The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-05-19

But the light was fitful; there were
moments when all seemed buried in
darkness. Then the landscape bright
ened and glimmered as if the moon
had emerged from behind a cloud.
But there was no moon; he knew that
the moon would not rise until morning
was near.
The railway circled the foot of the
hill, but the road ran straight over the
summit. By strenuous efforts he had
already reached the crest and the hard
driven wheel leaped forward with a
fresh burst of speed, as it felt the down
ward slope.
Suddenly the air seemed full of rosy
light, as if tinged by the glow Of dawn.
I Though he was now running at a
break-neck pIce he glanced upward.
The sky was aflame with the flicker
ing pennants of the aurora borealis-
Near the horizon lay bank of dusky
haze, through which the stars cleaned
family. Above II wavered a pale
phosphorescent curtain, that shivered
as if shaken 10y gusts Of wind; from be-
hind which ruddy streamers shot up to
the very zenith, and flickered and
waned and frightened. 1t was a mag
nificent display; but the descent was
becoming sleeper every minute, he was
Obliged to keep his eyes fixed on the
road.
He was now rushing down the rough
track with a violence that almost de-
! fed control. The overstrained tubing
gave under his weight to the very linn
it Of its strength; the machine heaved
and palpitated like frightened horse,
and shied wildly amid the ruts and
stones that he could not avoid. At u
sharp turn of the road he swung out so
far that he felt the hind tire slipping
on the icy edge, and barely escaped
plunging down the embankment; then
the depot windows flashed into view.
After that the bicycle must have
chosen its own course, for Sturgin was
not conscious of guiding it. For the
sash was raised, and against the yell
low lamplight he saw the dark outline
ola man crawling in through the open
ing; another followed.
The last figure had scarcely disap-
peared when his wheel came to a stop
in the deep sand of the station yard.
He dropped from the saddle, pulled a
ii-calibre revolver from his pocket and
sprang to the window.
The depot consisted of a single room;
the safe and telegraphic apparatus
were on the farther side. In the mid
die of the floor stood Lena, defiant,
with clinched hands and glowing
cheeks, looking straight down the
black muzzle OF a pistol that huge
desperate was holding close to her
face.
"You unlock that safe right quick,
and no sensense," he WIS saying.
al won't-I can't" cried Lena.
The other intruder, a seedy little fel-
low with thin lips and hatchet face,
was by the safe examining the lock.
He turned toward the girl.
aye might rs well save trou ble," he
said ave know what's here, and
we're going to have il. This Is biz,
understand. We shan't hurt We if ye
behave"
The girl glanced at him with angry
contempt. Her blood was boiling.
"There amt goin' to be nobody to
help ye," the fellow continued. "The
road bridge is down-swep' away by the
freshet-and the fellers from the Mills
won't git here yet awhile. Yer mas
too fur off, an she amt no good any
way. We've got to have that key, for
we amt got any tools handy. Be live
ly now. We kin be rough if we have
/ ter"
With a sudden motion Lena pulled
the key from her apron pocket. The
big ruifian beside her snatched at it,
lowering his pistol as he did so; but
with the quickness Of a cat she flung
the little piece of steel through the
open door of the stove, where it slip
down among the glowing Goals. The
fellow grabbed the poker and plunged
it into TIE red-hot mass, but the key
had disappeared. With cry of rage
he sprang toward the girl, but while
/ his back was turned she had darted
across the room and jerked open a
drawer.
Throw up your hands, you scOun-
drelr'
The command came in a hOarse roar
from the open window The despera-
do turned, saw a fierce, livid face glar-
ing in from the outer gloom, saw also
leveled weapon and suspected more
from behind. He dropped his pistol
and obeyed.
Laying his left hand on the sill
John Sturgin leaped through the win
dow with one bound. There is no
ord-breaker like love and anger i'll
things athletic. Meanwhile the lesser
william was struggling with the fasten-
ings of the nearest window, but when
he glanced over his shoulder and
caught CLINT of another revolver in
the hands of Lena as she stood by the
open drawer he desisted.
"Give ii up" he said coolly. Ie got
me, sure, little girl, though how them
fellers got aerost so quick beats me.
Now, don't git narvous with that pop
per of yourn; I'll rest easy, an l amt
got no gun anyway"
"Give me your pistol, Lena" said
Sturgin, his voice still quaking with
excitement. ''Now, you two brutes
stand here, face against the wall,
hands up. Lena, please send mes
sage through to Grandport for a train
and posse"
She sent the message as she was bid
den, but the steadiness was gone from
her hand and the color from her cheek.
She felt faint; she threw open the door
and gazed up the track. The night
had grown very dark, though a filmy
veil of aurcral light still fitted now
and then across a starry background
tten at length the rumble of an en-.
CINE was heard-a welcome sound tC
Sturgin, whose arms were so palsied
with WEAKNESS and nervous tension
that he could hardly hold the pistols.