Telegram-herald., 1890-11-13

nsssx fszr seost ies bEeaklns 0ooa-
bxs. swsssks.r8 be saL4 ssna1ag ever
sz1 press "A rs liae - hsrs
Sat ses ssih elang - sln. leta - let
hisz ss4rA k4t - aissHx~ge4 a1@ssls
ana ssepBea isse sAs CAB ~ hts irsa
hoxse, B4llsd Spez tAe shrottle. s2A
slsalg Shs trGia E94 klsa ssAy In 10
sarsness fxozz HeFnslisttlle st4tion to-
ara ths utninE camp IL tie Eo4Rt2ias
dfsY mllsS ssaF, walc1 AS soe ether
ssF1ines - ths bEaneA. leaving Mary
ga tas piatter1s. hsE eyes 10 oe1inHe1
by tears 70 see Aer lever.
Al thAs Right sn& The nsxt day.
yagas feeling of impsading danger
fllsd her heart. All her apprehension
beczns mere intense sssn raiR began -
fall IA torrenss early "a The sfternooA-
Tue D. l. & ; bFsneh runs trom h0r-
nellssiile 70 Mortality Camp uP IN the
mountains. ATS miles away IRe 1rst
tea milss are sOwn . steep grade and
toward = narrow valley. Then the track
Is laid between I'VE ranges u hills, the
pass not being more thsa mile across
IA its widest part just az the base OF
Long Lake. an immense body OF water
which furnished power 20 numbers OF
star ping mills close by in the psss. the
road turns sharply 20 the right To
avoid tunaeling, the road then doubles
completely. and rams back. almost par
allel 70 It's first course. 70 DOwner's
Bend, within two miles OF Mary's home.
Thus the hrst twenty odd miles Of the
road run IN the shape OF an elongated
loop. The branch then continues on an
easy stretch TO Mortality Camp The
run from HornellsVille 10 the camp
usually occupies nearly two hours. but
tsa return trip could bs made in trihe
over an hour and halt
Every one in Hornellsviile knew Mary
Sexton, bat she was 3 constant lass, and
she had smiles for no lover but the
sturdy enginser. John Manning, the
friend OF her youth, the man who for
years had been almost brother 20 her.
for Mary was an orphan and had known
the tender soiicitude OF parent only IN
early childhood. Ii was only natural.
therefore, that the station and the
freight.house werc places Of engrossing
interest TO her, and that after she had
acquired knowledge OF reading and
writing. she should solve the intrioscies
of telegraphy. She was an apt pupil.
and for many months had been in the
habit OF relieving the regular day OPP
orator from time 70 time
twas considerably after eight o'clock
in the evening, when Mary left her
homo for the station, and though she
knew she had to wait until 9:4o o'clock
for Johns train to return, she could not
rest easily while there was any doubt as
TO tho solidity of Long Lake dam.
She stepped into the station few
minutes before the half.hour, prepared
20 ask for the latest news, but she
paused with surprise VIXEN she saw that
the place was empty. She was still
wondering whittier the operator had
gone, when her sccute ear caught the
call KY" repeated again and again
with what seemed to be feverish rapid
ity. Without stopping to remove her
shawl, she hastened TO the instrument,
opened the key and gave the answering 9
symbol There was brief pause, and
then hurriedly she read:
Dam at Long Lake likely 10 go at any mo
ment Water even With top. Stsnpons have
ned to high ground Hr."
''Hr' was the signature of the op-
orator at the company's mills, Just be-
meath the lake, and she recognized il
instantly. Opening the key again, she
ratified off:
What time is the express due theres"
The reply came:
'In fifty minut-s or IT 9:17. Tried to ge
Mortality Camp, but got answer. II tn,
train gets into the pass just as dam breaks
every one VIII be lost"
The message abruptly ended, ana
Mary realized that something bad
caused the operator to leave mis- in
strument Instinctively she saw the
danger to John and the express
Though her heart throbbed like an en-
gine. she lighted red lantern. and
Fastening with a wild, unreasoning i'm
pulse from the station, she sped breath
lessly through the street. hardly form
ing. In the frenzy Of her physical ex.
ernon, an outline of plan.
II have half an hour In which &c
reach Downer's Bend. John is due
there at s:57," she muttered TO herself
and her face bespoke the determination
she had reached IL can reach the
switch of the spur track at the Bend a.
that time. My lantern Will slow up the
express. I'll throw the switch. Thst1
send her up the spur towards the quar-
ries at its end. She'll stop in twelve oi
tfteen car-lengths. after passing the
switch, and so III save her from enter
ing the pass
She hurried along for many slowly
passing minutes, unHhndful OF the
storm which had drenched her, and
likewise unmindful OF the rough gravel
which cut through her thin slipper:
and bruised her feet Presently, above
the roar OF the rain and the wind. she
heard the blast OF locomotive whis
tie To her agonized mind IL seemed
. 70 scream: "Maryl Mary" dying away
in long moan like that which come,
had the sound died in the distance
when she became aware OF even more
horrid noise horne on the wind from
the direction - the pass; a noise like
that made By the crashing Of trees in
gale Again the whistle sounded, and
its shrek pierced her heart like
knife She ouickened her frantic run
, few moments more and she was de
scending the hill which ended at Down
ers Bend.
A she nesred the switch. she snstche6
, moment 20 cast look backward
and saw the bright CLEAN Of the loco
motives headlight
She swung the lantern around he1