The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1894-07-11

OF particularly exciting event IN his
own life, her loving eyes had discov-
cred a little scar, only faint line
now, on his forehead
"What did that, Joe?" she asked,
as she pushed back the curly hair that
she might see il plainly.
"Oh, q brakeman out on the Gen.
trail Branch. Hit me with n lantern. ="
"Why, Joe? Were you fighting?"
Fighting? Not much. Why, my
dear, that man saved my life when he
did that.
"Tell me about it, please, Joe, !"
pleaded his pretty listener.
"It happened when I was running
that little passenger engine on the
branch, four years ago. had been
out all day on special, two officers
cars full of big officials on tour of
inspection. When we got to the end
of the road, they decided that they
must go back to E. that night. II
had commenced to rain and it was as
dark as the"
| "Joe?"
swell, so dark you couldn't see
anything. / had broken my headlight
chimney and couldn't get an extra
one there, so put white lantern IN
the headlight reflector, and it gave
just enough light to show any one on
the track that we we're coming, and
that was about all.
"We got orders about 9 o'clock and
pulled out with, as we supposed, q
clear track. had made about seventy
of the ninety-five miles we had to go,
and was sailing them along about
forty-five or fifty miles an hour, when
something came through the front
window of my cab, hit me square in
face and dropped into my lap.
picked it up and knew what it was the
minute touched it; a lantern, and
red one at that.
81 set my brake, pulled the sand
lever open and reversed her. She
skated along n.tle way and then
stopped with sudden ;sr. When /
got down en- the ground 1 found she
had pcked he nose under a freight
caboose. Ii it hadn'. been for that
brake and his red light, I'd split
that train wide open, and you'd prob
ably cad some other fellow IN tow
now.
"You see, It w&s this way. The
freight mao been running ahead OF us
and had bIoSe down. Tie conductor
lad sent his flag oit all right, Gut the
brakeman, running back over the wet
and slippery ties, had stumbled and
fell, putting out both his lanterns. He
had matches, but he was wet through,
and of course the matches were ruined.
He had started to go back to the ca
boose to light his lamps when he
heard me whistle for a road crossing
little piece back. Then he ran towards
me, got as far as he could, aud, Just
as I passed him, fred his lantern
through the window.
"Pretty good scheme that. Wasn't
it?"
This was the story that photo
graphed itself on Polly's brain as she
stood in the track of the black mon
ster that was so rapidly nearing her.
Perfectly cool now, she stepped to the
side of the track, and, with uplifted
arm, brsced herself to take, as she
thought, the only chance to save her
lover from an awful death.
On the engine Joe, as soon as he
got out on the straight track, could
see something on the crossing A few
seconds brought him near enough to
see who it was, and knowing full we'll
it could be no trifing matter that had
brought his little sweetheart there at
that time of night, and alone, he shut
off steam and applied the air brake.
Then, as he got down on the step, pre-
pared to get of as soon as the speed
of the train slackened sufficiently, he
said to his fireman:
"Stop her, Tim, and back up for
me-"
Murphy had hardly Strengthened up
on the footboard when there came a
crash of broken glass, a blow on the
shoulder from some heavy object, and
a shattered red lantern lay on the
"deck" at his feet.
"Howly Moses rfwhat's dthat?
Me shoulders broke intirely."
A glance at the bent frame and
broken glass lying in the bright light
of the open firebox door told him,
and the reverse lever of the powerful
locomotive went back with Jump, a
stream of sand was pouring down on
the rails beneath the big driving
wheels, and the little Irishman at the
throttle was giving the ten-wheeler
the full benefit of the 100 pounds of
steam she carried.
Hearing the crasn as tne lantern
went through the window, Quinn took
desperate chances, and as the engine
cleared the crossing, jumped to the
ground. The speed OF the train was
so great that he was unable to keep
his feet, and he rolled into the ditch
beside the track. He was on his feet
again in an instant and, running back
to the crossing, found Polly's slender
form lying in the road; for the first
time in her vigorous young life she
had tainted.
When she opened her eyes her head