The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1890-01-10
THE RAILROAD BRIDGE.
BY JENNIE DEAN.

senger In the ship Tempest, bound to
Havre, at which port he arrived in due
course of time.
Among other passengers there was a
beautiful Swiss girl, whose name Harry
learned was Mary Lorme. Ny friend
had ventured once or twice to address
the maiden, but her timid, modest, half
frightened manner seemed to repel an
intimate acquaintanceship. She had
informed the young man, however, that
she had been to New York to assist a
female cousin engaged in the dry goods
business; that soon after her arrival
there, her relative had died, largely in
debt, %whereupon Mary had concluded
to return home to her father, who, in
spite of a severe illness, had, in accord
nee with an agreement by letter, come
to Dion with the old family coach to
wait for her. Having learned this
much, Harry took a great interest in
the girl, and felt almost bound to act
the knight for one in her lonely, de-
fenseless condition.
When the boat, which, among other
passengers, contained her and him,
struck the landing, Harry politely of.
fered to carry the fair ones carpet-bag.
She thanked him with her usual sweet
smile. He took the bag, and the young
couple entered the diligence which was
to carry them to Paris.
There they finally arrived, ten min
utes too late for that days train. The
travellers were informed, however, that
there was another train at a station if-
teen miles distant, preparing to start in
five hours.
"Is there no conveyance to that
place." queried Harry.
He was answered in the negative.
II must go on!" exclaimed Mary.
"Ny father. I am afraid is very sick. I
must see him as soon as I can"
Fifteen miles is long distance to
walk" said Harry.
"Not for me-" answered Mary, smil-
ing. "The Swiss, you know, are great
walkers; I have been brought up to i
almost from infancy"
As her soft, pleading eyes seemed to
say, "You must go with me-" Harry
could not resist the appeal.
They started, moving along the rail
road, for there was no other way. When
they came to a rut or log, Harry would
extend his hand and assist his pretty
companion, when, with a smile and q
shake of the head, she would leap over
the obstruction as nimbly as a fawn.
They had proceeded about ten miles
when they saw the sun go down behind
a range of blue hills in the distance.
The two were now moving along a high
bridge raised upon spiles about two
hundred and fifty feet from the earth,
while beneath it was rock and inun-
dated here and there by foaming tor
rents.
Ahead of them the travellers perceived
that a distance of about one hundred
yards there were no cross planks be-
tween the rails. Therefore, in order to
traverse this space, Mary and her com
panion must walk upon the track. I'm
fortunately the track was not very
broad, yet a person of steady balance,
capable of maintaing his self possession,
in spite of the yawning abyss on each
side of him, might occasionally derive
support from the beam projecting out
ward several inches beyond each side
of the track, which was rivited upon it.
Frail support, however, with those
Jagged rocks two hundred feet below,
ready to receive the unfortunate ad
v%enturer who should make the slightest
misstep.
Harry paused, looked at his fair
friend and shuddered.
"We had better turn about" said he.
"Are you afraid?" she softly in
quired. Then as his cheek glowed
hotly-"For my sake, I meant"
For your sake, yes"
Mary smiled.
Il have been On the Alps" she said,
following those who hunted OF the icy
ruins of precipices for the channels.
Therefore, why should I shrink now?"
Still Harry hesitated. A rail was
different from the edge of a precipice,
and the young man almost fancied he
could already hear Mary's pierre
ing shriek-could almost see her form
cleaving the air headlong toward those
dangerous rocks beneath.
Meanwhile twilight was gathering +;
the crimson hues on the sky were melt
ing away in shadows. The travellers. if
intending to attempt the perilous cross
ing, had better do so nov while light
enough remained.
So said Mary, and her glance was
firm, her cheek %unblanched as she
spoke.
4Let me go alone" she continued,
"then if anything should happen to me,
you will not feel responsible. Go, how
ever, I must. for perhaps my father lies
dying. If SO. I will see him before he
breaths his last!n
aCome, then" said Harry; keep
bold Of my jacket to support yourself
as We 60. If I should stumble, how.
ever, do not hesitate to let go Of me.
Otherwise, you too, will be dragged
downl"
Mary silently nodded her head in
token Of assent, and the two started,