Charlevoix county herald., 1916-06-23

scene. Her father, his friend Rhine.
lander, young Seagrue, the Signal sta
tion operator, the tug captain and the
train passengers crowded the observa'
-tion platform looking at her and the
shaken-up fireman.
The flagman could hardly raise the
step cover quick enough to release
Holmes so that he might get down to
his daughter. He knew all-the oper'
ator had told the story. He caught
his daughter in his arms with a show.
er Of misty reproaches. What" he
cried. "Have you lost your mindl
Are you mad?" Helen's eyes fell be
fore her fathers anger. She was a
dutiful girl. Don't you know what
danger is? Have you no sense OF
fear?" he stormed. She raised her
eyes and paused an instant; then she
asked, shyly: 'Where was l to get it,
father"-she looked queerly up at him
from your"
"Gammon" he clustered, edging
away from the subject, beaten. who's
this boy?" he demanded, pointing tc
the grimed and disfigured fireman
whats your name?"
storm, General Holmes-George
Storm. fireman." responded the boy.
unmoved.
What were you sticking like
leech to a runaway engine for-why
didn't you go back with the rest OF
the crew." demanded the head of the
road severely.
Storm met the assault calmly. 81
thought I might be able to get the
air pump going" he countered.
did you do it?" asked Holmes, with
sarcasm.
"I'd have done it If I'd had time,'
persisted the somewhat dismantled
fireman. Il guess" he added calmly,
looking back at the mess of cars, u
needed a couple of days more"
"No matter, Storm" declared
Holmes, secretly pleased. you're all
right"
II should think as much,' cried
Helen, breaking through her reserve,
"If you had many men like that!"
Amos Rhinelander took the scene
in with an abundance of satisfied hui
NOR. He was big, wholesome feL
low. Beside him stood Seagrue, 81
lent and observant. Both before and
after her father introduced him, he
scrutinized Helen a long time With
his introduction, he ventured some
thing of ompliment-tried as II
were, for moment, to take the stage
and seemed to await confidently an
appreciation of his remark.
But Helen, whether confused by her
muchwilted plight, or engrossed by
the recollection of her adventure,
could hardly notice his effort to be
agreeable. Storm had started back to
his engine. Her father was helping
his daughter back to the observation
platform. From it Helen looked stead.
lily back at Storm, now standing down
the track in the midst of the wreck
age. The passenger engine sounded
four sharp blasts to call in the flag
man. Storm looked around; the pas
senger train was moving ahead. He
saw in the group on the rear platform
one figure-that of slender girl in
wet jockey costume, a smile lighting
her face as she looked toward him.
She was lifting her hand in a good-by.
He started, touched his hand to his
bruised forehead and waved back her
greeting. Beside Helen stood Sea-
grue. He did not seem pleased with
her attitude and dropped an ironical
remark in her ear. This one she
quite plainly heard and understood:
VERY gratifying" he smiled, ito find
a presidents daughter so very clever.
And" he added softly, "she seems to
take a real interest in engine menl"
Helen looked deliberately around at
him-but whatever may have been her
thought. she made no reply.
fTn nm CONTINIrEnN