Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1904-04-09

five minutes after Gibson, who now
fancies he owns all creation because
lie has silver badge on his breast
with Conductor" on 1t, had shouted,
"All aboardw l was sound asleep.
What occurred in other quarters to
affect the fate of Kirke's train learned
afterwards.
Old Whately, the superintendent of
the road, as l guess l have already
said, had country residence in Leeds.
on mountain spur. which commanded
view of the surrounding country for
more than Il score Of miles. The line
of the railway could be distinctly seen
cfcn ulrectlOn Tor fifteen miles, and
Whately was wont to say that his
lookout was more to the safety of
trains, than all the telegraph wires on
the road.
Whately was rich old buffer, kind
enough in his way, but sharp as fer
ret in looking after the road hands,
and determined that every man should
do his duty.
He had but one child, a daughter;
and Floss Whately was the belle Of
the county. She was brave, beautiful
and spirited, and more than once when
her father had been away had she as
sumed the responsibility of directing
the trains, and she had always &C.
quilted her self with credit.
Old Whately was very proud of her,
as he had a. right to be, and kept all
the young fellows at distance, until
1t was said that he intended keeping
his daughter single till the Car of all
the Russias came on to marry her.
This night in November old Whate.
ly and Floss were out on the piazza
of their country home, peeping through
the gloom and fog for the signal lights
of the GOlOsha train, which was near.
ly due.
ITS strange it doesn't come in
sight" said Whately, laying down. his
nightglass in disgust. 1T is hard on
to 10 now. They ought to show their
light round Spruce Pond by this time"
you telegraphed them, father? You
let them know the pay train was on
the rOad?" asked Floss.
ITO be sure. And good heavens!
There is the headlight on the pay train
now! See! Not ten miles away, and
running like thu deuce, as it always
dOesw
He pointed with trembling finger
ao Syg, to the he. yalYy S, forge where, far
could be seen bright light, scarcely
moving, but those anxious watchers
knew that it was approaching at
lightning speed.
Father and daughter looked at each
other. The truth was evident For
| some reason the train from Golosha
was ten minutes behind time, and it
could not reach the siding at behring's
Cut until the pay train had passed be-
You'd the signal track. And then?
Why, there would be another "hor-
ror'' for the morning newspapers under
the head of appalling Disaster" and
few more homes would be made to
mourn.
Father and daughter looked at each
other in dismay.
"Selim can do it." said Floss quick.
ly.
mo, girl. 1t is too far, and too
risky" replied the old superintendent.
Eyes, father; and if l can reach
Leeds in five minutes before the train
yes, two minutes-all will be well.
Do not stop me, father" as he laid his
hand OH her arm.
But you must not go! 1t is dark and
dangerous! No, Floss!'
II shall go, father! Selim knows
only me, and you could not ride him.
1 have ridden on darker nights. And
he is the only horse in the stable. Don't
you remember? The others were sent
to town yesterday
Before old Whately could stop her
she had ordered the hostler to saddle
Selim, and she was already buttoning
on her riding habit with nervous fin.
gers.
The horse came paving to the door,
Floss sprang into the sadie, leaned
down and kissed her fathers forehead.
Pray heaven to spare me!' she
cried, hoarsely, and touching her
horse with her whip, he bounded down
the sharp declivity.
1t was raining steadily now, and the
gloom was intense; but Selim was used
to the road. and the rider was cour-
ageOus. She urged him at the top of
his speed, up hill and down hill
through Pine Valley, over Pulpit Hill,
and then she struck upon the smooth
road, which stretched away to Leeds,
at least mile and straight as al ar
row.
She could see the headlight of the
pay train far down in the valley dis
tinctly now, and to her excited fancy
it seemed but stones throw away.
She even thought for moment that
she heard the grind of the wheels on
the track, but it was only the signing
of the wind in the pines.
On, still on she went. Selim seemed
to fly. One might fancy that he knew
or death.
The lights OF the station We're in
view-nay, she even saw the station
masters white lantern as he rolled up
and down the platform-the white
lantern which was to signal the ap-
preaching train-tO tell them to go
on for all was well. On to their doom.
She dashed across the tack, flung
the lines to an amazed bystander. and
striking the white lantern from the
hand of the astOnished official, she
seized the ominous red lantern from
its hook, and springing upon the track,
waved it in the very teeth of the com.
ing tram.
Two sharp, short whistles told her
that her signal was seen, and a mo-
ment later the train came to q stop,
and officers rushed forward to confer
with the train from Golosha. which
had not yet been te!egraphed from the