The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-05-13
A HEROIC GIRL.

| has some Hlan on hand ter me.
Mrs. Craig tore open the missive.
She only wants you to be ready to
go to Niagara Falls with her when
she arrives here on her way to New
York-that's all And Mrs. Craig
folded the letter and tried to appear
uncOnCerned.
To Niagara Falls! Its the grand
est thing that ever happened.
OF course you'll let me go? said
Sue, releasing her hold and staring
at her mother as if there might be,
after ell, a possibility ot a disap
pointment.
Yes, Sue, said Mrs. Craig, pattin2
her daughter fondly on the back you
shall go, but just on enc condition,
and that is that you will never
irighten us again as you did yester-
day by going through the railroad
tunnel OF crossing the trestIe at the
end OF it by yourself
III promise. And III keep my
promise, too, mother. That wont
be hard.
Very wei. You know the dar-
ger Ii you should be can2ntin
there When train is coming, |
don't know what would become Of
you, Father and l are going over
to Mrs. Houston's 20 stay ali the after
noon, and We want You to do the
tagging if any may be required.
There are only two expresses before
O'Clock, and We will be home by
that time.
Mr.. and Mis-. Craig went on their
visit and Sue was left in charge Of
the tunnel watchhouse She could
see right straight through the long
black hole, and catch A glimpse of
the distant mountain peaks beyond
and she sat in the little door and
gazed in that direction u full hour
after her parents had gone for thlther
lay Niagara Falls eco miles away.
So intent were her thoughts on the
promised journey that she forgot
everything else and failed to take
note Of anything around her.
Once, tor the moment she was
dimly conscious of a strange sound,
as Of distant crashing timber, but
she gave it no immediate heed, il
indeed she heard it all. But after a
few seCords more she seemed to
wake up and become conscious that
something had happened
She sprang quickly from her chair
and ran Gcross the track. Beyond
the farther mouth OF the tunnel,
which was cut through small hill,
the railroad branched into two lines,
the one turning south into valley,
and the other Immediately crossing
long trestle, visible from the watch
house and then skirting the oppO-
site mountain side towards the east.
The junction was known as the Fox
Tunnel Y, the southern line VS.
called the Valley Fork, and the
eastern the Trestle Fork.
For a tuIi minute alter she had
crossed the track she did not utter
another sound.
She stood as one transhxed. then
all at once she spran@ forward and
looked again. Yes the trestle has
slipped! she gasped, turning white
as a sheet, and the trains are both
due here in the next ten MINUTES
the southern express first and then
the eastern--and both are coming
this way through the tunnel.
Her knees uembled and she
shook like leaf
| know! The southern express
comes first! III stop it as It gets
through to ,his side Of the tunnel,
and it can rua back then and warn
the eastern express Of the danger
But, suppose the first train should
be late. They are never more than
five minutes apart!
She wrung her hands again and
again, striving in van to solve the
problem. She returne& to the
watchhouse and looked at the cf2ck.
There's no more time to waste.
There is but one way-I must try
to get through the tunnel before the
first train comes. II it overtakes
ME while | am in there-but | can
oct in.o one Of the manholes. Some.
thing must be done
She heard faint whistle far away
down the Valley Fork, which