The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-06-18

peered into the vast bin at his side, was
the superintendent. She recognized his
light gray coat and russell shoes. She
pushed on, intending when she had
come him to call and warn him of pos
sible danger. The rope with which he
had moved the lever to loosen the con-
tents of the last car hung at his side,
and was still swinging from his touch.
He was evidently seeming the grain for
a suspicion of moldiness.
Suddenly, before she was within hail
ing distance, though she was not far
from position directly above the SUI
perintendcnt, she saw a black form
shoot out from behind heavy upright
timber directly behind him. The
stranger sneaked toward the door of
the bin, into which part of his intended
victims body still protruded.
The lame girls heart almost stood
still with fright. She sank to the mar
row platform, and crouching there in
the upper darkness, watched helplessly
the struggle going on below.
The stranger had leaped upon the
superintendent, and was attempting TO
throw MIN into the bin; but Mr.. Girls
void fought bravely for his life. Once,
twice he was almost a victor, but his
assailant had him at disadvantage.
Already his head and shoulders were
hanging over the dark abyss into which
a carload of yellow wheat had sunk and
made no impression on the great space
Chunk! came sound above her head.
Al i L.
other car had been brought into posi-
ton over the trap-door, and was ready
to be dumped.
The stranger below had almost over
come the superintendent, and sac saw
The scoundrel glance sidewise toward
the rope which moved the lever.
Like a flash there came upon her for
the first time realization what a ter
rible deed was intended. The body of
the uperintendent, hurled into the bin,
would be covered with the flood of grain,
and his fate would be unknown for days,
and perhaps for weeks and months.
1t was but second now beforH the
end would come. Already the assatlant
had pushed off the superintendent
llllluSs anu SIlt saw DONlN anu lllltbS us
appear through the narrow door. She
could not hear it fall on the soft mass
of grain beneath, but she knew it was
there.
The assassin tugged at the door. He
had nothing to do now but to close and
fasten it and pull the lever; and then
thousands of bushels of wheat would
h1,y1r ha 70
and fatally as though the car above
should itself fall into the cavern.
Annie sprang to her feet and gazed
a moment helplessly about her. Then
there met her glance the long lever
reaching out over the bin. If it only
could be held! if the trap-door were
kept closed it would keep back the
grain, and the superintendent might be
saved.
The stranger below had nearly closed
the thick door. In a moment he would
pull the slender rope.
She looked at the lever. A weight or
the end over the bin would prevent the
traps moving; there was but one way
to accomplish it-she must hold it her
self.
On hands and knees she climbed to the
edge of the bin: then, reaching far out
on the pole which moved the door, she
took firm grasp. A little tremble told
her that the door had been closed by
the stranger, and she fearlessly swung
off,
The slender pole bent and swayed
with her weight, and she shuddered lest
| the lever should still work. If it did
she would be swept down into the abyss
over which she hung helplessly. and
the stream of grain pouring upon her
would mean death to her as we'll as to
| the superintendent.
Her small, thin arms and hands were
weak. Already the muscles of her
wrists were aching with the strain.
Twitch! went the lever. The assassin
was jerking the rope. Again and again
she felt the jerk, but still the little pole
did not rise with her enough to loosen
the trap-door. Although the whole af-
fair had occupied but moment, it
seemed to have been hours. In an in
slant longer she must loosen her hold,
and then
The man was evidently growing i'm
patient, and she felt a jerk of unusual
power. There followed a cracking
sound; the lever broke, and she was
falling through the darkness, the broken
piece of the lever still in her hands.
AS soon as she realized anything fur
Their she was sliding down an inclined
plane of wheat, and mans voice, that
of the superintendent, was saying some
thing to her
Far above they could see the CLEAN
of the electric light streaming over the
edge of the bin, with flour dust floating
] in like notes in a sunbeam.
81 saw him throw you in" sobbed the
child, IAN now they'll cover us both!"
mo, they won't" answered the super
intendent. THE trainmen will have to
fix the lover first, and they'll look about
to see what's the matter"
Presently the door through which he
had fallen was opened, and a lantern
was swung in, followed IN a moment by
q trainman's head.
"Hello!" called the man. whats the