The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1892-12-02
w. The rain became moro blindius;

rain. / saw. looming right before VA
the gigantic figure Of woman
wrapped In long, black mantle.
which seemed To futter In the wind.
She waved great spectral arms about
in swift twisting movements As l
sat looking In horror tho figure
vanished with final wave OF her
arms
Il was too much astonished and
Supplied TO make move OF my hand
toward the throttle. At that moment
Jim had been bending over the fire.
As he looked up he exclaimed;
"'Hullo Frank. what's upe You
look as II you had seen a ghost!'
Il did not answer. My mind was
too full OF that strange figure l had
seen.
I'VE were now nearing Rock creek.
where there Is u trestle over deep
stream. felt more nervous than
ever.
I'VE dashed around the curve md
whizzed by Rock Creek station which
is only mile from the trestle. As
we passed l glanced at tho steam
gauge for m instant
"A cry from Jim caused me to turn
quickly toward him. he sat rigid.
his eyes large and staring. his inv
dropped. tho very picture OF terror.
HE pointed with a shak ing finger
out into the darkness l turned and
looked. and then began to shake my.
sclf.
There on the track was that
same hideous figure OF n woman. out
lined On the background Of light from
the engine, now motionlcss now
whirling In witch dance but all the
time motioning us back.
Frank gasped Jim, but scarcely
above whisper. don't go over that
trestle! Don't go for heavens sakel
Don't go till you're sure it's safe!'
Il suppose / was pretty badly
scared. At any rate, put on tho air
brake for all was worth. couldn't
have resisted tho impulse to stop the
train.
'As wa came to stop ! could
hear the roar OF the water In Rock
creek right ahead. l stepped out OF
tho cab aud met the conductor COM
ing up
-. What's the matterp What's tho
NATTER he asked impntiently.
Il felt decidedly foolish. There
was no gigantic woman TO be seen
now. Nothing could DO mnde out
more than few feet away in the
binding storm.
Well said !. we've seen some.
thing. l don't know what 1t is
seemed like it was great black
ghost-that was waving its arms and
warning us not TO go forward
Tho conductor looked at mo curl.
ously. Are you crazy. FrankP' he
said. ] should think you were. But
wo're so near the trestlo we'll take u
look ut it
..Wc took our lanterns and won't
ahead. leaving Jim with the engine
He looked scared all over. Blu. l tell
you We had not gone five rods before
we stopped in horror.
There at our feet lay n black
chasm, filled with tho roar OF the
river as swollen with tho spring
rains 1t dashed down toward tho lake
The bridge was washed awayl
Only few splintcrs OF wood na..
twisted iron chung to the abuimcns
while now. far out over the blackness
that awful black figure OF u woman
danced again on the thin air. relieved
against the shaft OF light that the
headlight throw
1T was Ringing Its arms about as II
In wild CLEO.
Tho conductor stared ut the
chasm and then Mt mo.
WAS that the thing you saw when
you stopped the TRIM" no asked.
- Yes
d" Well its something moro than
luck that saved us tonight Frank
90 We went bnck slowly 10 tho train.
feeling very queer and thankful. too.
l can assure you Several Of tho pas.
sengers had como running forward by
this time Among them was n young
fellow from Chicago. about eighteen
years old who was smarter than tho
whole OF us MS IL turned out
When this boy saw the woman In
black he turned and looked at the 10.
comoti,c headlight Then he ran up
toward IT, looked at II ms no did
so. ! saw peculiar spot on tho
glass
There's your woman In blackl'
said the Chicago boy.
And there II WAS sure enough
that same moth miller that you SEQ
there in the frame lie was clinging
to the inside OF tho glass As /
tapped on tho glass the creature new
back and lighted on the reflector
That's the whole story. sir Tho
moth. by nuttering on the glass just
In front OF the electric illumination
had produced n great black shadow.
like that OF cloakod woman. on tho
darkness 10 front Of us; and when he
Hoped his wings In his vain attempt
10 suil out through tho glass. no gave
his mysterious shadow tho look OF
waving Its arms wildly.
Then when no few back out OF
The direct shine Of tho light tho Gg-
uro disappeared. OF course,
'Wo never knew Just how he got
In there. but no doubt 1t happened
when Jim went TO fix the light at tho
pumping. station.
Anyhow. no snved our lives by
soaring US with that woman In black.
SO you 500 why keep tho moth
In the frame. rs 10 remind mo 81
tho way va were saved that night
yes you might call II accidental hut
] cali II providentiaL
IAN aboard" called tho conductor
Of the limited. coming out OF tho tolo.
graph office with n paper In his hand.
Jim tho fireman ran and jumped
Into tho cab as ! stepped down To go
bnck TO my car. Frederic T. Potter.
In Youths Companion.
Lofty Lake.
Tho most loftily situated lakes a,o
found among the Himalaya mountains