The Opelousas courier., 1896-07-18

it," she exclaimed, tr~agically. The
opportunity she had longed for, tc
save a few hundred people from a rail
way accident had come!
Madge drew her breath hard, and
felt bold thoughts rise in her heart.
She must stay there, and, holding the
red lantern out, warn coming trains
Of their danger. She struck O. match,
and after several attempts with her
shaking little fingers, lit the lantern,
and sitting down upon the grass near,
waited an~xiousIy for the expected
train.
She wondered if there we're any
more trains that night. The town was
q retired one, and only boosted of Il
couple a day. She hardly knew if she
wished them to come or not. She
heard several engines whistle, q short
distance off, but none of them came
that way. Occasionally she waved her
lantern, which was some satisfaction,
although the red light was not an
swered by any returning flash.
Madge waited at her post for what
seemed hours. No trains came along
that track to be saved. She began to
be a little weary of the part of thank
less heroine. The ground felt cold
and damp. The place grew darker,
and a sense Of its loneliness began to
creep over her. Madge was growing
afraid.
At the bottom of her heart there
was a tiny conviction that there was
something wrong about this train-sav-
ing business. She looked around at
the group of dusky trees behind her,
and the dim hill beyond. She stood
up. 81 forget which road [ came"
she thought; ''but it must be late.
Perhaps | had better go home!"
She drew the shade over the Ian
tern, and turned around to the road.
AS she did SO, something rose up
directly in front of her. A battered,
hulking creature, who seemed to
out of the ground!
"Don't scream!" said a gruff voice.
"What yer dom here?"
Madge gasped, too frightened to
Tramp, burglur or ogre, he
was the embodiment of her worst
She trembled visibly, and per-
haps the tramp thought she was too
"small game" to do anything but
brighten. He looked her over within
chuckle. u
"P'raps WV waitin' for yer pa?"
"YesB broke out Madge. As if
the word set her free, and, without
needing the direction, she sprang past
him, and ran. Down the road she
went, and through the group of trees,
before she stopped for breath. She
gave a glance behind, fearfully; but
The tramp had disappeared. How pleas
int the sitting room seemed now. If
she were only at home!
Stopping a few moments to collect
Ter scattered thoughts, she chose the
:oad leading toward the center of the
own, and walked briskly along it.
For q short distance she went steadily
IN. Then she came to a group of
and, as she drew near, some
hing made her heart, and then her
'eet, stand still.
Was it a ghost, that white thing,
iuttering, waving, reckoning, in the
of bushes near the road fence?
What was it?
Madge felt cold chills all over her?
ghost? This was worse than the
ramp! No matter which road she
ook nowl
She climbed the fence upon the
Their side of the road, and cutting
cross fields and around no
natter where, in her new terror, at
asst arrived by a roundabout way al
be lower end Of the familiar street in
Which she lived.
During her headlong chase thoughts
anne thick and fast. What an agree
BILE, desirable place home was! SUP.
'ose mother should get there first!
low late it must be! How horrid TO
had to come such a long way
round! The house was ever SO much
lrther down the street than ever be-
orel
And now for the third time q sud-
en- shock made Madge's heart beat
ast. What was this?
Running up the street toward her I
a queer, little white figure. its
made no sound upon the pave
tent. It's little robe -foated and fut-
cred. Nearer and nearer it came.
INNING Oh. Then a big lump grew.
Madge's throat. She knew not what
was! Suppose she had not been
lere to meet the little white f%igure!