The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-09-08
ON THE
SPECIAL
BY r. b. eOriSbf
Copyright. 1905. by 7. C. Mcclure

II
Late. oh. no: not the north bound
train! 1t can't be. Are you surer'
There was a ring in the voice that
caught Hugh Morton's attention. He
looked up. The girl In black who had
interested him when she entered the
waiting room three hours before was
at the ticket window. and the agent
was explaining that the night train
due at Bellmar Junction at 1890 was
two hours late. Morton himself was
waiting for that train.
'Yes, miss. I'm certain. Just received
word Twelve thirty anyway, and II
may be later"
But the train from Parkerville OH
the other road gets in at IL 90, doesn't
It? Isn't there some train out Of here
before II comes? Anything-a freight y
Nom; nothing until the fifty-three.' -
answered the man In surprised tone
He leaned forward to see the girl more
plainly, and she drew aside In confu
| sion.
Thank you. I'll have to wait, then
1t doesn't matter at ALL" she said In q
voice whose trembling showed that II
mattered very much. Then she wen,
out on the platform, leaving Morton
| wondering.
Why was she 30 pale? Why was she
20 impatient to get awayf Why sc
anxious to leave before the train from
Parkerville arrived? He puzzled ovel
the question for awhile and went out
side for a smoke. Then he heard a sol
from dark corner. The girl was seat
ed on truck crying so bitterly thai
she did not hear Morton as he approch
ed, moved by a generous impulse.
| You are in some trouble? Can't
be of some helpT"
The girl raised her head with q start
hurriedly wiping away the tears. mo
it's beyond help-I mean it's nothing"
"There's nothing beyond help. Won
you tell me the trouble? You dom
know me. of course. but hope you cal
see I'm a gentleman"
The girl seemed to shrink from him
ITS nothing - mere nervousness. 1
was kind in you to ask. though. and
thank you. I would accept II II coult
do any good"
With an apology for his intrusion
Morton moved away. He tramped tn
platform for awhile and then stoppe'
in the shadow by the station window
He had learned telegraphy years be
fore. and II amused him to read tn
clicking of the key. There was the bes
part of message coming In now. Clich
click. click. click-click-click = "dress-
slender-brown hair-twenty-two; shel
in up on IL II there" When the met
sage ended the agent glanced out on tn
platform toward where the girl wa
seated. Then he telegraphed back
Girl here; can't leave: IS late"
So this was the reason Of the girl
agitation, thought Morton. She ha
committed some crime. poor thing, an
the law was on her track; the law, 9
powerful and relentless: she 30 helples
and alone. Morton had an instant v
sion Of the slight. graceful figure an
the pale face and I'm that instant mad
up his mind. He went toward her an
spoke in an undertone:
"I've accidentally learned somethin
which concerns you very much.
don't know what the trouble Is. br
they are coming here after you, and
felt must warn you.'
The girl started up with claspe
hands. "Oh, I've been afraid Of thil
What can 1 do. what can do?"
There's no time TO lose. The sheri
will be here in fifteen minutes. Yo
must get away"
How? There's no chance. Oh.
only my train had been on timer IL
girl broke down and sobbed.
Here. Don't do that. You mu
keep your nerve. you know" Morton
brain was working quickly. Listen.
the sheriff doesn't find you here whe
he arrives he'll think you are in Il
neighborhood surely, and he'll stop
search the village. That will take hi
until morning. The next station nor
. Is Newboro - fifteen miles We ha'
over an hour In which to make IL. w
, | you take the chancer'
"Yes-any chance. I haven't real
done anything wrong-and IL can G
cape"-
"Qufck. then, Go over to that sh,
on the other tracks and wait"
The girl disappeared. and Mort,
sauntered into the waiting room. -P
bad headache and decided I'd bett
not travel. VIII the hotel be openr
"Open until 55 comes in"
"Much obliged. Good night"
Morton picked up his satchel al
started toward the hotel. Then
!. doubled across the tracks to where I
girl was waiting.
Hurry, There's not much time
lose he said. He had noticed tn
afternoon a hand car on a siding ne
- the street and went to IL.
Help me TO push it," he directs
a Easy, though. The agent must q
hear"
Together they showed the car gent
: along the rails and into the darkne
. Far of they heard the whistle Of I
sheriff's train.
Morton waited until II thundered
to the station. NOW" he cried, '''
" must push ahead. Their noise "
"a drown ours"
I. They jumped aboard and. graspi
a the levers. started Off and in nome
70 We're swinging northward under
a stars. with the station lights growi
Il fainter in the distance.
n The pumping was hard. for the grs
v was uphill, and for half an hour no
"a Ing was heard but the clanking strc
x of the levers. the pounding of
wheels and the labored breathing