Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1894-10-17

me"
As she said this she raised her
brown eyes to mine and gave me a
look that surprised me out of my
usual prudence. | replied quickly:
81 will protect you with my life,
if need be, for love YOU"
could not see her face, she
turned it away; and, frightened at
what / had said, astened to ask
her forgiveness.
Don't" she cried, placing her
small hand over my mouth. IF
that is true prove it by letting me
go with you, for fate worse than
death awaits me here. Say yes"
And what else could | say under
the circumstances?
All this took place while Ben was
at the back end of the tender taking
in water, and when he came clam
boring back over the coal to the
cab, Grace was demurely perched
upon my seat. | gave him the hint
to keep mum and, pulling open the
throttle, we started out OH our wild
night ride.
Out across the switches, where
the signal lights blinked and showed
clear light ahead, out over the
trestle bridge, into the country we
sped, gaining speed each moment,
until it almost seemed as if we were
flying through the night air.
Accustomed as | was to speed on
the track, ! quaked with fear as we
bounded on, and shut off the steam
| was thinking of Grace then and
life never seemed half so sweet as
it did now. Then as the speed
slackened l would give my engine
full head again and true to the
touch she would leap forward like O
thing of life. Past houses, through
villages and towns we fled; lights
were seen far ahead and then in 9
moment later we would leave them
far behind. All the time | stood
close to Grace, with one hand upoI
the throttle and the other graspine
the reversing lever, peering ahead
along the track illuminated by thu
Comics headlight. Ben woul(
sound the whistle and ring at every
crossing and whenever we past will
lighting speed through a place o
any kind.
| dared not even look ut the CIR
perched there beside me on m,
leather-cushioned seat, for all on
lives-her life-depended upon m.
vigilance. | knew not what mo
ment | might overtake the express
So | stood with her so near me, we
so far. Sometimes spoke to he
and she would put her lips near m
ear to reply. Then her small han'
would grasp my arm as we fle'
over some rough portion of TIN
road that threatened to shake tn
iron horse to pieces, but wor
would reassure her, for knew tina
she trusted in my skill to handl
my painting steed.
At length, in turning the lon
curve just below Reading, | SAY
the red light in the rear of the ex
press, and so suddenly that had
not been on my guard, there woul'
have been one less passenger cOacl
on the road; and who can tell wher
we would have been? But / wa
prepared and there was no danger.
NV whistle was heard and recog
nized, for there was not anothe
like it on the road; and, no doubt
wondering what had sent the Goni
after her, they stopped their trail
and waited for ME.
swell, what's the matter?" ex
claimed Conductor Davis, what
up?"
For reply gave him the lette
that Hanson had sent by me.
"W-h-e-w: Here, Ned, see wha
you make of it.
! took the letter and, stepping t.
where the glare Of the headlight fel
full upon the track, read it. 1t wa
as follows:
conductor avis,-My daughter
Grace Hanson, has run away from
her home. | have reason to believ
that she is on your train. Sen
her back on the Comic in charge O
Haskell. IL necessary, use force.
JOHN +. HANSON.
| | think | gave more forcible ex
clamation than Davis.
"There's some mischief at tn