The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-02-14

IbRttLAL 10 UtsllfdEt NlAe buSluCSS, sllhl L CAEA
see no reason why she should not have
an even break with the rest of us"
So the spIt-trick man who had done
the talking, and the ''death-tr2ck' man
who had nodded assent went away feel
ing chat they had done the proper thing
aud the tra.nmaster congratulated him
self upon the result,
Minnie Morgan was a woman to win a
MANS heart if he had such a thing to
lose and so, as the spring deepened,
Goodl0ugh, who had been too busy all
HIS life to go out into the world and
win a heart, discovered when it was too
hate, chat he was slowly but surely los
ing his own. Miss Morgan, on her side,
had pitied Goodlough at first, and then
when he recovered and came back to
work she had learned 10 respect and
soon to admire him. / might have ended
there, 50 far as she was concerned, If he
had not fallen in love with her and show
ed it dozen times a day, or every time
he attempted to hide it; and soon they
both loved and each resolved to keep the
secret from the other, but while cupid
held his hands over their eyes the world
looked On and laughed
They parted late at night only to
meet again in the morning The days,
That were all too short, flashed by as
m.ieposts pass the window Of an express
tram. In time the summer went out OF
che skies, the frost came and killed the
Howcrs, but the summer stayed I'm their
hearts and kept them glad.
1t was winter without The snow lay
in deep drifts upon the pilots of locom0-
lives that came down from the hills and
hid The tops Of incoming freight trains.
Miss Morgan stood at the window, over
looking the yards An old gtorln-stained
work engine stood in front of the sta
ton, toilwOrn, and the water, dripping
Through her irebox, had frozen and
hung icicles upon her very CRATES. Her
driver, looking rusty as his engine, was
coming UP the stair to tell the dispatcher
that he was not yet in and would not
be for 10 minutes, and the dispatcher
erased the arrival and put him in 10
minutes later, so that the engineer might
not get 10 days for fast running He
was a hero, this man, begrimed as he
was with SCOT and grease, for this was
the engine, and he the engineer who had
outrun the Atlantic express a year age
and saved that train as well a the pres
ident's special
The trainmaster came in with a sad
face and aheavy heart He remembered
that it was just a year ago to-day that
he had turned a pale-faced young woman
away, not because there was no room
for her, but Che blushed to admit it'd be-
cause she was woman. And now that
same woman was doing q mans work.
More, she could enslaye him with n glance
or bind him with a single strand of her
Sllken hair. He knew this, and knew
that she knew it. and resolved not to let
another day dawn before he had told her
everything.
Miss Morgan was sad, too, for she had
lost a secret-oHt of her love- for that
was no secret-but she had just revealed
to the superintendent the true story of
the mysterious message"
The superintendent was happy. He
had promised to have an answer for the
president by the end of the year, and
this was the last week but one. Miss
Morgan's story was all the more timely
because the president would arrive ON
the morrow, and the superintendent was
anxious to convince him that the average
occult expert, who makes a speciality of
seeing things nights" know about as
much of the future or of things unknown
as the Goldfish out in the Atlantic.
She was still silent.
The morning broke clear and beautiful
and the crisp air was full Of the sounds
Of changing bells and the screams Of
switch engines. Express wagons came
down laden with boxes and packages
bundles of sunshine-that would find
their way to hundreds of thousands Of
homes and gladden. the hearts of thou
sand of people. Everybody was busy, for
the president of the road was to arrive
to-day. When Goodlough left his pri-
yate office and wandered into the big
room where the dispatchers worked he
heard Miss Morgan calling Westcreek,
and when Westcreek answered, heard
her say:
Train No. s, conductor Smith. will
take siding for special west, engine IS
at Eastcreek."
When the operator at Lookout siding
answered and she said:
Special west engine IS will meet train
No. at Eastcreek"
Bravo cried the trainmaster. That's
exactly what | was trying to do a year
ago. only | said 'Westcreek' at the last.
How's everything?"
ION time" said Miss Morgan. stiU
working the key.
After CHANGING about for a few minutes
Goodlough returned to his office and sent
out 4 bulletin promoting the operator at
Westcreek to be train dispatcher on the
third tick. The same order put the
two old dispatchers a step nearer the
of the road.
He had barely finished this pleasant
task when the superintendent came in
with the president, whom GoodlOugh
had never met. When they were all
seated the superintendent asked the
to relate what he knew about
the so-called mysterious message"
II know absolutely nothing" declared
GoOdlough earnestly, for the subject was
embarra ssing TO him"
You told Mr.. Cramer, I believe, that
you were positive that you did not send
the order to Westcreek to hold No. s, al
though your initials went with it," said
fhn oIrparin daDt with tho III nP