Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1890-04-30
THE SOUTH-B0UND TRAIN.

THE SOUTH BOUND TRAIN.
1t was . O'Clock. and Mabel Claire. the
pretty. Young telegraph operator. sat at
H., n- n-uumcnt. her hand ON the key,
wa.lng to send the last message before
Gu ing the Office for the night.
a. el was very seldom detained as late,
bui am excursion train had gone down
tha road that morning. and was now
wa ting at Ewings, below the turnout,
ii received the signal that the way
W. clear The soutb-bound express was
due in twenty minutes. When that
pa I'd Mabel would signal the excursion
ISIS TO come on.
was "a responsible and conflning po-
Il Ion for one 50 youngand inexperienced,
d Mabel during the ten months she
hd the place. had proved herself bright
ard efficient. and not the slightest acci-
dent due to neglect on her part had ever
occurred
Vow she kept looking at the clock,
thinking the hands had never moved so
slowly before. She was weary. sitting
i'm the close little o ice all the long. hot
hours of that sunni .d dav and She wished
for the train Be, ~. there was some
one on the train she wanted particularly
10 see.
Frank will be- on the lookout for me,
she said. "and will wave his hand-per-
haps kiss it ia the ness.
The thought ma smile and blush.
She hardly knew ler to be glad or
sorry at young fr Rays recent pro-
motion to the r,e,p DIE post of engin-
eer on the south ound. Every other
day she saw him. bat for two seconds, as
the train whizzcd -: the south-bound
never stopped at c insignificant little
station of Reddins.
They had been engaged a long time.
and now this pr oion of the young
man enabled them to see in the near fu-
ture the consumma ION of their hopes.
At $50 the station-maSter would come
in and the office would close for the night.
How still ever, thing was. 1t had
never seemed so lonesome before. 1t was
a quiet. peaceful little station in among
the Bald hills as they were called and,
though often feeli the loneliness Of the
position. Mabel ha,, never had the least
fear.
Mabel at last stopped looking at the
clock. and with her finger idly moving
at the key. lecamc lost in one of those
TO dreams VIII IA youth, especially
vntn IN love. Is prone to.
Not a sound bro thu leep silence Of
L ummer night 1t the rustic Of leaf
il Inc breeze or the distant call of the
Nh.poorwill.
Pr eatly a slight noise behind her
made the girl start and look around.
There. Just within the door, stood a tall.
caunt mon. with wild. bloodshot ewes,
long matted beard and hair, and torn,
di-ordered garments, glaring wildly at
her
The scream froze upon Mabel's lips. and
the hlood seemed to CONCEAL in her veins.
Before she could utter a sound the appa-
rition. without moving his eyes from her
face, advanced towards her.
"Sit still. he commanded, as Mabel
attempted TO rise. Move at your peril,
utter sound, and these hands will choke
the breath out of you.
And he extended long, horny-tipped
talons. which looked as if they could
well execute such threat.
Paralyzed with fright Mabel did not
stir. but gazed with terrified fascination
at the intruder lie drew up chair close
TO hers. and in front of the instrument.
Move your hand. girl :" he said Il
shall manage this instrument tonight. 1t
is long time since felt The key, but my
right hand has not forgotten any Of its
cunning. No. nor my ear It's quickness.
And his bony fingers commenced to
manipulate the key.
All at once Mabel realized that she was
in the presence Of a madman, and per-
conal fear was for the moment swallowed
up in the still greater terror of the mis-
chief which would be wrought by his
control of the instrument. She with-
drew her hand and found voice to expos
mlate
do not touch the key, ! entreat YOU
She said. 1t is not time yet to signal
Ewing's AMI if wrong message wero
cent arlul COLI ion might ensue.
The maniac lau. j delightedly.
"Hurrah - he cried. -'Tis the very
thing want to see. A grand. glori-
Gus sight. girl. to see those iron beasts
lock horns. paving and tearing up tho
earth. believing forth smoke and fire;
see them rush through these long trains,
scalding. burning. smashing the silly,
simple folks that trusted in them. Hur-
rah what holocaust we'll witnessl
v hat rivers Of blood will flow -
His eyes glared at Mabel's with the ex-
preston of demons, and his large white
teeth cleaned through his matted mus
.ache.
The poor girl almost tainted as he drew
he horrid picture.
But he will not know how to call the
stst9n, she said 10 herself; they will
not heed him.
He turned TO her with Sudden intelli-
gence
what is Ewing he asked. and
your signature: Q'ncS-give it 70 me
So