Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-02-05

| few hearty curses at him and snatched
my coat and hurried after my friend.
| | caught up with him as he was enter
ing the gate at his home. He beckoned
me to come in. At the door he was met
by his mother With cry she threw
her arms about him. He gently un-
loosed the clinging fingers saying:
There, there, mother, perhaps it is all
for the best and went on up to his
room. Once inside he turned on me
like a tiger: Tom, | want your re-
volver.
"'What for?'
"To follow that thieving hound until
find him.
"'And then?'
"Then, oh, my God! End three
lives.
1.-THE last words came ont with hiss
like that of snake when ready to
strike.
"'Think of your mother
"'Will you get me the revolver
"'No'
"'And you call yourself friend.
There's the door. Get out9
"'But, Ed
"'Get outr
"See here, Ed; listen to reason
AT that he sprang for me. am no
infant, as you see, and handling two or
three tons of coal every day is apt to
take all habbiness out of fellow, but
had all ! could do the next five minutes
TO defend myself. Neither of us said
word after we clinched. At the end of
that time Ed cried huskily: 'All right.
Tom, give up Both of us were ready
to sit down. IL was long into the night
before could argue him out of his in
sane project. just at the turning point
there was feeble knock at the door
and Mrs. jackson entered. With an
imploring cry she stretched forth her
arms. Ed sprang forward and left.
1.-THE next day Ed appeared as usual
to take his engine out but it was diff
ferent fellow from the one we had
known forty-eight hours before. The
face was pale and stern. The laugh in
the gray eyes had given place to a set,
hard look. From that time on Ed
seemed possessed with an insane desire
to keep employed. He was always the
first to apply for extra duty and fire.
quently would take the run of some fell
low who did not want to go out. Though
he never referred to it in words knew
he liked to have me with him. and so il
came about that we were even more to-
gether than before.
Nothing had been heard of Kitty or
her husband They dropped out of
sight. Her people may have heard of
them but they never said any thing
Zone day late in the succeeding sum
mer we were waiting at Mud Creek
Junction for a train on a connecting
line that was a few minutes late. Ed
took the opportunity to tighten up
bolt or two. | had finished oiling and
was leaning lazily out of the cab win
dow, when ] heard the rattle of car
rage coming up the country road
turned in that direction and saw it was
occupied by gentleman and lady who
seemed anxious to make our train.
Something made me give a second look
at the lady 1t was Kitty Moore. II
had not been braced against the seat
should have fallen. She was talking
animatedly and did not notice the train.
my first thought on recovering from
the shock of surprise was for Ed.
started to jump down and call him out
on the other side Who was itscSaid
Man proposes and God disposes?' As
rose Ed clambered out on the side near
est the road. At this moment the valve
on the steam dome popped off This
startled the horses attached to the car
riage, Kitty turned and her eyes met
those of Ed. Her face was the color of
were face to face. Then the horses
dashed forward and the carriage with
its occupants was hidden behind the
depot.
Il could sec Eds fingers grip the ham,
mer he held in his hand until it seemed
as if they would leave their print on the
hickory handle.
Ills pallor deepencd. but the only
sign of the passion called into play by
this unexpected meeting was a iiend-
ish look that crept into his eyes when,
as he swung up into the gangway, he
saw the pair hurry across the platform
to the cars. believe at that moment
he would have wrecked the whole
train could he have been certain that
those two would not have escaped.
Mile after mile was cut off, station
after station passed without his stir
ring from his post He was thinking,
and his thoughts were not such as
brought comfort
"Then we began to climb the Wabusa
grade, and had enough to do without
watching After reaching the summit
there is a down grade for a couple of
miles. At the foot the road takes a
short curve and crosses Burnham's
creek. which was spanncd then by a
wooden bridge-afterward replaced
with stone. just before reaching the
curve you had look cross-lots ut the
bridge. After reaching the top of the
grade the train was given a start.
steam was shut off and away we went
down the grade at the rate of forty
4 -.4l