Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-07-19

Helen Dropped to the Top of the
Local.
smoke OF the local. now fast approach.
ing.
Seagrue asked Helen what she
meant to do. She had decided and
told him her plan. He protested. say
ing she must not attempt what she
proposed. You will only get killed"
he insisted. land do nobody any good"
No." she replied, Il can do 1t and
I'm going TO. know that train can
be saved and I'm going to save it.
IT'S all right to try anything you'd
have any chance Of succeeding in,
but you'd only be going to your death.
! tell YOU" he persist I'd.
Unwilling TO waste more time. Helen
tried to open the car door to get out.
Seagrue caught her arm: You shan't
goi" he declared.
Il will CO. she cried.
Before he could restrain her, she
jumped out of the car and running
swiftly to the edge of the bridge
caught hold Of It, The next moment
the local dashed through below and
Helen jumped to the top of the box
car underfoot.
Scrambling up from the deck she
rain TO the end. hurried down the side
ladder and getting between the two
cars, she cut of the air and pulled the
pin.
The train torn abruptly in two. sep
arated, the head end Jerking on toward
the Junction crossing, just ahead
while the hind end slowed down. Mum
Der Eight had already whistled for the
junction and as the front end of the
parted local dashed over the frogs. the
heavy passenger train swept swiftly
across almost at right angles TO IL,
Fast AS it went. its observation car
barely cleared the hind end of the
local as this followed over the cross
ing in pursuit of its severed head.
The local engineer, looking back,
saw what had happened and applied
the air. AS he slowed down. the pas
sengers now awoke to what had hap.
pened, turned out of the coaches and
ran forward. Helen fell falnting from
the side ladder; she lay unconscious
on the ground as the passengers
crowded up: -.passs s1sss,E Sc
Seagrue, who had followed to the
Junction In his car. ran toward Helen,
but as he approached. an arm shot
out before him as a barrier. George
Storm whirled him half way around
and himself kneeling. lifted Helen
from the ground.
Dazed by her fall and opening her
eyes slowly on her surroundings
Helen-whiIe Storm anxiously asked
IL she was hurt and reproached her for
leaving him-gradually pulled her
senses together.
Take me away. George" she muir.
INJURED family. Who are all these
people? What has happened?"
At Storms elbow. while he tenderly
cared for and redcu5ied his efforts to
revive Helen. stood Spike. like a
watchdog. He kept the circle of pas
sengers from crowding in and when
Seagrue again attempted to interfere.
Spike escorted him over to his ma
chine and invited him In such I'M
mistakable terms to continue his jour.
ney that Seagrue thought best not to
rouse Spikes anger further.
Returning hurriedly to the focus o.
interest about Helen. Spike continued
to push the passengers back. When
Helen spoke TO Storm again. as she
soon did. she was able to rise to her
feet and those passengers who re
fused to leave the young couple to
themselves were hustled away by
Spike to give privacy to the little
scene being enacted between Helen
and Storm in the foreground.
Il am desperately sorry, Helen.
forgot myself this morning." George
was saying to his offended sweetheart.
Il know | ought not to have given
way. but when that fellow spoke to
me as he did--after all his meanness
Il felt as IL nothing but a good beat
ing-up would do him justice. / forgot
you in 1t. Helen-that's all. Can you
forgive me?"
She looked up into his eyes. Wheth-
err be found forgiveness there or not,
he could detect nothing Of anger:
Take me home. George" she said
I'm awfully bruised up.
You've nothing on me at that.
laughed Storm. He slipped his hand
into the pocket of his waistcoat> and
drew out her ring. Before we start.
Helen, I'D better put this back where
it belongs" Taking her unresisting
finger into his own, he slipped the en-
ring over It again.
q tTo BE coNTIyUED4 =