The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-10-12
mEG'S WILD RIDE.
ny EruELYS LESLIE HUSTON.

10 park OF DOulcNnru. Meg Wneel
weighed several hundred pounds. She
rode il ont over the Nebraska plains.
And, after all, il wasn't Meg's wheel
anyhow, for it belonged to the North
ern Pacific railroad aud was made of
iron and painted red, aud was
tricycle. instead Of bicycle.
Meg lived on ranch, and tho near
est village where the trains sometimes
deigned to stop for apanting moment
was called Squaw Creek Meg owned
sturdy little broncho pony, which
she would ride on swift lope down
the long trail which lay like
white ribbon over the prairie, and at
the village she would visit Mt the
''store" where Mr.. Smith sold candy
and saddles and flannel shirts and
lariats and many other things. And
then she would rattle her pony's heels,
slipping and scrambling down the
bluff road to the station, where she
would arrive in cloud of dust and
merrily hail the agent, Frank Graham.
1t was here Meg would ride her
tricycle., which was railroad "wheel"
and provided by the company for the
L
heavy Meg's strong arms could make
the handlebar fly back and forth while
the wheel glided swiftly over the
cleaning rails.
Late one afternoon Meg rode to the
"store" and found some little excite
ment over cattle train that had been
ditched about two miles below the
station. The accident was caused by
spread rails, the men said, and nobody
was hurt, but it would delay the ex-
press, which was due in two hours.
Meg rode down to the scene of the
accident where the train men were
busy. II was already growing dark
and they had built great boniires to
help them to clear up what they could
while waiting for the wrecking train.
Frank, the agent, had been to the
wreck on the tricycle. and had raced
back to the little station to wire for the
wrecking engine and warn the ex-
press, as the road wound snake-like
along the broad Missouri river in the
heavy shadows at the foot of the bluff,
and as it was the "hyer"it could hardly
be signaled safely. II was quite dark
when Meg finally turned her pony's
nose toward the station and cantered
slowly along to say "how.de-do" to
Frank and get the papers he promised
her to take home. Also it could not
be long till the "fyer" would be due,
and Meg loved to see the long, bright
train loaded with passengers and
flashing its CLEAN of the great world
beyond the plains into her longing
eyes for brief moment.
AS her pony's heels thudded lazily
along beside the track the station
gradually came into view. And then
Meg's heart leaped oddly in her breast
and her eyes widened. For the sta
tion was in total darkness. Meg's
quirt came down with u swish on her
pony's flank, and Teddy, amazed and
indignant, bucked decidedly to ex-
press his strong disapproval of such
actions. For he and his young mis-
tress understood each other and the
quirt was never used except in gentle
''love taps" Meg was not western
raised for nothing, however, and she
retained her place on Teddy's back.
Finally his slender legs stretched out
and his nimble heels skinned the
sage bush and sharp cactus till the
station was reached. Then Meg flung
herself from the saddle with o stiHed
cry, for the agent lay face downward
on the dark platform, and the closed
doors and black windows of the sta
ton, together with the unlighted
signal lamps, told story that froze
Meg's blood. She rolled Frank over.
but he was unconscious from a blow
on the back OF the head, evidently
given by robbers.
"And the flyer must be duel' cried
Meg, in an agony OF despair. She
knew nothing of the mechanism of
the signal lamps and TO return to tho
wreck for help would be hopeless, for
they would be too late.
What was to be donsp
As Meg moaned aloud Teddy whin-
MED uneasily in reply. She looked
at him hopelessly. The flyer some-
times stopped at watering tank up
the track, but there was bridge to
CROSS between and Teddy would be
useless. Then her eyes fell on the
tricycle. on the main track, where it
had been left when Frank was at
tackled. 1t was the only chance and !
Mog leaped on the machine.
In a moment Teddy and the un-
conscious agent were alone with the
silent station. while down the track |
the "click-click, click-click" of the
railroad wheel grew faster and fainter
IN the distance. The only hope was
to reach the water tank before the ex.
press left. Meg's white lips parted
with q sob, while her wide eyes
strained before her through the black
ness for that yellow eye OF light that
must surely be'due.
"Click-click,' went the machine, /,
'sWsiting" Il seemed to CRY, ~ the
eirls hands tightensd oonvulsivsly