The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1892-04-07

looked and wondered at the sight, put
ting on the brake meanwhile with all
his might and main, he saw the man in
front perform. to his surprise, an heroic
action. Rushing full upon the line,
straight before the very lights Of the adj
vancing train, the man unknown lifted
up the pole by main force, and brandish-
ing its end, rs It were, wildly in the
drivers face, hurled the huge bulk back
with q terrible effort to the side Of the
railway. It fell with q crash, and the
man fell with it. There was q seconds
pause, while the drivers heart stood still
with terror. Then jar-a thud-a
deep scratch into the soil. A wheel was
OF the line. They had met with an ac'
cident.
For a moment or two the driver only
knew that he was shaken and hurt, but
not severely. The engine had left the
track and the carriages lay behind
slightly shattered. He could see how it
happened. Part Of the pole in falling
had rebOunled on to the line. The base
Of the great timber had struck the near
side wheel and sent it of the track In 4
vain effort to surInount it. But the
brake had already slackened the pace
and broken the force Of the shock, so the
visible damage was very inconsiderable.
They must look along the carriages and
end out who was hurt. And, above all
things, what had become of the man
who had SO molly rescued themi For
the very last thing the engine driver had
seen Of Ughtred as the train stopped
short was that the man who flung the
pole from the track before the advancing
engine was knocked down by its ap-
proach, while the train to all appearance
passed bodily over him. For good or
evil, Ughtred had made his decision at
last at the risk Of his own life. As the
train dashed on with its living freight
aboard his native instinct Of preserving
life got the better of him in spite Of him
self. He couldn't let those innocent souls
die by his own act-though II he removed
the pole and Meta was killed he didn't
know himself how he could ever out
live it.
He prayed with an his heart that the
train might kill him.
The guard and the driver ran hastily
along the train. Nobody was hurt,
though many were shaken or slightly
hruisRd. Even the carriages had IS
capped with q few small cracks. The
Holmbury smash was nothing very seri-
Gus.
But the man with the pole? Their
preserver, their friend. Where was he
all this time? What on earth had be-
come Of him?
They looked along the line. They
searched the track in vain. He had dis
appeared as II by magic. Not = trace
could be found of him?
After looking long and uselessly, again
and again, the guard and the driver
both gave it up. They had seen the man
distinctly-not doubt about that-Rnd
so had several of the passengers as well.
But no sign Of blood was to be discov-
cred along the track. The mysterious
being who, as they all believed, rislEed
his own life to save theirs had vanished
as he had come, one might almost say
by miracle.
And indeed, as q matter OF fact, when
Ughtred Carnegie fell on the track be-
fore the advancing engine he thought
for moment it was all mp with him.
He was glad of that, too, for be had muir
dered Meta. He had saved that train,
but he had murdered Meta. It would
dash on now unresisted and crush his
darling to death. 1t was better he should
die, having murdered Meta, So he
closed his eyes tight and waited for 1t to
kill him.
But train passed on, Earring and scrap
ing, partly with the action Of the brake,
though partly, too, with the wheel dig
ging into the ground ut the side; it
passed on and went over him altogether.
coming as it did SO to sudden stand.
still. As it stopped fierce joy rose up
permost in Ughtred's soul. Thank heav-
en-, all was well. He breathed once more
easily. He had fallen on his back across
the sleepers in the middle Of the track.
1t WAS not really the train that had
knocked him down at all, but the recoil
Of the telegraph post. The engine and
carriages had gone over him safely. He
wasn't seriously hurt. He was only
bruised and sprained and Jared and
shaken.
Rising up behind the train as it slack
ened, he ran hastily along the Of side
toward where Meta lay still and uncon
scious on the line in front Of it. Nc
body saw him run past, and no wonder.
either, for every eye was turned toward
the near side and the obstruction. A per-
son running fast by the opposite windows
was very little lIkely TO attract attention
at such moment. Every step panied
him, to he sure, for he was bruised aud
stiff. bnt he ran on none the less till he
came mp ut last to where Meta lay.
There he bent over her eagerly. Meta
raised her heal, opened her eyes and
looked. In u moment the vague sense
CT u terrible catastrophe averted came
somehow over her. She flung her arms
around his neck. "Oh, UShtred, you've
come back" she cried in torrent Of
emotion.
Eyes, darlinS." Ughtred answered,
his voice half chokeds with tears, GIVE
come back TO You now forever and
ever"
He lifted her in his arms and carried
her some little way of up the left hand
path. His heart was very full. Twas
a terrible moment. For as yet he hard
lv knew what harm he MIGHT have done