The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1892-12-08

Il Aht ttDlVlOt bNiTntu OlCKWITu
/ through the car.
! Before and behind the road had been
torn up, demolished. The fiendish work
OF few moments had caused the delay
OF hours, aud already the early dusk was
settling down: But life was sate--sc
far.
"Who could have done it--and why r.
"Some lurking band of thieves, nc
doubt, hoping to rob the train7"
"They took deal of trouble. They
could have 'held us up without making
themselves so much work." said the mau
with the loud necktic. "There's only
one solitary passenger in the other Pull
man."
Miss Denslow turned sick with fear.
The utter desolation OF her position ap.
palled her. WHY had she done this fool
hardy thingl Yet, why should she have
thought OF danger; or how forescIl that
she would be the only woman on board
that east-bound train1 And the doctors
letter had been so urgent. Her auut was
| dying and needed her. She felt as il
suHocating, and hurried toward the
door.
al wouldn't LADY, Bettah stay inside.
Io' needn' be sca'ed. We kin take ca
o. yo', lady. Mebbe muffin won't hap
pen. Mebbe it's on'y ioolin'," urged
the porter, gently. Helen had been
generous patron aud not ault.fudiug.
She had almost compensated to the chi.
valrous porter for his empty car, aud,
therefore, almost empty pocket.
"Open the door, quick! | must get
out OF this prison!" In an instant she
had sprung to tho frozen ground aud
was running blindly, wildly forward.
She passed the trains length and cane
to the canon's brink. As she flew by
them her pale face was ilumincd by the
flare Of the trainmen's torches, searching
the disasters extent.
"oh, lady! Don't 90 down therel
Take care! It's tough placel"
At the touch of the brakeman's hand
on her arm the girl stopped. Her un-
reasoning fear left her rs suddenly as 1t
had come, and she was her cool, alert
self again.
"Have you telegraphed for help"
uhN Aut MOIol-llt NlTt CUT.
"Sent some one, thenl"
"Yes-if the messenger amt stopped"
"Dld such thing ever happen be-
forel"
The man answered evasively.
"It's a wild country, lady. Consider.
able money goes east now and again, and
there's diamond merchan. travels the
road sometimes"
"Jerry! Bring that light this way"
As the glare of the torch faded the
moonlight filed It's place. Miss Dem
slows fear gone, her curiosity remained.
Canon Diablo is worlds wonder. Its
sides are covered with loose stones aud
powders which look as il they had been
brought one by one and tossed into
place.
al will 90 down, little way. We
n'st stay here for hours--I shall have no
other such chance IN all my lifei"
The girls nCstrils dilated. Her heart
beat eagerly. Here was new expert
ence, indeed. 1t promised to be salts.
flying one; aud she had fed her hungry
heart with such husks since that day,
Ntll OSlOAts NiCu SUI lth
her lover in quarrel. Moonlight always
brought mis- memory back to her with
cruel distinctness. He seemed very near
20 her at that moment. "l wonder il he
did really so to the Pacific coast. They
said so--and-it seems rs il | must have
heard of him there; and yet--is that why
| hate going homel What a Ounce / am [!
Expecting to hear of anybody in such u
great country as California. All, tins is
--marvelousl 1t is a desecration for
mortal to trespass here"
Nevertheless, the desecration was ruth.
lessly continued. The train aud its mis-.
haps were forgotten, while petty personal
interests dwarfed and faded out of sight
before the majesty of that moment in
that awful solitude. al wonder il evei
before q woman's foot passed over these
stones. How excited | ami All alone
with desolation and-God."
BY daylight, with less exaltation OF
spirit, she could not have ACCOMPLISHED
the descent; but at that weird hour she
reached the bottom of the chasm safe il
trembling. Then she looked upward
across the canon, and shuddered. Its
further brink seemed to rest against the
sky. Backward and upward the height
appeared iuterminable. She sat down in
the shadow Of bowlder, and delight
full, unmeasured season of repose sue
ceeded the excitement OF endeavor.
A penetrating chill aroused her. and
she looked upward again. "How can
sc; backl How did | ever do it2 Size
stitled the returning dread of her soul
and began the ascent, over the rocks
which rolled and slipped and threatened
ner destruction.
Suddenly she stopped. That echo OF
falling powders was not caused by those
which here feet had dslodgei. Thea
she saw the figures of four men sllhouetteI
against the sky, and, troz,a with terror,
watched them descendiu, toward her.
They were the train wreckers, she
thought. She was doomed. She under.
stood it clearly. She had put herself
out of the reach of aid. Impulse had