Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1894-08-03


eyes were fixed steadfastly upon her
The sight of this person made her for
get for a me tn 1t Eugene might surmle
she would hasten Mt once to her mother;
and it was not until after the train had
started, that she wondered if he were
aboard, and, curiously enough, it. IN case
this wretch continued TO persecute her
with his attentions and should offer her
further insult, lie " vould defend her.
On and on flew the train. Faster and
faster it sped away in the darkness.
Station after station was passed so
quickly that they seemed almost close
(ogethcr rather than miles apart. At
length Port Chester was passed. The next
station would be Greenwich, and then
Cos Coz.
Mildred was thinking what she would
do in case the obtrusiye stranger should
leave the train at the same time with her
self, when all at once a shrill whistle
broke On her ear, then came an appalling
cry from far ahead, and the reXt moment
the car she was in s, emedto shrink up into
nothingness.
Forone moment she retained her ia" ul-
ties and in that moment she saw timber
fall and crush in the head of the eautl-
ful girl in front of her, she saw the mother
sink PROSTATE by her dead daughters side,
she saw horrible look OF abject terror
settle on the flco of the stranger, and
then she saw no more.
Whom she once more woke to con-
sciousness she was living on the ground,
surrounded on every hand by the dead and
dying.
On the track above was waiting train.
evidently Lut just arrived.
At the foot of tie embankment, down
which they hal plunged, was the wreck OF
the coon eli cars, row burning fiercely.
Mildred raised bel self On her left elbow
md looked about her.
BY the light Of the burning cars she
could readily distinguish objects, and at
no great distance she saw form which
she at once knew to be that of the mother
of the young girl who h d sat in front OF
Eer
A little further away, horribly burned,
was what she felt rather than knew to be
ali that was left of tho girl herself
Something moist trlckling down her
face and a terrible pain in her head, made
her es ay to laise her right hand.
The attempt was a failure, and then
she knew that her right arm was broken.
y
Ler. with cOncilatOry look and 1awnlnG
manners, the detosted stranger. He
had something in hiS hand. 1t looked
like her own hat, and in oluntarily she
attempte 10 put cut her hand 10 take 1t.
The effort caused a fpasm of pain; Il
faintness seized her, her head whred,
and she fell back unconscious.
"Good!" exclaimed the stranger, In
ocfp
where the dead lirl lay, after crushing
the hat lie carr ed little more-lt was
pretty well crushed already.
In few minutes be returned, accom-
panied by a strong limbed man, evidently
a farmer.
This is my poor darling, he said,
pointing to Mild cd. Take her up gent y,
/ fear she badly injured Carry her to
your Eouse, and have the carriage ready
as speedily as possible. ] will join you
presently. | wish to do what ] can for
one or two of these poor sufferers. An!
how thankful | ought 10 lie that Gods
great mercy pared me while so many we're
hurried into eternity.
The young farmer muttered something
not over complimentary to the manage
ment of the railway, and raising Mildred
as teuderly in his arms as woman
might. bore her away.
The fearful scene was alive til men,
and even women, fastening from ono
group to another, and doing all in their
rover to alleviate the sufferings of the
wounded. Being thus occupied, these
GOOD Samaritans had little time for any
Thing else, and so the scheming stranger
passed unnotCed.
Now. tnen, he muttered, as his late
companion disappeared W tn his uncon-
scious burden, what l have to do must
be done quickly" and ouce apl roachlnG
the body of the young girl, he bent over
it al d scrutinized it closely.
NO, she could never be recognized In
the world, lie muttered half aloud. Her
hair. what little there is left, is the same
color as tie others Her dress ard outer
garments are all burned. Her hat l have
DISPOSED of, and this one shall take its
place. Now, then, if, as l suspect, Mr..
Eugene Cleveland was on that train that
lust came up, I'm ready for him., and
raising himself, he was about to walk
away, when he saw a group of three or
four men, one of them carrying Lantern,
coming toward him.
Luck favors me-" he exclaimed in high
glec. "Hcre comes the young husband,
sure enough, and the conductor IS with
him"
IF she was aboard the train after our
last stop, she must be off here some
where, the conductor was S ying. We
have looked every where else"
"Ah, here are a few" he suddenly added.
This DOOR woman, l remember her s.
tinctly. She was seated near the young
lady YOU described, she and"
Great Godl can this be she-can this
be Nlildred?" suddenly broke in Eugene,
as he stood before the remains of the .un-
fortunate young gill, who, in life, had so
c osely resembled his bride.
Il think mott hope not, hastily ex-
claimed his friend, at the same time en-
deavoling to turn him away.
But an object lying close by had caught
Eugenes attention.
That's Eer hat, =" he cried out. "Iknow
it. Yes, this poor, disfgured body must
be all that is left of my once beautiful
Mildred. God help me; how can l ever
bear it,"
"Ah!" suddenly exclaimed the con-
ductor turning upon the tranger; you
we're IN the same car, and near these CO.
ple. Do you know who this was?"
Don't know her n.me," responded the
man, glibly. She was young lady
travelling by herself. Sat in the seat
directly opposite the one l occupied |
noticed her in the waiting-loom Of the
Grand Central Depot. She seemed 10 be
in trouble: wanted to take ticket to
Riverside, had 10 take one TO Cos Cob.
Alas all hope is now gone. 1t is.
indeed, my poor Mildred" and Eugene
bent over tie form of his supposed wife.
The stranger having accomplished his
object, hastene away. soon he arrived