Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-07-17

And then she stopped short. and a thrill
Of terror shot through her being, and al
most made her heart stand still
There, directly opposite. sat the very
man who had watched her persistently in
the waiting-ro and now, as then, his
eyes were fixed steadfastly upon her.
The sight of this person made her for
! get for time that Eugene might surmiss
she would hasten at once to her mother:
and it was not until after the train had
started, that she wondered il he were
aboard, and, curiously enough. II, in case
this wretch continued to persecute her
with his attentions and should offer her
further insult, he would defend her.
On and on few the train Faster and
faster it sped away in the darkness.
Station after station was passed so
quickly that they seemed almost close
together rather than miles apart. At
length Port Chester was passed. The next
station would be Greenwich, and then
| Cos Cob.
Mildred was thinking what she would
do in case the obtrusive stranger should
leave the train at the same time with her
self, when all at once o shrill whistle
broke on her ear, then came an appalling
cry from far ahead, aud the next moment
the car she was in seemed to shrink up into
| nothingness.
Forone moment she retained her facul-
ties, and in that moment she saw o timber
fall and crush in the head of the beauti-
full girl in front Of her, she saw the mother
sink prostrate by her dead daughters side,
she saw horrible look of abject terror
settle on the face of the stranger, and
then she saw no more.
/ Whan aha 0nQa mora wnka 70 ann
sciouspess she was lying on the ground,
surrounded on every hand by the dead and
dying.
On the truck above was q waiting train,
evidently but just arrived.
At the foot of the embankment, down
which they had plunged, was the wreck of
the doomed cars, now burning fiercely.
Mildred raised herself on her left elbow
and looked about her.
| By the light of the burning cars she
could readily distinguish objects, and at
no great distance she saw form which
she at once knew to be that of the mother
of the young girl who had sat in front of
her
A little further away, horribly burned,
was what sho felt rather than knew to be
oil that was left of the girl herself.
Something moist trickling down her
face and terrible pain in her head, made
her essay to raise her right hand.
| The attempt was a failure, and then
she knew that her right arm was broken.
At that moment she saw coming toward
her, with conciliatory look and fawning
manners, the detested stranger. He
had something in his hand. 1t looked
like her own hat, and, in, oluntarily, she
attempted to put out her hand to take it.
The effort caused spasm of pain; a
faintness seized her, her head whirled,
and she fell back unconscious.
"Good" exclaimed the stranger, in a
tone of satisfaction, and hastene6 to
| where the dead girl lay, after crushing
the hat he carried little more--it was
| pretty well crushed already.
In afew minutes he returned, accom-
panied by strong limbed man, evidently
farmer.
This is my poor darling, he said,
pointing to Mildred. "Take her up gently,
fear she is badly injured. Garry her to
your house, and have the carriage ready
as speedily as possible. will join you
/ presently. wish to do what l can for
one or two of these poor sufferers. All!
how thankful ought to be that Gods
| great mercy spared me while SO many were
hurried into eternity"
The young farmer muttered something
not overcomplimentary to the manage
ment of the railway, and raising Mildred
as tenderly in his arms as q woman
might, bore her away.
4 The fearful scene was alive with men,
and even women, fastening from one
/ group to another, and doing all in their
| power to alleviate the sutferings of the
| wounded. Being thus occupied, these
| good Samaritans had little time for any,
thing else, and so the scheming stranger
/ passed unnoticed.
Nov, then, he muttered, as his late
i companion disappeared with his uncon-
scious burden, what have to do must
be done quickly, and once approaching
the body of the young girl, he bent over
it and scrutinized it closely.
mo, she could never be recognized in
the world, he muttered half aloud. Her
hair, what little there is left, is the same
color as the others. Her dress ard outer
garments are all burned. Her hat have
disposed of, and this one shall take its
place. Now, then, if, as suspect, Mr..
Eugene Cleveland was on that train that
just came up, I'm ready for him." and
raising himself, he was about to walk
away, when he saw group of three Oh
four men, one of them carrying lantern,
coming toward him.
4. Luck fayors mel" he exclaimed in high
glee. .Here comes the young husband
sure enough, and the conductor is with
4 him.
i IF she was aboard the train after our
last stop, she must be off here some
where" the conductor was saying. I'VE
have looked everywhere else
i All, here are few, he suddenly added
4 This poor woman, remember her dis.
tinctly. She was seated near the youns
lady you described, she and"
i Great Godl can this be she--can this
be Mildred?" suddenly broke in Eugene
as he stood before the remains of the un.
fortunate young girl, who, in life, had 81
n closely resembled his bride.
il Il think mott hope not. hastily ex
claimed his friend, at the same time en-.
deavoring to turn him away.
4 But an object lying close by had caugh
Eugenes attention.
i That's her hat, he cried out. "Iknov
it. Yes, this poor, disfgured body mus
be all that ia left of my once beautifu
Mildred. God help me; how can ! eve
bear it?"
aAhl" suddenly exclaimed the CON
ductor. turning upon the stranger; "yol
were in the same car, and near these peo
pie. Do you know who this was2"
\ Don't know her name," responded thu
man, glibly. She was young lad,
travelling BY herself Sat in the seal
directly opposite the one occupied.
noficAd hor in tha waiffnU.r00m 0f fhs