Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1888-04-12

steam, and at the same moment anniied
the air. AS soon as the train had
come to standstill he reversed. omen.
cd The throttle once more. whistled for
rear lights, and slowly backed the train
OUT OF the tunnel As the wheels
,azuy reVolved, the old man turned TO
ms son and in tone which was more
out: oA'o' S~opeu
did You s-see itr'
YES" Jack whispered in reply. or
was Mary, l saw 1t as plainly as could
pc. It was Mary standing in the
middle OF the track, clad In angels
robe. oh, | know it is Mary's spirit
and she is dead"
III 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
IKE a locomotive in toll. at was a
warning, If ever there was one. and
not for all the world would run
through that tunnel tonight She
stood right in the middle of the track
and-heayensl there she is againl See,
therep
Jack saw it, too, and covered his
face with his grimy arms and wept.
what is the matter here?" in
CURED the conductor, who had come
running forward as the train stopped.
whats up?"
"Look?" the old engineer replied
pointing ahead with one hand a.
with the other covering his eyes.
81 see nothing except the mouth of
Buck Hill tunnel" the conductor said.
"She is there-she is there! | saw
her twice! Jasper cried
"Who is thereY There Is nothing
there. Wake up, man-you are
dreaming. Where's Jack?"
81 saw her, too, said the fireman,
moaning; II saw her, and lam su =
my Mary is dead"
''Saw fiddlesticksr' muttered II
conductor, as he clambered into the ca'l
Jap Ward, I'm ashamed of YOU
Ghosts on the track! Humphl Whats
the matter with you to-nightP"
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
hand uplifted warningly. The con-
ductor laughed at the story and ridi-
culed Jasper and Jack until they con-
sented to put on the steam and go
ahead. The wheels had made but a
few revolutions when the conductor
cried out as the others had done before
him, "Great heavens, what is that?"
But, being brave fellow, as 1t is easy
for a man TO be who has never had
his nerves weakened by much ridinp
at night In the cab of locomotive,
he leaped 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
pilot of the locomotive with something
white in his arms.
"Here's your ghostly woman" he
cried. "Help me get her down. She's
either dead or sleeping"
1t was indeed a woman, and she
was alive, but unconscious. Jack
flashed his lantern before her face,
and drew back with 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
q 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, show in the world did you hap
pen to get here?"
"Why, jack" she replied. didn't
you know l was troubled with sleep
walking? l guess / 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 w-catcher, and that must
be how happened to come here. Are
you sorry, JackY'
For answer Jack looked to see that
his father and the conductor were out
of sight. arguing with each other down
by the driving wheels, and then he
took the chilly ghost in his arms and
kissed her lips until they at least were
warm.
"I'm right and 1 know I'm right"
exclaimed the conductor, who was
materialist with no use for ghosts and
specters with long hair waving in the
wind; "I'll prove it to you. I'll climb
upon the pilot, and after you've backed
up little I'll wave my arms as you
start forward again, and you'll see
what you'll see."
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 lever
forward again and slowly turned on
the steam. The wheels had made but
a few revolutions when Jasper, Jack
and Mary saw before them, seemingly
right In the tunnels mouth, a shade wy,
indistinct form, moving what appear
ed to be its arms, and which all knew
to be the shadow of the condector on
the pilot.
~ told you So" was the conductors
first remark as he came from the pilot.
81 saw it all at glance. The thin ice
on the banks in the cut here is just like
a looking glass. At one particular
spot the rays from the electric head
light are reflected back and forth in
such manner that the shadow of any
thing on the pilot is taken up and in
distinctly thrown upon the inky black
ness ahead"
II don't understand it," said Jasper.
"Let 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 the cut are rough
and uneven, presenting a great variety
of surfaces, and good many of 'em
lust like mirrors. Now, We'll call a.
the tunnel arch. BIB are the walls of
the cut. G is the electric headlight
over the pilot. The electric rays.
III.