Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-03-11
A WOMAN'S WIT.

Il want to speak to you . moment
Sim. Come to the other end Of the var
better for those not to hear u.s." sal
my mate, indicating by the direction o
his glance our two fellow traveller
His words were almost drowned In th
noise Of the train. but it was easy t
see from his manner that something
was amiss We were together IL
charge Of a train Of twenty-four wag
ons, running from Elmfeld collier!
down to the main line. / was tn
underguard and consequently, subor
dinate to Frank Applegarth. Hi
daughter, a lass Of about Is, and {
companion of her own age, were trav
cling with US. They had missed thu
usual passenger train, and, notwith
standing the regulations to the con
trary we had both thought there woult
be little harm in giving them a lift
home, as Frank phrased 1t. And lucky
for US 1t proved that we did SO. Prob
ably it saved both our lives. and GER
tainly it 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 crevices,
not few in number. My companion
wore a troubled, anxious look as rose
TO follow him.
DO you notice that?" he asked, when
we were out of hearing distance OF
the others. 1t had struck me before
that the van was swaying more tina N
usual-and it was rickety enough. in
all conscience, on ordinary occasions
but ! only set 1t down to our driver
making up little lost time.
We are travelling at a great pace
answered.
~ dangerous pace was the re-
ply, As the van gave lurch that al
most threw us off our feet. That's
the first curve on the level" he added;
lust try if you can make out the
engine lights"
l tried my best. but 1t was useless.
The night was intensely dark, and.
to add to the difficulty, binding blasts
of snow and sleet drove full in my face
as | leant with half my body outside,
seeking to catch a glmmer OF EslIr
ahead.
# can make nothing out" | said, as
unbuttoned my jacket and shook 1,
clear of snow.
Neither could !. and l fear We have
broken away. | only wish knew how
many wagons are left with us in front"
Here my countenance must have be.
trayed the horror | 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. 1t will be time
enough to alarm them when II comes
to the worst, and we are past help"
What is 10 be done?" l asked, ned
SO much expecting an answer as be-
cause | felt l must say something.
I'VE can do very little. Ii Harry
that was our driver-'knows what has
happened lie may come back upon US
and stop us before we come to High
bank, though. at the rate we are 60
ing, that will be risky enough. Other
wise he can do nothing but 60 on to
the next station to warn them there.
Ten to one we don't keep on the rails
as we run dowa the bank We must
try TO make out IL We have many
wagons left. If he has but few, Harry
is sure TO notice that something has
gone wrong
We returned to where the two girls
were sitting. 1 had seen Mary Apple.
garth every day almost that I had
worked with her father, now q matter
OF four or tiye years, ana without no
ticing her much. She YVES only a slip
of a girl when first l knew her, and
suppose with seeing her - frequent
fy that she had grown to the verge
of womanhood without my being aware
of it Ii might be. too, that the dan
ger in which we were placed, and
which she realized as II intuitively,
added IN moment years to her Efe, as
great dangers are sometimes said to
do. Anyway, 1t was with added inter-
est that | now regarded her as she sat
seeking to calm the fears of the girl
beside her, who was giving wa0 tc
terror she did not seek to conceal.
You and your friend" said Apple
49, 80 ~ ms ia WV oAAAo olhCk
preoccupations, was watching our
every movement. will keep quite still
here while Jim and I put things
straight in front Of the train"
rs there going to be an accidentr ]
am sure something has gone amiss."
NO; hope rot, at lenst; nothing but
what we can put to rights"
The road On which we were travel
Ing was fairly level one, with easy
gradients, one part alone excepted.
That part began some ten miles from
the colliery whence we had started our
Journey, and could we but arrest our
speed before reaching it. all might be
we'll yet. 1t consisted Of the two de-
clivities. known respectively as the
High hank and the Low bank. both
very steep with a gradient Of one In
seventyEve. and separated by some
two miles OF level line. little way
from the bottom OF the last was a
meeting station. here trains coming
In opposite .l.r, ctions used to pass each
GtLeT =! = a.is o! q siding. All being
Will ~ intn fhis si<siw0 nsse fvoio