Omaha daily bee., 1897-11-21

explained to t}eir dog, SO named from his
| brilliant color, 1--WE don't want the darling
to come home AMI work her pretty fingers
to the bone first thing. indeed we don't"
| Then he, accompanied by the faithful Gold
| Dust courted rheumatism ard went into the
woods, bringing back quantities of green
| stuff, which he hung everywhere and with
| mis- stiff old fingers ne lGboriously fash hioned
the word Welcome" out OF arbor vitae, and
| hung 1t over the mantel shelf.
| There was a small turkey hen in the cellar
plump and tender. There were good things
Of all sorts in the pantry, For l allow
| for dinner this Thanksgiving, eh, old fel.
| low?"
| Gold Dust licked his chops and wagged his
| tail solemnly, for If there was ever dog
that loved a good dinner it was the one ad-
| dressed
But now it was all over. The brief, un.
satisfactory message from Aunt Perkins had
arrived, stating that Marion had concluded
20 stay over Thanksgiving with them.
"She promised, Gold Dust, she promised"
said the old man, "and she amt never broke
| her word yet. | think it's the old cats
work. he added, disrespectfully cf his
| martial sister-in-law. EFF Marion had made
| up her own mind that she'd stay, she'd a
writ us with her own hand full OF lovin',
ooaXin' words, such as allus gets around her
old dad but it don't make no matter, she
won't be here now, no how, whosevers the
| fault" and the old gray head again Went
forward On the table.
At o'clock the ferry was due, for the
river was not yet frozen over, and the ferry
boat was still running. When the first
whistle for the bridge sounded, the old man
arose and lit his lantern and went out to
open the bridge.
Two weeks before the porter of the red
express had been discharged for dishonesty
| and impertinence at Bridgeton, and the big
burly fellow hung around the town, doing
"a nhS 1ntt . inc nj pet he
conductor and crew OF the red express and
tonight with the aid OF bad whisky, he had
matured his plans.
| He was hidden In a dark corner of the
draw as 1t swung open, and Ablram stood a
moment looking down in the river after the
ferry had steamed through. Then, as he
| turned 10 close the draw for the red express,
| due in fifteen minues, he was seized from
| behind and thrown down.
| Half stunned, the old soldier struggled t.
arise, but the negro held him fast and bound
him tightly with a long rope, gagging him
to prevent any outcry.
| 1t was five minutes past s when Marion
| softly opened the door of the bridge house
and called, Daddy, darling" No one
answered but Gold Dust, who was left In
charge. He jumped all over her, and was
| demonstratiye enough for four dogs but
Marion wondered at her fathers absence.
| "He ought to be home now, Dusty" she
said, and the dog locked toward the open
| door, Marion stood on a chair to reach her
rifle which was loaded and hanging, slung
up by her fathers, over the word "Wel-
come" which she kissed with happy tears in
her eyes.
That something was wrong she at once
saw when she reached the bridge for the
draw was still open. and she could hear the
red express at Bridgeton.
Quickly she got into her fathers boat
moored at the shore, and, rowing with superb
stroke, was quickly at the bottom of the
stone pier, on which reyolved the draw.
Then she stepped out on the metal rounds
OF the workmans ladder that hung on thu
pier and swiftly climbed up with her rift
slung across her shoulders
She came up with cat-like stiffness and tn,
negro, who was leaning out on the orposlt'
side, listening for the train, had not heart
her. Softly she swung herself up and GOV
cred the man with her rifle; then he, hearing
the click, turned with an imprecation anC
looked into the shiulng barrel.
The minutes were few now, as the trai.
had left Bridgeton. and soon the whist
would ask II the draw was all right; thel
II the lights-which the negro had placed
We're right, and there was no answer from th,
bridge. they would come on to destruction.
"Cut that rope! cried Marion, In ringing
tones; then when the old soldier was free
give him his cane" and her father spranI
TO the signal lights and tore them down.
Then the whistle OF danger rent the all
and the red express stoppsa Just GU th
eedge OF the bridge, while The men ran 10
ward with their lanterns, waiting until h
AA--s- ---aans snfa nlsna vhsn they found d