The Arizona sentinel., 1888-06-16

Dill . 1OOllonncSS, anu w dtkluS Sldlu
on the engine. He had fired for Bill Il
month or so, and then the engineer
went to the superintendent and told
him positively that he must remove
Watkins He couldn't give any rea-
son that had weight with the boss.
and he said that fireman must stay.
Then Bill told him that his next trip
would be his last. He said he would
not run another trip with George Wat
kins.
"Th Pennsylvania & Eric road runs
through some very wild country in
Northwestern Pennsylvania. Ole of
the widest spots was just west OF Kane,
in Mexican County. The woods are
deep and unbroken for miles. and a
fellow passing through them feels rs
if he were out of the world. From the
first trip that Watkins made with him.
Bill noticed that in going through
that wild sire ch the fireman seemed
to be seized with terror, and at times
he would turn pale, and Bill frequent
ly saw him crouching at the side of
the cab and glaring wildly. and his
strange eyes seemed to be gazing into
vacancy. On the trip that Bill de-
cIared was to be his last with the new
fireman. the engineer had not boon
paying any attention to Wat
kins until they had entered The
wild piece of woods near
Kane, and had run somo dis
tance through i. Then Bill happened
10 turn his eyes toward the fireman.
Watkins stood against the side of the
cab. HIS eyes were staring at the en-
gineer. and Bilrs eyes met the queer
gaze straight and full. Bill sad that
nslantly he felt II numb sensation run
through him like fl tsh. H ), tried 10
take his eyes away from Watkins, but
couldn't do it. Sense of the fact that
he was on his engine running the eX-.
press on the Pennsylvania & Erie rail-
way never left him, but there he
Stood. entirely helpless to move his
ewes away from Watkins. Presently
the fireman turned and looked off into
the woods. Without power to help it,
B IL looked in The same direction. He
said that he didn't believe that Wat
kins saw or noticed him. Or
knew that he was held under
that strange influence. The look of
terror came to the fireman's eyes as
he gazed. and suddenly the entire
scene was changed. as Bill gazed out
upon it. Instead of the deep X ane
woods. the train was gliding through
delightful valley. On one side was
a lofty ridge; on the other Il level
stretch of fertile farm land was
UouHueU by line of low woods.
Presently the tram passed Il town-a
beautiful village. with remarkable
growths of willows. where the site
back in terraced grounds was an old
homestead, to which green lane, on
either side of which were thick elumps
of willows, led from the main
road. Beyond. rising back of
the trees. was church spirc. As
Bill Sandusky gazed in amazement
on This transformation, IN elderly
man, astride of large horse. rode
down the lane toward the village. As
he was passing clump of trees a tall
man stepped out from behind n large
willow with n gun in his hands. Il C
raised the weapon to his shoulder and
fired at the man on the horse. The
old man threw up his hands and tum-
bled to the ground. The murderer
fired twice into the PROSTATE body of
his victim, and then ran away and
disappeared among the willows along
the river Bill said he could not dis
tinguish the features of either the
murderer or his victim, but the horror
of the scene aroused him He uttered
scream that startled the fireman,
who was crouching down in the cab.
Watkins sprang to an erect position.
Bill jumped for his lever, and was about
to reverse and call for brakes when the.
strange scene faded away and the
wild Pennsylvania landscape once
more stretched away on either side
In seconds time the fireman was
himself again. attending to his duty
as cool as ever
"Was there something on the
track?" he asked. us the engineer
dropped the signal cord.
ut was some time before Bill could
reply, and then he told Watkins of the
extraordinary vision. As he de-
scribed it his fireman grew paler and
paler, and became greatly agitated.
When Bill came to the scene where
the old man was murdered, Watkins
was picture of terror He threw up
his hands.
my Godr he shrieked. There is
no escape
"With these words he sprang from
the cab and Bill saw him tumble out
of sight in the bushes. The train was
running thirty miles an hour Bill
brought her to stop as soon as he
could, and backed down to where the
fireman had jumped off. expecting to
find him dead or badly hurt Not n
trace of Watkins could be found ex-
cept the broken bushes into which he.
had disappeared. The woods were
searched, but the missing fireman was
not found.
of course Bills story, the singular
disappearance of Watkins, and the
mysterious circumstances connected
with it. created a great sensation along
the line for some time, but the matter
was ut last forgotten. A month or so
afterward Bill Sandusky took vaca-
ton He went on trip through Ohio.
One day he read in Cjncinn ati ma nor