News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1913-03-19

HX@V
~ Am Forty-Five," Said He coIdIy.
VIII take it to the others. Poor things,
they must be starving"
Il won't be long" objected the Wa
termSlon. You can't carry it alone"
Indeed, | cam" protested Billy.
The Watermelon laughed down at
her. "You couldn't get up the other
side of the crossing" he teased.
"a girl" said Billy sagely, sis lot
! more capable when she is alone than
when she is with a man."
! She took the ungainly bundle and
he watched her hurry away across the
| fields, slim and graceful, dainty and
sweet, while he was-a tramS! His
eyes darkened with pain and he threw
| one hand out after the small figure
in a gesture that was full of mingled
| longing and hopelessness.
BILLY, Billy" he whispered, then
turned from the thoughts which were
coming thick and fast and started
toward the distant field and the
| farmer.
The farmer listened with blunt stu
pidity, hot and tired and cross. Yes,
he would come for the car as soon as
, he could, but the hay had to be got
in first. 1t was late now. That train
whistle you could hear was the seven
o'clock express. His horses were tired,
too, but, of course, if he were paid,
why that made a difference He would
be around as soon as he could get his
load in. 1t was the last load, anyway.
The Watermelon turned and far in
the distance, echoing and re-echoing
through the hills, he heard again the
scream of the approaching train.
BILLY will be across the tracks by
this time" he thought. 81 will have
to wait for it to pass. Glad it amt
freight"
AS he approached the cut, he saw
the smoke of the train rising above
the bushes, an express, tearing it's way
through the evening calm like some
terrible passions soaring the SOUL The
Watermelon stepped to the edge of
the cut and glanced carelessly down
ward.
There was Billy on the track, strug-
Cling to free herself from the rail
which held one small foot. Around
the bend came the huge engine with
it's headlight already lit for the wild
night run.
The next two minutes were ever
after a blank to the Watermelon. He
was in the cut, beside the white-faced,
struggling girl almost simultaneously
with seeing her. AS he shot down the
bank, he felt for and drew his knife.
The engineer had seen them and the
engine screamed a warning, while the
emergency brakes shrieked as they
slipped, grinding on the rails. On his
knees, with one slash, the Watermelon
cut the lacings which, becoming knot
ted had held her a prisoner, then with
one and the same move he had re-
gained his feet and forced her fiat
against the bank, as the train whirled
by in a cloud of dust and cinders,
brakes grinding, wheels slipping,
whistle screaming, a white-faced engi-
neer leaning Mortified from the cab
window.
Trembling violently, Billy chung sob
bling to the Watermelon, her face hid
den in his breast The Watermelon
crushed her to him as if he would
never let go, his arms Tightening with
the agony of remembrance. He was
trembling as much as she from the
horror of that terrible moment. His
head rested on her hair and he talked,
poured out his love in rush of mis-
cry and thankfulness. Words tumbled
over themselves and were repeated
again and again, in phrases hot from
his lips came all his pent-up longing
for the girl
Sweetheart, sweetheart" he wills.
pered with white lips as Billy still
sobbed. Darling. hush. Dear heart.
my love, my Billy"
After a time her sobs stopped and
she raised her face. The Watermelon
bent his head and they kissed frankly
with the simplicity of perfect under |
standing, perfect love. For a moment
they chung together, still, then Billy
was the first to rally.
"We've got to CO." said she, her
hands raised to her tumbled hair as
she tried her best to laugh.
The watermelon caught her hands |
and forced them down, drinking her |
in with hungry eyes. Then he bent |
his head and buried his face for a mo-