The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-08-18

for narrow space, the bottom and tn
top of the great ditch were good dea
closer together.
"We could have better view of th'
train down there" Agnes suggested
pointing down TO the little hollow
"You won't find it very hard getting
down there; you can sit comfortably OF
that shoulder of rock, and il won't b,
so much like looking down from ;
balloon.n
This is certainly better" Aunt FL
len said, when they had reached the
new vantage point; ''the balcony in
stead of the top gallery. But why are
those women down there on the track!
Is it usual here for people to stroll into
a tunnel to meet an express train?"
"What women? Where" Agnes
was on her feet in second, looking
where Aunt Ellen had pointed. "Oh,
what do they mean? Do they want to
commit suicide? The Wilson girls as
sure rs you live! They are great geolo-
gists, and they are after specimens.
They have time enough To get out be-
fore the train comes, if they go right
back"
"They had better be about il, then,''
said Aunt Ellen anxiously. "They
have only seven minutes now. But
they have no intention Of going back
they are going on towards the tunnel" ("
"Oh, how crazyr' Then Agnes drop
ped down beside her aunt, pale and
limp with sudden fear. "They don't
known she gasped. ''They haven't
heard of the Flying Eagle. They think
there's nothing between the $50 ex-
press in the morning and the , 10 eX-
press in the afternoon. What shall we
| do? Girls, Girlsl"
She knelt down, leaning far out over
the side of the cut, and, making a
trumpet of her hands, sent her clear,
! far-sounding cry down to the two girls.
Back, Jessie, Run for your lives.
Get out of the cut and OFF the track, |,
Express is almost due. Run, Runr'
Both the girls searched the air in sur
prise for the giver of that warning, and
seeing who it was, were sure it meant
"A joke. a second afterwards, however,
Jessie understood that the pale fright
ened face of her friend meant desper-
/ ate earnestness.
''Come, Marianu' she cried, and
| started to run towards the mouth of the
cut.
Marian stayed where she was, and sent
a laugh after her flying companion
But, looking up again at Agnes, she
saw something in the two agitated
faces above her that reused fear in her,
and she ran after her cousin. She was
wonderfully fleet of foot, and in an i'll
slant the two were together; at that
rate of speed there was no doubt that
they would both be able TO win safety.
They have just five minutes and IL
half" said Agnes, looking at her watch
land they can run TO the mouth of the
cut in three. Come back to our seat,
Aunt Ellen; that little scare made me
tired"
They turned towards the rock, but
had not taken the second step when
screams from below reached their ears
They looked back over their shoulders,
and both stood so for an instant, rigid
and breathless with a new terror. The
two girls lay together across the track
in the deepest part of the cut; in their
blind hurry one had stumbled and both
had been thrown down; apparently the
fall had disabled both, for neither of
them got upon her feet.
''Turn your back TO the cut, Aunt"
Agnes said calmly; she was very pale,
but as steady as the rocks about them.
Don't look at us. There's only one
thing to do, and | must do it. can
get down there, and think | can help
one of them out before the train comes.
Goodbye"
al won't try to keep you, my child
God help your
Aunt Ellen kissed her, and thought
she knew how mothers feel that send
their sons to battle; then, instead of
turning her back TO the cut, she watch
ed them all with tear-dimmed eyes and
throbbing heart.
In the wall of the cut, below the bot
tom OF the cross-ravine, were two or
three sharp projections of rock, one be-
low another; they were rude steps by
which a very sure-footed person might
make way for some little distance
downwards. Agnes was as sure footed
as chamois, and as active; and before
Aunt Ellen winked the tears from her
eyes the girl was on the lowest of these
rock steps. Posing there for a second
to steady herself, she leaped lightly off
to the bottom of the cut Ii was a
rather long jump, but she made il ia
safety, and an instant later was run
ming swiftly towards the two girls.
Neither of them had got up yet; it
seemed incredible that both of them
could be rendered so helpless by simp-
ly falling down; if they were insensi-
BILE, or could do nothing to help them
selves, then, after all, she could do
nothing to help them; at best she could
only be crutch, for support and assist
ance. She could not lift one Of those
girls bodily and run out of the cut with
her. Already it began to look rs if the
Flying Eagle would have three instead
of two for its prey.
At the very utmost she could only
help one of the girls to safety. Agnes
thought desperately of that as she flew
over the short space that separated her
from them. Which should it be? It
would he a horrible thing to leave
Jessie, her friend, the girl she loved,
to be ground under those merciless
wheels. But to leave Marian there,
the girl she did not like, and had just
spoken ill of-that would seem like
actual murder. Which should it be-
"Jessie. Marian! Crisp
She cried out frantically to them a.
she came nearer. They both answered
her, and she saw that both were NOV
ing, apparently struggling to get upon
their feet,
UCopaapr sha cried faking ono hy