The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1906-03-15

weakness. he collapsed. a wet heap on
the floor.
I'm done, girl" he gasped. "There
amt another move In nc. The lantern
broke. Ihad to get home for another.
The culvert girl! !" he cried; "it's under
water-there's danger. Help me to get
back. For Gods sake, girl, help me to
get bach!"
He struggled tc rise. His limbs re-
fused to fill their office and he fell In
a heap again. "I'm done," ne muttered
with shuddering sigh, and was silent.
Kitty, torn between fear for her
father, and fear for Larry, for a mo.
ment was distraught
what shall I do? What shall I dor"
she moaned, wringing her hands.
Them her reason returned. There were
more to be considered than Larry and
her father. She dragged the uncon-
scious man close to the fire, and cover.
ed him warmly. "Stay there, father"
she crooned, as to little child. "Stay
there and be warm. I'll not be long
gone, father. Don't worry; I'll run to
the culvert"
While she was talking she made her
preparations. She slipped off her long
skirts and put on n short one. She COW
cred her shoulders with warm, rough
jacket and protected her feet and
ankles with pair Of rubber boots she
wore In wet weather. Her head she
left bare. "My hair can't blow off,"
she said to herself, "and anything else
would"
She found lantern, and lighting 1t,
sped out into the night, running like a
deer down the track toward the endan-
gered culvert.
"Please God, let me be In time" she
prayed with sobbing breath. "It's 9TH
ers beside Larry. God, It isn't him
alone I'd be saving" she implored, feel
ing vaguely that she must impress the
Deity that her motives were not all
selfish.
please, God" she entreated; "please,
God, let me get there In time"
She could feel the rails vibrating
under the weight of the distant train.
Breasting the storm with the wind
pltting its force against her, she ran
on and on, stumbling and almost fall.
ing, but always pressing onward until
but short distance lay between her
and the flooded culvert. The water
was sweeping in swift current across
the track. She stopped at the edge OF
the flood and stood there waving dan
ger signal with the lantern. The train
was near enough for her to hear Its
roar and rumble. The great headlight
shone like large eye of fire, ever
growing bigger and brighter.
She felt so little and helpless out
there in the blackness. Would Larry
see her? Would he stop in time? The
eye of fire showed no sign of halting.
Perhaps she was too little for him to
see. Perhaps she was not waving the
lantern at all. She looked at her arm
which she had kept in rotary motion
until 1t was growing numb. The lantern
was describing a circle in the air, help
ing her to save Larry. She heard a
crash like the piling together Of iron
wheels. She heard the loud hiss of es.
taping steam, then she could hear moth
ing more. Her lantern was still de-
scribing circle in the air. She felt
as IL she must go on swinging it for
ever. She heard voices shouting. She
heard the thud of running feet. Other
lanterns than hers began to spangle
the night. They were on the other side
Of the flood, but some one was making
his way cautiously toward her. She
could hear the splash Of water as he
moved, and above all she could hear
the engine painting like some wild thing
spent from flight.
Some one big and strong and protect.
ing was close beside her, taking the
lantern from her hand. 1t was Larry,
and it was Larry's arms that were
around her, holding her close.
"It's a big thing you've done, my
girl" he murmured husl,ily, "it's a
mighty big thing"
Out there in the night, with the rain
beating upon them, with the wind riot
ing around them, with crowd Of ex.
cited people exclaiming Mt the averted
danger, Larry and Kitty. without re.
proach or explanation, came again to
love and understanding.
"Sure and I'm not caring for Rosie,
now," Kitty whispered Blade.