The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-04-24

went
The darkness grew more Intense, 4
possible. while the wind shrielfcd BY
The rain hpcame more binding. III
nothing could be distinguished Ia thu
| gray mnrlt which enyciopcd rs
Suddcnly, through the mist and
rain. saw, looming right before us,
the gigantic Iignro Of woman
wrapped IL long. black mantle,
which seemed 70 flutter in the wind.
She waved great spectral arms about IN
swift, twisting movements As ! sat.
lorking ia horror, the figure vanished
with final wave Of her arms
- was TOO much astonished and
stupcfied 70 make q move Of my hand
toward the throttle At that moment
Jim had been bending over the Ore. As
he looked up he exclaimed:
EIullo. Frank. what's MP? Yon look
M II you had seen ghostr
II did not answer. Ny mind was
too full Of that strange figure had
seem
'Wc were now nearing Rock creek,
where there Is a trestle over deep
stream. ] felt more nervous than
ever.
We dashed around the curve and
whizzcd by Rock Creek station. which
Is only mile from the trestle. As we
passed glanced at the stenmgauge for
an instant
~ cry from Jim caused me to turn
qniely toward him. Ilc sat rigid, his
eyes large and staring. his jaw dropped.
the very picture Of terror.
lie pointed with a shaking finger
ont Into the darkness. / turned and
looked, and then began 70 shake my
self.
There, on the track, was that Same
hidcous Eerrc "a woman, outlined on
tho background Of light from the
engine, now motionless, now whirlinR
in witch dance, but nil the time
motioning Ms back.
+ Frank, gasped Jim. but scarcely
above a whisper, don't 60 over that
trestlei Don't SO, for heavens salxei
Don't go till you're sure it's safer
"a suppose ! was pretty badly
scared. At any rate. put on the air
brake for all was worth. couldn't
have resisted the impulse to stop the
train.
AS we came ton stop, could hear
the roar Of the water In Rock creek
right ahead. Istepped out Of the cab,
and met the conductor coming up,
whats the matter? What's the mat
tcr2' he asked, iInpnticntly.
- felt decidedly foolish. There was
no gigantic woman to be seen now.
Nothing could be made out more
than a few feet away in the binding
storm.
Well, said |, we've seen some
thing, don't know what 1t is--seemed
like II was great black ghost--that
was waving its arms and warning us
not To 30 forward.
The conductor looked at me curious
~ Are yon crazy, FraniS9' he said.
\ should think you were. But we're
50 near the trestIc we'll take a look
at It.
We took our lanterns and went ahead,
leaving Jim with the engine. He looked
scared all over. But tell you we had
not gone five rods before we stopped in
horror
There AZ our feet lay black chasm,
filled with the roar Of the river, as
swollen with the spring rains it dashed
down toward the lake. The bridge
was washed awayl
Only few splinters Of wood and
twisted iron chung to the abutment,
while now, far out over the blackness,
that awful black figure OF woman
danced again on the thin air, relieved
aginst the shaft Of light that the head.
light threw.
IT was fiinging its arms about as II
IN wild glee.
The conductor stared at the chasm
and then at me-
WAS that the thing you saw when
you stepped the train?' he asked.
Eyes
"'Well, it's something more than
luck that saved us tonight, Frank
I'VE went back slowly to the train,
feeling very queer, and thankful, too,
/ can assure gon. Several OF the pas
senSers had come running forward by
this time. Among them was young
fellow from Chicago, nbput eighteen
years old, who was smarter than the
whole Of us, rs It turned ont
when this boy saw the woman in
black, he turned and looked at the To-
connective headlight Then he ran
mp toward 1t. Hooked at II as he did
50. saw a peculiar spot On the glass.
There's your woman in blaclxv said
the Chicago boy
And there it was,Bsure cnough--that
same moth miller that you see there in
that frame. He was clinging to the In
side of the glass. As tapped on the
glass, the creature few back and
lighted on the reflector
That's the whole story, sir. the
moth, by 1uttering on the glass just in
front Of the electric illuminntor, had
produced great black shadow, like
that Of a cloaked woman, on the dark
ness in front of us; and when he topped
his wings in his vain attempt to sail
out through the glass, he gave his mys-
FERROUS, shadow the look Of waving its
arms wildly.
Then when he few back out Of the
direct shine Of the light, the figure dis
of course.
I'VE never knew just how he got In
there, but no doubt 1t happened when
Jim went 70 tix the light at the pump.
Anyhow, he saved our lives by scar
ing US with that woman IN black.
80 you see why keep the moth in
the frame. It's to remind me Of the
way we were saved that night Yes,
you might call it accidental, but ! cali
it providentiaL"