The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-08-03

that train over the gap again. not
alivei"
BURT, watt"
He did not turn his head at her call.
She watched him ride away toward
home. 1t was just sunset. The whole
range Of mountains seemed built OF
magical precious stones and ramparts
OF gold In the strange. vivid radiance.
The girl stood gazing out at 1t all;
not the dark line of the mountains,
but the sky and its glory. She loved
the sunset hour that had brought her
for weeks the only romance and joy
that had ever come into her life.
She had been born and bred in the
old lumber mill, child of wearied,
taciturn mountain folk. Only little
Tinkum had cheered her. Perhaps
her mother had caught a CLEAN Of
| some different world in the glory Of
the sunsets and had bequeathed hid.
! den heart longing to her daughter.
Nell never knew. Her mother still
worked on at the mill house, a
slender. stoop-shouldered, close-lipped
woman, with only her eyes to betray
her; great. lustrous. hungry eyes like
Nelrs; dark hazel like the mountain
brooks in shadow.
That night Nell told her mother,
showed her Ned's letters-manly, ten
der letters-showed her the ring and
asked what she should do. Mrs. Far
ley cried silently, and held her girl
close to her breast.
"Dearie, dearie. don't know" she
said. 81 only want you to be happy.
Burt Sims won't make you a good
husband. I saw him kick his horse,
even If you've got a chance to get
away. I mustn't hold you. Mountain
llfe's a living death for the women
folks, Nell. You'd better go, and Ill
help you"
"And what about father?"
Hell take 1t out on me, dearie,
and 1t won't burt you"
''T'll send for you and Tinkum, sure,
mother" Nell promised, pussionately.
II won't forget. but I'm going sure
tomorrow"
Ned had written to her he would
leave his engine at the first town
above the gap with another engineer,
her at the little wnyside station two
miles from the mill. Wrapped in her
mothers long cloak, Nell stole away
at sunset. And halfway down the
mountain she saw the smoke from
the burning bridge. Burt had kept
his word. He had set fire to the
trcstles. and 1t would be the last trip
Of Ned's train through the gap.
Nell sped down the rough road to
the tracks. then on to the bridge
The fire was eating away the sup
ports. but light footed as deer she
ran over it to the far side. half chok-
ing with tho smoke and heat, her
cloak held to her face.
And when the express whistle
sounded around the mountain curve,
she stood in the center of the track,
waving the old cloak above her head
to save Ned's life, and hundreds
more, from the death plunge down on
the rocks in the rapids under the
bridge.
Ned forgot the crowd as he held her
In his arms before them, and some
how the news of the elopement leaked
out. as Nell told her story. When
one of Ned's pals In the train crew
brought them hntful OF bills and
silver. Nell refused the gift blushing
IT didn't do it for anybody special
cepting Ned. don't want any money
please"
Its to start the honeymoon with
little girl" they told her, and Nell
knew the message OF the sunset to
her had been right. Freedom and
golden happiness lay in tho promise
Of its glory, beyond the rim of the