The herald., 1896-11-15
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS SAS
: THE WOMAN IN BLACK =
D II

was standing stock still. The porter told
me it had been standing thus for an
hour and half, while 1 had been sleep
ing the sleep of the just. L dressed ana
peeped out and saw that we were along
side the platform of q country station.
! took good breakfast in the dining
car and then went out to stroll up and
down the platform.
In the cab sat the driver or engineer as
they call him, alone, waiting. With the
natural fondness of an Englishman for
machinery, l stopped and gossiped with
him moment about the engine.
Then offered him a cigar, which he
took with thanks, and asked me to come
in. l swung myself into his cab.
The engineer a bright, pleasant-faced
man about 40 years old. explained to me
the uses or the numerous valves and lev
ers about him, They were all as bright
and shining as polish could make them,
Tor an engineer is as proud of his engine
as any housewife is of the neatness of
her dwelling. l glanced at the two
shining steam gauges with the clock be-
tween them, and then / noticed what
seemed to be an ordinary white moth,
mounted in gilt frame, hanging against
the wall of the cab.
rs that for an ornament?" I asked,
pointing to the moth.
The driver smiled. We'll, partly for
an ornament" he said. but a good deal
there because it saved my life and the
lives of $50 people as WELL"
How in the world can an insect save
human lives?' l asked.
well. l will tell you if you want to
hear the story / reckon there's time
enough before we are able to get out of
this
| settled myself in the absent stoker's
seat and prepared to listen. 1T wasn't
such long time back said the engi-
neer, "only year ago last spring. was
running this very train and this very
Meade, the same fellow as 1 have got
now. You can see him over there lean
ing UP against the telegraph office"
'Jim's a good boy, but he's very SUI
perstitious; believes in ghosts, dreams,
and warnings. 1 used to laugh at his
fancies, but I don't make so much fun
of him as I did-not since we, saw the
woman in black
I'VE We're timed to leave Nj about
/ o'clock in the morning and to arrive in
S. about o'clock. On the night when
the thing took place a fearful storm of
wind and rain had been raging since
early evening and was at the height of
it's fury when / started from the engine
shed.
1T was about midnight and the wind
seemed to sweep clear around and
through the building. 1t was terribly
dismal. Jim was there and the engine
was all ready, so, after getting my work
ing clothes on, ran the engine down to
the station. Our train, the vestibuled
limited, was an hour late. 1 gave the
engine a thorough oiling and made sure
that all was in order.
"As we sat in the cab we could hear
the storm raging outside. while the rain,
driven by the gusts of wind. beat fierce
ly against the windows.
Jim said. L wish we were in s. safe
and sound
"I laughed. What makes you feel so
terribly glum. JIM I said.
ooh said he, 1 feel creepy, somehow.
Seems to me there's something terrible
bones
II laughed again. You got little
wet coming over, l guess, Jim, said 1.
And the sound of the wind isn't very en-
couraging, that's fact
ITO tell the truth, l was little ner-
vous myself. Notwithstanding my easy
way of treating Jim's notion.
Presently our train came in, long
and heavy, consisting mainly of Sleep
ers. 1t used to make me nervous to
know that the lives of hundreds of my
felowmen Were in my keeping, but now
! think nothing of it. That night was
nervous. What if the terrible storm
had made a signalman careless, or If a
rail had been loosened by the settling
of the track somewhere. In these fast
trains man must rely on the vigilance
of the employees, for In order to keep
to time he must run at such speed
that often he cannot see signal before
he is upon it.
But 1 laughed at myself for my fears
as / backed down and coupled on to
the train. I set the brakes and found
everything in good order.
by and by the little gong above my
head changed sharply, and with a puff
and hiss of escaping steam we were off
into the night and storm, rafting over
functions, past signal lights and be-
tween long lines of carriages, until with
a roar we plunged across the iron bridge
and away through the hills, waking the
slumbering echoes with our shrill whis-
tie.
"Then I pulled the throttle wide open,
and the clank and the roar soon set
tied into a hum, for old 449 was doing
her best, and we were making fifty miles
an hours
"The darkness was intense save where
the headlight, an electric device, cast
it's funnel of light into the gloom. Jim
had big fire and kept steam up to
high pressure, so that we fairly flew
past the sleeping hamlets and still farm
houses.
"At our first watering station made
sure that all was working smoothly,
while Jim inspected the headlight. The
station master handed out the orders,
which showed that the line was clear
as far as our next stopping place. On
we went.
"The darkness grew more intense, if
possible, while the wind shrieked by.
The rain became more binding till
nothing could be distinguished in the
gray murk which enveloped us.
Suddenly through the mist and rain
I saw looming right up in front of us
the gigantic form of a woman wrapped
in long black mantle. which seemed
to fiutter in the wind. She waved great
spectral arms about in swift, twisting
movements. AS J. stood lolSing in hor-
ror the figure vanished with final
wave of the arms.
Il was too much astonished and stupi-
fled even to make movement of hand
toward the throttle At that moment
Jim had been bending. over the fire.
As he looked up he exclaimed:
Halloo, Frank! What's up? You
look as though you had seen ghost
Il did not answer. My mind was too
full of the strange figure 1 had per-
ceived.
I'VE were nearing Rock creek, where
there Is a bridge over a deep stream.
l felt more nervous than ever. We
dashed around the curve and whizzed
py ROCK Creek station, which is only
a mile from the bridge. AS we passed
l looked at the steam gauge for an in
stant. A cry from Jim caused me- to
turn quickly toward him. Hesat rigid
his eyes large and staring. His law
dropped, the very picture of terror. He
pointed with shaking fingor 80 =.