The Cairo bulletin., 1909-08-02
7 E SPECIALS UNEXPECTED STOP.

The step from the heights of bliss to
the depths of misery is not slight, but
1t doesn't take long for the descent,
especially If one is In love. John
Hartman, the moment before reading
that note from Sadie Morton was
about as near heaven as a man could
be. When he finished the brief epistle
his thoughts were by no means celes-
tal
He and Sadie had been in love for
long time, and only the decided oppo-
sltion Of the young womans parents
had prevented their marriage
Dad has decided there Ia danger
In delay the girl wrote, and mother
and | are to start for Europe tonight
She and will leave over the X. & o.
at II o'clock on special train There
will he no chance for me TO escape at
the depot. but perhaps II you can meet
lis at some station down the road
but you can't DO that. for don't sup
pose our train will stop anywhere
iibpihE lti lic UeSl. l ALI
Having read the note through four
times, as though unable TO grasp its
meaning, Hartman folded 1t carefully
and placed 1t in his pocket Then he
went 10 his room and began to thinl
for he knew Mathew Morton would
not be Salked easily, and it was
known to be his greatest desire to
have HIS daughter marry a man of
rank
II was nearly 10 O'clock that night
when Hartman left his room carving
"A mysterious bundle which he had
purchased earlier in the evening. At
a livery barn he secured buggy and
team and drove rapidly out OF the
city. taking a road which paralleltd
the railway along which the special
bearing he woman he loved was to
60.
Not far from the city limits was a
heavy grade, and ii was on Lonesome
Ridge, as the crest Of the grade was
known, that the man stopped and tied
"
his bundle and approached the rail
road track At the upper end Of tn
grade he opened his package which
contained large brush and several
set to work, aud it was not long unil
both rails, for a considerable distance
were so slick that there was little pos
sibility of any engine pulling even a
light special train over the ridge IL
less than three or four attempts
No sooner was his work complete
than whistle sounded down The
track toward the station and look
ing at his watch, Hartman knew It
was the special. Concoaling himself
in some underbrush near the foot or
he strip of track he had creased. he
waited
Soon he could see the headlight Of
he engine as it swung around the
curve, and with wildly beating heart
he watched the train approach When
the engine struck the slippery rails its
speed slackenet greatly, and before
going many feet further the forward
progress stopped altogether, and the
train began to roll back down the
grade, until brought to a sudden stoI
by the air brakes.
Rushing from his hiding place.
Hartman hurried along the one Pull.
man until ne saw a curtain raised
In the window appeared the face OF
the woman he loved, and boldly he
stepped into the broad beam Of light
and beckoned 10 her to leave the train
The curtain was drawn down again
and a minute later. as the engine be-
gan its second effort to climb the
grade. Sadie Morton stepped from the
rear platform of the Pullman into The
waiting arms of her lover
Quickly they ran to the buggy tied
al the roadside. and drove rapidly
away. They were nearly back To the
city. where a minister was waiting
when the engine. amid shower oi
sparks pulled across the crest of the
grade. and Mrs. Morton ignorant OF
her daughters departure, dreamed OF
The European trip abroad.-Vance