like a locomotive in toll at was a
warning, if ever there was one, and
not for all the world would Irun
through that tunnel tonight. She
stood right in the middle of the track
and--h heavens! there she Is again! See,
there"
Jack saw it. too, and covered his
face with his grimy arms and wept.
"What is the matter here::" in
quircd the conductor, who had come
running forward as the train stopped.
whats up:'
"I.cok?" the old engineer replied,
pointing ahead with one hand and
with the other covering his eyes.
NJ see nothing except the mouth of
Buck Hill tunnel" the conductor said.
">he is thcre--she is there! saw
her twice! Jasper cried
"Who is there? There is nothing
there. Wake up, man-you are
dreaming. Where's Jack?"
~ saw her, too. said the fireman,
moaning; ~ saw her. and am sure
my Mary ia dead"
"Saw tiddlcsticks!' muttered the
conductor, as he c!ambered into the cab.
Jap Ward, I'm ashamed of you.
Ghosts on the track. Humph! What's
the matter with you to-night?"
But Jasper and Jack stuck to their
story that they had seen on the track
right at the mouth of Buck Hill tun-
mel the ghostly form of woman, with
her hair waving in the wind and with
a hand uplifted warningiy. The con
ductor laughed ut the story and ridi-
culcd Jasper and Jack until they con-
scnted to put on the steam and 20
ahead. The wheels had made but a
few revolutions when the conductor
cried out as the others had done before
him, 'Grcat heavens. what is that?"
! But, being brave fellow, as 1t is easy
for a man to he who has never had
his nerves weakened by much riding
at night in the cab If a locomotive,
| he lcaped to the ground and declared
that he would solve the mystery. Ian.
tern in hand he pushed ahead toward
the mouth of the tunnel. In a mo.
ment he called out for help, and when
Jasper and his son ran to his assist
ance they found him standing no the
plot of the locomotive with something
white in his arms.
"IIerc's Your ghostly woman he
cried. Help me get her down. She's
eithe. dead or sleeping"
1t was indeed woman, and she
was alive, hut unconscious. Jack
flashed his lantern before her face,
and drew back with q cry. 1t was
Mary Clifford.
She reused but slowly. being chilled
to the marrow. Recovering conscious
ness she surprised her rescuers by fail
ing to scream. Instead she smiled in
a queer sort Of way at Jack, and
| pulled closer round her throat the big
coat which he had placed upon her
shivering form.
MARY" said Jack, unable longer
to restrain the eagerness of his curl
osity, chow In the world did you hap
pen to get here::"
"Why, jack" she replied. "didn't
you know l was troubled with sleep
walking: guess l must have been
dreaming of You tonight O, yes,
remember; last night mother and were
talking of the day took the ride with
you on the COW catcher, and that must
be how happened to come here. Are
You sorry, jack"
For answer Jack looked to see that
his father AMI the conductor were out
of sight. arguing with each other down
by the driving wheels, and then III
took the chilly ghost in his arms and
kissed her lips until they at least were
warm.
"I'm right and know I'm right"
exclaimed the conductor, who was a
materialist with no use for ghosts and
spccters with long hair waving in the
wind; "Ill prove it to you. Ill climb
upon the pilot, and after you've backed
up little LII wave my arms as you
start forward again. and you'll see
what you'll sec."
The conductor climbed upon the
pilot while Jasper resumed his seat
in the cab and backed UP the length
of the train. Then he sat his lc;er
forward again and slowly turned on
the steam. The wheels had made but
Il few revolutions when Jasper. Jack
aud Mary saw before them, seemingly
right in the tunnels mouth, a shadowy,
indistinct form, moving what appear
cd to be its arms, and which all knew
to be the shadow Of the conductor on
the pilot.
II told you So" was the conductors
first remark as he came from the pilot.
~ saw it all at Il glance. The thin ice
on the banks in the cut here is jus. like
a looking glass. At one particular
spot the rays from the electric head.
light are reelected back and forth in
such manner that the shadow of ANY,
thing on the pilot is taken up and in.
distinctly thrown upon tn, inky black
ness ahead"
81 don't understand It," said Jasper
"I.et me show YOU" the conductor
went on, taking out pencil and paper
while Jasper held his lantern. "In the
first place, YOU must remember that
the rocky walls Of tine cut are rough
and uneven, presenting great variety
of surfaces, and Il good many of ZEN
just like mirrors. Now, we'll call J,
the tunnel arch. DB are the walls OF
the cut. G is the electric headlight
over the pilot. The electric rays
N.