The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1896-10-14


She waved great spectral arms about
in swift, twisting movements. As 1
stood looking in horror, the figure
vanished with final wave of the arms
II was too much astonished and
stupofed 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 ex-
claimed:
'Halloa, Frank. What's up?
You look as though you had seen
ghost.
81 did not answer. My mind was
too full of the strange figure / had
perceived.
"We were now nearing Rock Creek,
where there is bridge over a 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 to turn quickly toward
him. He sat rigid, his eyes large and
staring. His jaw dropped, the very
picture of terror. He pointed with a
shaking finger out into the darkness.
l turned and looked, and then 1 be-
gan myself to shake. There on the
metals was the same hideous figure of
woman outlined on the background
of light from the engine, now notion
less, now whirling in witch dance. but
all the time motioning us back.
Frank, gasped Jim, but scarcely
above a whisper, don't go over the
bridge. Don't go for heavens sake
Don't go until you are sure it's safe.
81 suppose 1 was pretty badly
scared. At any rate, 1 put on the
brake for all was worth. 1 couldn't
have resisted the impulse to stop the
train.
"As we came to stop 1 could hear
the roar of the water in Rock Creek
just ahead. l stepped out of the cab
and met the conductor coming up.
What's the matter? What's the
matter? he asked impatiently.
81 felt decidedly foolish. There
was no gigantic woman to be seen
now. Nothing could be made out
more than few feet away in the
binding storm.
Well, said I, we've seen some
thing. 1 don't know what it is
seemed like it was great black ghost
that was waving its arms, and warning
us not to go forward
"The conductor looked at me curl
ously. Are you crazy, Frank he
said. 4 should think you were. But
we're so near the bridge we'll take a
look at it.
"We took our lanterns and went
ahead, leaving Jim with the engine;
he looked frightened to death. But /
tell you, we hadn't gone five rods be-
fora we stopped in horror.
'There at our feet lay a black
chasm, filled with the roar of the
river, as swollen with the spring rains,
it dashed down toward the lake. The
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 flinging its arms about as
if in wild glee. The conductor stared
at the chasm and then at me.
"Was that the thing you saw when
you stopped the train? he asked.
"Yes.'
"'Well, it's something more than
luck that saved us tonight, Frank
"We went back slowly to the train,
feeling very queer and thankful too,
l can assure you. Several passengers
had come running forward by this
time. Among them was a young fell
low from Chicago, about Is years old,
who was smarter than the whole of us,
as it turned out.
"When he was told of the woman
in black he turned and looked at the
locomotive headlight. Then he ran
up toward it. I looked up as he did
so, and I saw peculiar spot on the
glass.
"There's your woman in black ;