The Penn's Grove record., 1896-03-06
A WOMAN'S WIT.

Il want to speak to you . moment
6im. Come to the other end Of the van
better for those not to hear MS" sale
my mate. Indicating by the direction Of
his glance our two fellow travellers
His words were almost drowned In the
noise Of the train, but it was easy Il
see from his name that something
was amiss. We were together ID
charge Of a train of twenty-four wag
ons, running from Elmfield ~colliery
down to the main line. l was the
undergusrd and consequently, subor
dinate to Frank Applegarth. His
laughter, a lass Of about is, and a
companion of her WI age. were tray
cling with US. They had missed the
usual passenger train. and, notwith'
standing the regulations to the con
trary, we had both thought there would
be little harm in giving them a "lift'
home, as Frank phrased It. And lucky
for US 1t proved that we did 80. Prob
ably II saved both our lives, and GER
tainly 1t was the means Of procuring
me the best wife In the world.
The wind whistled past the deep
sides of the cutting through which
we were rushing, and fakes Of snow
were finding their way into the van
by ventilator and window and ~creviccs
not a few in number. My companion
wore a troubled, anxious look as | rose
to follow him.
"Do you notice thaty' he asked, when
we were out of hearing distance OF
the others. 1t had struck me before
chat the van was swaying more than
usual-and It was rickety enough, In
ali conscience, on ordinary occasions
but ] only set 1t down to our driver
making up a little lost time.
we are travelling at a great pace
I answered.
"Ar a dangerous pace" was the re-
ply, as the van gave q lurch that al
most threw us off u feet. THAT'S
the FIRST curve on the level" he added;
'.just try If you can make out the
engine lights"
I tried my best, but It was useless.
The night was Intensely dark, and,
10 add to the difficulty, binding blasts
Of snow and sleet drove full In my face
as / leant with half my body outside,
seeking 30 catch a glimmer Of light
ahead.
II can make nothing out" / said, as
Z unbuttoned my jacket and shook II
clear of snow.
Neither could /. and I fear we have
broken away. I 1 only wish knew how
many wagons are left with US In front"
Here my countenance must have be-
trayed the horror I felt, for he hastily
added:
"Don't look like that, man: the girls
are watching US. and I'm mistaken II
Mary does not already suspect that
something is wrong. II will be time
enough to alarm them when 1t comes
to the worst, and we are past help"
what Is to be done?" I asked, not
so much expecting nm answer as be-
cause / felt / must say something.
I'VE can do very little. If Harry
that was our driver--"knows what has
happened he may come back upon US
and stop us before we come to High
bank, though, at the rate we are go
ing, that Will be risky enough. Other
wise he can do nothing but go on to
the mex station to warn them there.
Ten to ono we don't keep on the rails
as we run down the bank. We must
try to make out II we have many
wagons left. If be has but few, Harry
10 sure to notice dat something has
gone wrong"
We returned to where the two girls
were sitting. l had seen Mary Apple.
garth every day almost that I had
worked with her father, xow a matter
OF four or Ave years, and without no
ticing her much. She was only . slip
of a girl when first l knew her, and
! suppose with seeing her % frequent
~ that she had grown to the verge
of womanhood without my beaAg aware
of 1t. 1t might be, too, that the dan
ger in which we were placed. and
which she realized az IL ~intuauvely,
added In moment years 30 her NE, as
great dangers are sometimes said to
DO. Anyway, 1t was with added inter
est that / now regarded her a. she sat
seeking to calm the feats Of the girl
beside her, who was giving wae tc
terror she did not seek % soacsal.
you and your trisaAs said Apple
garth to his daughtsH wAs arid ether
preoccupations, was wakeAinS our
every movement will kssp quite still
here while Jim and I pr thinss
straight In front Of - erAan.S
rs there going to BE- e. aoss6asfs ]
a + something has eens anals."
moi I hope not ut least nethAng but
what We oan put to righnA"
Tbs read on which we were travel
Ing was q fa1r1y level one, with easy
gradients. n part alone excepted.
That part began some ten miles from
The colliery whence We had started u
and could we but arrest our
speed before reaching 1t, all might be
well yet. 1t consisted Of the two de-
riivities. known respectively as the
Hieh bank and the Low bank, both
very steep, with q gradient OF n In
Seveaty-ave. and separated by some
TWO mhiee Of level Ane. A little way
from TIE bottom OF the last was a
meeting statien, where trains coming
n opposite directions used to pass each
other by means Of q siding. An beinS
Pali u ~as iut~ shss ~LAsss $3.50 s~ase