The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-01-25

tervenlng space. rocky hollow 20 feet
in depth, he could see that the captain
had reached the platform and was seek.
ing for a good place to step up; then
that he lifted his right foot and placed
it on the planking and with his cane
and the stiff, wounded left leg strove to
push himself on Had there been hand
to help him, all would have been easy
enough but there was none, and tho
plan would not work. Absorbed in his
efforts he could not see Stuart He did
not see that Miss Renwick had left her
companions and was retracing her steps
to get beck 20 the platform. He heard
sudden dull roar from the rocks across
the stream, then q sharp, shrill whistle
just around the bluff. My God! a train,
and that man there alone, helpless, de-
serted! Stuart gave q shout of agony,
'Back--roll back over the bankp'
Armitage glanced around. determin.
ed, gave one mighty effort, the iron fer
ruled stick slipped on the icy track. and
down no went, prone between the glis.
tening rails even as the black, vomiting
monster came laundering round the
bend. he had struck his head upon the
iron and was stunned, not senseless, but
scrambled to his hands and knees and
strove to crawl away. Even as he did
SO he heard q shrek of anguish in his
ears, and with one wild leap Alice Rem
wick came flying from the platform in
the very face of advancing death, and
the next instant, her arm clasped about
his neck, his strong arms tightly clasp
ing her, they were lying side by side,
bruised, stunned, bat safe, in q well
coming snowdrift half way down the
hither bank.
When Stuart reached the scene, as
soon as the engine aid some wrecking
cars had Numbered by, he looked down
upon picture that dispelled any lin
gering dou 1T in his mind Armitage,
clasping Queen Alice to his heart, was
half rising from the blessed mantle of
the snow, and she, her head upon his
broad shoulder, was smiling f;intly up
into his face. Then the glorious eyes
closed in a deathlike swoon.
y
Fort Sibley had its share Of sensations
that eventfUl year. Its browning tri-
umph in tho ono that followed was the
wedding in tho early spring Of all the
lovely women there assembled the bride
by common consent stood unrivaled--
Queen Alice indeed. There was some
difference Of opinion among authorities
as to who was really the fines. looking
and most soldierly among the throng of
officers in the conventional full dress
uniform. Many there wero who gave
the pr In to the tall, dark, slender lieuten-
ant of calvary who wore his shoulder
knots for tho first Time on this occasion,
and who for a man from the ranks
seemed consummately at home in the
manifold and trying duties of q grooms-
man. Mrs Maynard, leaning on his arm
at later hour and looking up raptur-
ously in his bronzed features, had no
divided opinion. While others had by
no means SO readily forgotten or for
given the mad freak that so nearly in
volved them all in wretched misunder-
standing, she had nothing but rejoicing
in his whole career. Proud Of the gal.
liant officer who had won the daughter
whom she loved so tenderly, she still
believes, in the depths of the boundless
mother love, that no man can quite sur.
pass her soldier son.
THE END