The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-11-17
The Engineers
Story
BY N. O.

happened 10 UE q lltlIe late. and
VI steamed into Melville, the end Of
our run, at a very lively rate. There
were 30 or more on the platform
awaiting the arrival of the train
and among them, more lovely than
any other woman there, was Belle
Keigbton.
She started a little as the whistle
screamed out close by where she stood
and that was what drew my attention
10 her at first
The brakes were all on, and we were
stopping as briefly as we could, but
there we're two baggage cars and half
q dozen we'll filled coaches behind. and
they crowded us pretty hard and #
vas evident We would run a rod or
two beyond our usual stopping place.
When I saw Belle start, we were not
quite even with the point where sha
was standing maybe Is or 20 feet
away Her foot struck against the
wheel Of a truck close by. and she
staggered hcadiong right toward the
track Only two or three steps. and
she would 70 over the edge Of the
platform. and the engine was rush
Ing along 10 crush her as soon as she
fpll / felt cold all at once,
No one was very near her-not near
enough to grasp her and drag her back
from the sudden, terrible death that
threatened her. In a moment she
would totter over on the rails be
low-a=i In a moment my engine
would be there. too,
lmpellcd by a sudden impulse, |
crawlcd along the side OF the boiler,
clear 10 the front Of the engine, and
l"aPcd to the platform right against
her, as We came on. | saw the fire,
man stare. and his face actually looked
pale through the coal dust and smoke,
] saved heri
But the force with which / had
sprung from the engine threw me
across the sharp iron rest al the bot,
tom Of the baggage truck, and, before
anyone got 10 me, | had tainted, and
| had little more life than a dead
man.
When ! came TO myself again, they
had laid me on a sofa in the ladies'
room, and they were all talking at
once so fast that | couldn't under
stand much of anything any Of them
said except two-the doctor and the
girl / had saved.
Hes coming out Of his faint" said
the doctor. 1.-TWO OF his ribs are
broken, but | do not think he's fatal.
ly injured"
That's bad enough" said a voice
"A tender, plying, woman's voice, all
In a tremble, and which / knew in.
etinctiyely was her voice. But, thank
Heaven, II isn't any worse"
Then all was still a moment. The
doctor kept feeling around my ribs
in a way that made me imagine he
was trying to bore through me with
n very dull auger. hadn't opened
my eyes yet, and | shut them tighter
and bit my lip hard TO keep from
CRY llR OUT Win NDe pain |
One Of them is fractured in two
places" said the doctor.
"He saved me, but he nearly lost
his W life In doing it," said her
voice again. What an awful death
It would have been! | want to do
something for him, doctor"
you a do nothing now" was the
reply. I'VE must manage to get him
home as soon as he Is revived"
While be was speaking, | raised my
eyellds and took a good look at the
girl, Her eyes fell as she saw / was
looking at her. and the warm blood
Redeemed the face that had been almost
as pale as my own-and it was de.
cidedly the prettiest face | had ever
seen. Then she opened her big, brown
eyes, so bright through her tears, and
said, sweetly and earnestly:
You are a herot"
| thought | would willingly have
two more ribs broken to hear her say
those four words again.
After awhile they took me home.
Belle found out where we lived. and
ran ahead to prepare my old mother
TO see me brought In on a stretcher.
She wouldn't go away till she had
helped mother to make me easy, and
extorted a promise from us that she
might come and do her part toward
nursing me back to health and
strength.
She came every day to see me. and
well. by the time | was able 10 sit
up, she had promised to marry me at
next Christmas, I'm not going to tell
you just how 1t all came about. A
man doesn't like to go into details
with such a matter. you know.
As SCOT as | was able to hobbIe
about town, her visits 10 our house
ceased; but you may rest assured that
! lost no opportunity to return some
OF those she had already made, and
nearly every morning found me a wei.
come and happy guest in her neat lii.
tie parlor.
While visiting Belle one evening
first met Santa Edo. He was Span.
ish. His fierce, quick.moy.ng. black
eyes, his dark, almost swarthy face
his every mov and gesture, and his
and general bearing, all told
of the land OF his n~ativity-and were