, 1888-12-16

and 1t may have been that in Bob's mind
the idea of his duty in life was a good
deal more what he owed the colonel than
what was due any higher power.
After a while, curled up on his COM
Portable box in the baggage car. the lad
slept. The night deepened and darkened,
the lights in the little towns, as the "can-
fewer and fewer, the lamps in the coaches
burned lower. and still the train fled on
ward through the night.
ALI of q sudden, coming swift and
harp as death, was the shock of a great
crash, the sound of shivering timbers,
the shrek of the engine like a live thing
in mortal agony, the hiss of steam, and
above all the confused sounG of human
voices, cries for help and groans of the
unfortunate caught in the wreck.
"a special had run into the sleepersT"
1t took only an instant for the %uninjnred
TO gather around that awful mass that
a moment before had represented the
human embodiment of power, health,
wealth, happiness, and that now was
only death-death in its most horrible
form.
Bob, white as a ghost, felt his way in
the darkness to the little crowd gathered
hbCbt liz ~ - ookh VI AIOAAA
ing but that the colonel was somewhere
in that awful mass. Already they were
bringing the dead and the injured by
him, and laying them on the sweet, dew
wet grass. He looked eagerly in every
face, but torn and disfgured, they were
strangers. The colonel must still be i'm
prisoned in the car.
Presently a spark, then a ribbon Of
light and then a sheet of flame bIrst
from tho and Of tho
"My Godi" cried a man, 1.-The wrecks
on fire" and there's still another man in
there. He must be stunned"
Bob clutched the mans arm. Its the
colonel" he cried, 81 must save him"
"You cannot" was the answer, sit is
madness to try"
Break in the Windows" cried an
other, ''if he's willing to risk it"-with
a curious glance at Bob's shabby figure.
Hurry, hurry, for Gods sake. The
fire is spreading every instant"
In q minute they had broken the win
dow and Bob let himself down into the
overturned car. Already the flames
were curling along the beautiful wood
work, and by their light he could see the
colonel's still, white face. He seized
him, and with the strength of despera-
ton lifted him to where eager, hands
could draw the unconscious man out
into the safe, fresh air. The smoke and
heat were getting sitting. Bob felt his
burden lifted out of his arms and then
he clutched at the window to save him
self. How close the air was, how dark
it was getting, and how far the voices
seemed. 1t was almost as quiet as the
piny woods at home.
Afterwards i long afterwards - they
told him that he reeled and would have
fallen just as the side of the car fell in
Cr1rphfnn hiu arrn hr,t thof onr,a nna
caught and pulled him out. And some
one-it was the colonel who never left
him during all hat cruel time, ever
when the surgeon cut away the mangled
arm-someo one told him that the papers
were full of his heroism. But Bob only
smiled. He knew he had only paid back
his fathers debt to the colonel. After a
bit he asked, docs Mamsey know" and
he begged the colonel to go and tell her.
1t was night in the little cabin in the
piny woods. The old woman took down
the old Bible and spelled out syllable by
syllable the beautiful story of the widow
of Main. He was the only SOL of his
mother, and she was q widow" The
younger woman leaned over and laid her
hand abruptly on the readers wrist.
d you reckon" she asked, THAT boy
was like Bob? He was dead and he give
him back to her, it says. I-P'-her
NOiCc lIellDlcu. L lONo IT'LL LOT lnuI
she paused as the door opened, and the
colonel stood before her. Something in
his face told her of disaster. "Bobf' she
cried, springing to her feet. He took
trembling hands in his and with the
tears streaming down his face told her
all. She listened like one dazed. But
the older woman came and stood before
him, with the open book still in her
hand.
at was what you did for his father"
she cried, and then, m~isquoting the
Scriptures, perhaps because she read by
faith and not by knowledge, she said half
under her breath, "An eye for an eye, a
limb for a limb and a life for a life"
When Bob was well enough to leave
the hospital he refused all offers of as
sistance.
"Tm much obliged to you, colonel" he
said, when his old friend would have
aided him, "but I'm going to make a man
of myself in spite of this" touching the
empty sleeve. "And l promised myself
1 was going to fix Mamsey up like a
palace cal and I'm going to do it."
So looking very white and thin, and
with the old uniform looking a little
shabbier than ever, he went back to the
old life and the old work.
Where is he now? God knows. Who
keeps track Of the bubbles hat rise and
break on the great current of life?-Eliza-
beth NJ. Gilmer in New Orleans Plea
yune.