Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-01-31

finger was crrImpled-bcnt under to the
palm. Her heart gave an immense
|E:eaps fer,t1osc two things were especially
anentioned in the description she had
read from the poster rs she cs.ne up the
mountain
y What. could shst,o--for it must bcthc
thief and escaped prisoner, and he must
he caught. She could hurry back and
dolwp--to the station and get the men
there to'cospeL but hat-would not do.
ScdAmust Sct-hini--@ItAwoulk make it
all right for him again, if he could take
the mum back-hc the one to capture
him. Tint must he it. But how could
she sctYor4 tohipsar Si,e peercd ever
no brink again and tfAIts satisfied from
the movements that the man was making
this secluded spot Il hiding place for Il
TING and thep,. she, cautiously. slipped
away UP through the woods and over the
top, down ITO the Stations AZ. fast as she
could, turning over in her mind what
plan 10 pursue that ned mighViind the
man before any one else succeeded.
II Was Il long walk, bGti att last she
stood at the foot Of the mountain, and
learned that Ned had missed the pas
sse,ieSr tn,iif,s bit Had gone on only Il
short time before on II gravel train which
had come up two miles from the gravel
lpit for another fiat cWisuyl lSiistHppwia
lllling up at the pits for It's return to the
city. "'h f'7iT"1
sit has to wsit for the special to cpmc
up before il can go on, the operator
told her in answer to her question.
" So, without a word more ,2iaicIsct of.
down the track, tired us she was with
her two miles walk. She felt quite
sure, MS she stumbled along over the
tics, that sine could reach the pits in the
forty minutes before it could possibly
leave: But her footsteps lhggqdIin spite.
of, here, Still she kept on until she
reached the long, open river bridge
She had forgotten that and she knew,
us she looked ut it, that she could never
Keep aftlcat hGid to walk across it upon
the ties. She could 90 around, but the
gravel train might start before she could
walk around by the distant road bridge.
She shuddcrcd, but sue MIST cross here,
in some way '"fiF
As she looked around in "a dizzy terror
nj even the thought oil attempting the
feat, .she s;lw..a short, brond board, and
IN idea struck her She Slid down the
cinbankmcnt7 and scrambled back with
the board.
81 can't fall of it. if can only do ii -
she said to herself Anyway, mlistn /
think shout. il, aud it is long enough"
nj she thrust il ont before her upon the
ties insidesnd next the rail.
There WAS also Il narrow plank upon
tine outside, which she had not dared to
venture upon alone. Now she knclt
upon the two and, crashing the mil with
her hands, shut her eyes and Scrawled on
in that position until she felt the end Of
her board. Then she braccd herself with
ono hand found a footing for her knee
upon utie, and pulled forward the board
to bridge another set of ties.
II WAS slow and dangerous work, aud
She screwed her eyes close shut for fear
She might see what would ihnervc her.
Once her board caught and 1t seemed to
he slipping. II was a horrible thought,
and she felt as though she, too, were
slipping, hut she clutchcd rail and board
and it held firm ns she crawlcd along.
+ Suddenly the rails vibrated under her
hand. We're was she! r Was she any
where near thcl cud.3 The SPECIAL was
coming-how far away She dared not try
to sec. With one more convulsvc effort
she pulled the board forward, crawIcd
its.length, then sharp whistle shriekcd
out2two of them: She gave one gasp
and looked. She saw few more ties
between her and salciy-saw the easinc
lying right ut hcr-hear'l another shrek
from the whistle, wavcrcd il half second.
fhcn in desperation rosr tJ her fee, aud
bonded with swaying arms along the
narrow outer plank, to strike the solid
earth, leap aside, and roll down the en-
{ bmikment, fwhile- trninrcame to 1t stop
upon the btidgt. - :. ri
Crcssy was not hurt, only unncrvcl,
and to the questions poured in upon her
She could find no answer but tha; She
must see Ned before the gravel train left
''It's something important. No person
would eyer try crawling oyer the long
bridge Hess il WAS, the fireman OBJ
served.
SCAN we make it," suddenly asked the
conductor, looking at his watch.
"Ycs, sir, the engineer replied briefly,
and Crcssy found herself swung up into
the cab beside him .and the train sped
back, to the bewildermcnt Of the passen-
gers, over the last half mile
The engine came TO II stop right oppo-
site Ned, and he was astonishch 10 see
Grassy, who cried out:
"Oh Ned, I've found him"
% why, Cressy Carter, how did you
come hcrc?"
son, our hands and knees, youugstcr,
some of the way, the engineer put in. )
''But I have found'him. o '%''s q
"Who?"
| "Thc prisoner" she whispered
"Cressy Carter" Ned was too as.
founded to say more.
"What is itl" the conductor asked
coming up curious to know. ..
Ned explained briefly, when the con-
ductor caught him by the arm
"Jump aboard, boy" he cried. '"Put
on, Billy to the brakeman, and bcfor.
they were hardly aware of it. they were