The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-03-09

engine, I settled down to watching the
rails ahead, and wondering if: the
knuckle-joints would pound the rods
off the pins before we got to the end of
the division. ~ V,
Billy, with his eyes on the track
ahead, and smoking his second pipe
and humming tune, and the MARY
Ann was making about forty miles an
hour but doing more rolling and pitch
| ing and jumping up and down than an
eight wheeler would at sixty. All at
once 1 discerned something away down
the track where the rails seemed to
meet. The moon had gone behind a
cloud, and the headlight gave better
view and penetrated further. Billy
saw it too, for he took his pipe out of
his mouth, and with his eyes still on it,
said laconcally, as was his wont:
Cow
YES said I, closing the throttle
and dropping the lever ahead.
MAN. said Billy, as the shape SEEM
ed to assume a perpendicular position.
"Yest," said +, reaching for the three
way cock and applying the tender
brake, without thinking what I did
"Woman,': said Billy, as the shape
was seen to wear skirts, or at least
drapery.
"Mexican," said I, as I noted the
lnantilla over the head. We were fast
nearing the object.
mo, said Billy, too We'll built
I don't know what he judged by; we
could not see the face, for it was turn
ID l>,,t 10
plainly that Of comedy woman. She
stood between the rails with her arms.
stretched out like cross, her white
gown fitting her figure closely. A black
shawl-like mantilla was over her head,
partly concealing her face; her right
foot was upon the left-hand rail. She
stood perfectly still. We were within
fifty feet Of her. and our speed was re-
duced to half, when Billy said sharply:
Hold her JOhn--for Gods sake!''
But I had the MARY Ann" in the
back motion before the words left his
mouth, and was choking her on sand.
Billy stood upon the boiier-head and
pulled the Whistle-cord, but the white
figure did not move. 1 shut my eyes
as we passed the spot where she had
stood. We got stopped rod or two
beyond. 1 took the white iikht in the
tank and sprang to the ground. Billy
lit the torch, and followed Inc with
haste. The form still stood upon the
track just where we had first seen it;
but it faced us and the arms were fold
ed. I confess to hurrying slowly until
Billy caught up with the torch, which
he held up over his head.
Good evening, Senors," said the APP
tinged with the Castilian accent, but
she spoke as if nearly exhaused.
"Good gracious" said l, whatever
brought you away out here, and hadn't
you Just as lief shoot a man as scare
him to death?'
She laughed very sweetly and said:
1.-THE washout brought me just here,
and I fancy it was lucky for you-both
of you." ,.E.~-
."Washout?'' said I. .Nthere:?"
cat the dry bridge beyond.
Well, to make long story short, We
took her on the engine-sile was wet
through-and went on to the dry bridge
This was a little wooden structure in
sag, about a mile away, and we found
that the storm that we had encountered
farther back had done bad work at
each end of the bridge. We did not
cross that night, but after placing sig
nails we'll behind us and ahead of the
WashOut, We waited until morning, the
three Of us sitting in the cab of the
MARY Ann,' chatting as if we were
old acquaintance.
This young girl, whose fortunes had
been SO strangely cast with ours, was
the daughter of Senor. Juan ArbOles, a
rich old Spanish Don who owned fine
place and immense herds of sheep over
on the Rio Pecos, some ten miles west
Of the road. She was being educated in
some Catholic school OF convent at
Trinidad, and had the evening before
alighted at the big corrals, a few miles
below where she was met by one Of her
fathers Mexican rancheros, who led
her saddle broncho. They had started
On their fifteen mile ride in the cool Of
the evening, and following the road
back for few miles were just striking
off toward the distant hedge of cotton
woods that lined the little stream by
her home when the storm came upon
them.
There was lone pinOn tree about
half-mile from the track, and riding to
this, the girl, whose name was jose
phine had dismounted to seek it's scant
protection, while the herder tried. to
hold the frightened horses. AS peal on
peal Of thunder resounded and the cleo
trio lights of nature played tag over
the plain, the horses. became more and
more Interchangeable and at last stamp
eded, with old Paz muttering Mexican
curses and chasing after them wildly.
After the storm passed, Josephine
waited lonely hour in vain for Paz
! and the bronchos, and then debated
whether she should walk toward her
! home or back to the corrals. In either
direction the distance was long, and the
| adobe soil is very tenacious when Wet
| and the wayfarer needs great strength
! to carry the load it imposes on the feet.
| AS she stood there, thinking what it
was best to do, sound came to her
ears from the direction of the timber
and home, which she recognized in an
! instant, without waiting to sebate fur
! Their, she turned and ran with all her
strength, not toward her home, but
away from it, i. Across the waste of