The citizen., 1896-10-02

The rain became more binding. till
nothing could be distinguished In the
gray mist which enveloped rs.
Suddenly through the mist and rain
Eaw looming right in front of us-the
gigantic figure of q woman wrapped
in q long, black mantle. which seemed
70 futfer in the wind She waved
great. spectral arms about in swift
twisting movements. AS | stood look
ing in horror. the figure vanished with
z final wave Of the arms.
Il was TOO much agtonished and stupe-
fed even to make movement Of my
hand toward the throttle. At that
moment Jim had been bending over the
fire. As he looked up he exclaimed:
'Halloa. Frank. What's up You
look as though you had seen ghost
II did not answer. Ny mind was too
full Of the strange figure / had per-
ceived.
"We were LOW nearing Red Creek.
where there is bridge over q deep
stream. ! felt more nervous than ever.
We dashed around the curve and
whizzed by Rock Creek station, which
is only mile from the bridge. As
We passed glanced AT the steam gauge
for an instant. A cry from Jim caused
me 70 turn quickly toward him He
sat rigid, his eyes large and staring.
His jaw dropped, the very picture Of
terror. He pointed with 4 shaking
finger out into the darkness. I turned
and looked. and then began myself 70
shake. There on the metals was the
same hideous figure Of z woman cut
lined On the background Of light from
the engine. now motionless. low Ehirl-
ing in q witch dance. but all the tine
motioning US back.
Frank gasped jim. but scarcely
above q whisper. don't go over that
bridge. Don't go, for heaven's sake.
Don't 90 until you are sure it's safe
Il suppose was pretty badly scared.
At any rate. put on the brake for al
was worth couldn't hare resisted
The impulse 70 stop tie train
"As We cane 70 stop ] could hear the
roar Of the water II Rock creek Just
ahead. | stepped ont ot the CAB and
net tbe conductor coming up.
What's tle matter? What's the
uatterT Be asked. 5opa-i=1tly.
I feIt decidedly foolish There vas
10 gigantic woman 70 q saen now.
Nothing could b made out more than
z few feet away II the binding storm.
Well said /. -we'Te seen something
I don't know what i iz-seene5 Ike <
was great black ghost that was war-
ing its arms and warning rs not 70 60
forward.
..The conductor looked a. ne curious
II. Are you crazy. Frank he said. I
should think you were. But we're SC
near the bridge well take look al IT,
we took our lanterns and went
ahead. leaving jim with the engine; he
looked frightened to death. But I tel
you. we hadn't gone five rods before
We stopped in horror.
There at our feet lay black chasm.
filed with the roar of the river. as
swollen with the spring rains, il dashed
down toward the lake. Thu bridge was
washed away.
"Only few splinters of wood and
twisted iron clung to the abutment.
while now, far out over the blackness.
that awful black figure Of woman
danced again on the thin air, relieved
against the shaft of light that the
headlight threw.
'It was finging it's arms about as IL
in wild glee. The conductor stared 1t
the chasm and then at me.
"'Was that the thing you saw when
you stopped the tramp he asked
"'Yes.'
"'WeIl, it's something more than
luck that saved US tonight, Frank
I'VE went back slowly TO the train.
feeling very queer and thankful. TOO.
can assure you. Several passengers
had come running forward By this time.
Among them was = young fellow from
Chicago about IS years old. who was
smarter than the whole of Us. as il
turned ont.
when he was told of the woman in
black he turned and looked at the To-
comotiye headlight. Then he ran up
toward IL I looked up as he did so.
and I saw peculiar spot On the glass.
There's your woman in black,' said
the boy.
"And there IL was, sure enough-that
same moth miller that you see there in
the frame He was -clinging 10 the in
side of the glass. AS 7 tapped on the
glass the creature few back and light
ed on the reflector.
That's the whole story. sir The
moth. by futtering on the glass Just in
front of the illuminator, had produced
a great black shadow like that of n
cloaked woman darting in front of rs
and when he tapped his wings in his
vain attempt to sail out through the
glass. he gave his mysterious shadow
the appearance of waving the arms
wildly.
"Then when he few back out of the
direct shine of the light. the figure dis
appeared. of course.
eve never knew just how he got in
there. but no doubt it happened when
Jim went TO fix the light at the pump
ing station.
"Anvhow. he saved our lives by scar
ing US with that woman in black.
$50 ycu see why keep the moth in
the frame. It's TO remind me of the
way we were saved chat night Yes.
you may call II accidental. but I can il
providential."-Pe Weekly.
THE WORLDS SONS OF MARS.
The new British army magazine rife