Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1888-09-13

asked.
He looked at me with a queer look
a moment. and then he stopped over.
and took up from the floor red Ian
tern. knew Il the moment saw it.
a. the one | had carried that night.
and remembered dropping It Us /
began 20 fall.
Its INT that saved us.' said he.
II was puzzled both at his manner
and at what be said. but was more
puzzled and startled. too when he
went on 70 explain:
"'We were coming down the road
little lnte. full drive. al forty-dve miles
an hour. said be. and had just passed
the station. and hal whistled FOR the
crossing, when caught sight ahead Of
Us. and not great way OF either. OF q
danger-signal. the red light. Il wa.
right in the middle OF the track. and
evidently approaching, moving up and
down quickly. as though the man who
carried it was running with all his
might
"'Of course. | reversed and whistled
down the brakes In an instant: and II
wasn't half minute. may be. before
we came to standstill. with the light
now almost upon Us. And almost be
fore We were fully stopped. jumped
down and ran ahead 10 meet IL, and
learn what was the matter II was
sprft.. rpta ohauI cot ,rd I could .+ilI
see it swinging from side to side. n
though the person bringing it had now
slackened his pace to a walk. A sec
ord later II seemed stationary, and
seemed TO be waiting for me to come up.
As came close upon it. you may imag-
Inc my establishment TO find it set down
in the middle OF the track, and not
soul to be seen anywhere around
"'l spoke. and then called aloud and
then shouted. but got no response.
And before this, had not heard any
sound or football And when. mo-
ment later, the conductor and some of
the train-men came up with lights, we
searched out, and could not find any
traces OF the person 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 com
menced bowling. and we found him on
the edge of the embankment. and in
ferred that you had fallen down the
embankment. We searched mt once.
and found you almost dead. though |
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. Vt last said
e Joe. how could it have got there
the lantern2'
Joe shook his head.
." i can't tell. said he All know
about il il. that it was there. and II
saved the train. But I'm sure it wasn't
done by any human handr
II thought it over for some moments
longer did not believe in ghosts. or
spirits, or any thing Of the sort Some
body or something living must have
taken the lantern from the spot where
dropped it a fell down the embanEs-
ment. and carried it up the track to
the place where Joe Varnish first found
it. And all at once was sure had
solved the enigma.
joe said |. 1 have it!'
"sHow l. that9f he asked
There were three OF Us that went
down, and found that bridge gone.
said /.
Three repeated he. more mysti.
fed than ever.
Yes said I. Myself. the Ian.
tern and the dog. Now / could not
have taken the lantern up the track.
And it couldn't have taken ITSELF up
there. Therefore, it must have been
the third one Of Us don't you seea'
Joe stood moment puzzling over
it, Then his face broke into Il 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 ~ We
stood there. not quite comprehending
even now just how it all had happened.
What, Don't you see either?" asked
he, and he laughed heartily To himself.
for moment. Then he put his fingers
to his lips, and gave a shrill whistle.
The next instant large black dog
came bounding down the road, and
came to the old fagman's side. His
master laid his hand affectionately on
the black. curly head. and looked up
at Harry and me once again.
'I'll make you acquainted with Sig. ="
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. John BrowHjoha.
tn Youths Companion.
Artistic intelligence.