The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-10-24
ROYAL RANGER RALPH;
The Waif Of The Western PrairieG.
BY WELDON J. COBB.
CHAPTER II-Cont1nued.
-to On S--sA

Fl will defeat the purpose OF these
yreckers, or will sell my life dearly" he
murmured, grtmly. SCaution and vigil
lance, Darrell Grey, and you may become
b hero In spite Of yourself"
/ He paused as he had proceeded only
abort distance down the tracks
II Far to the south he heard the dim
Scho of advancing sound, like the dis
tant noise of horses hoofs on the hard,
rocky road that led toward Miners
Gulch.
UThe depot agent" soliloquized Grey.
sHe Is returning. Had better wait and
secure his aid? Hark!S
/. A sound that thrilled him keenly broke
the stiffness Of the scene.
Far down the canyon echoed the
mufled whistle Of an engine.
sThe train Is comingl" he cried ex-
citedly. sThere is no time to lose"
He diverged from the track and struck
of toward the curve Through tha
trees at one point he saw the obstruc-
Hons on the track and the forms OF men
hear II, and, making wide detour,
reached the tracks farther on.
Two shadowy forms dashed past him
rs he did so, but he noticed that they
were horses, and then needless Of the
discovery as he realized that the train
must soon reach the place, began to run
up the ascending roadway of the trestle
grade. t... ...
At that moment wild shout rang be-
hind him. -. a.
aDiscoyered!" he muttered. @If can
reach the trestle crossing the canyon I
ban defy pursuit" . 49,,
! Half dozen shots rang out on the
still night air, but Darrell Grey sped on
his mission OF peril undaunted.
( He reached the level roadway that
curved to the trestle and started across
t. half way over the yawning chssm
below he paused appalled, .
A glaring headlight, the advance guard
Of the oncoming train, had just turned
boint Of rocks directly beyond the
krestle.
It was so sunden, so near, that he was
Observation-Disclosures.
'~The Iantern!" he gasped, wildly.
tOh, can signal them before It Is too
iste?s
/ With trembling hands he opened the
lantern, groped in his pockets for Q
match, ignited it, and applied it to the
lantern.
A steady fame shot upward He
braced himself on the iron girders Of the
trail trestle, and swung the lantern up
and down.
J. Too late!
Shrieking notes Of warning, the train
s7me laundering over the rails and
Ihshed upon the trestle.
r. It quivered and throbbed to the noisy
s1ngle Of iron tones.
Darrell Grey saw his own peril and the
futility Of the warning he had attempted
20 give at single glance
I, Death-awful, sudden, apparently In
itable-stared him in the face.
The red eye Of flame, lurid, menacing,
the glowing headlight Of the engine came
bearing down upon him.
I He turned sick at heart; the lantern
Sropped from his hand, and he fell me-
chanically as he imagined he could feel
the hot, Kissing steam Of the approach
Sg iron monster upon his face.
r The pilot struck the lantern, and tear
ing 1t to pieces sent it over the trestle to
the abyss below. -..
Il Darrell Grey felt it just Craze his head.
Then he was swinging in space, his feet
dangling, his hands alone grasping tie.
And over his head, laundering on to
disaster and death, dashed the midnight
express