The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1920-06-26
THE RED
LIGHT
By OTILLIA F. PFEIFFER

devotion mad grown with the years
The Dwights lived three miles ava,
from Leesburg and 1t was quite hik'
| for Alan to traverse the Distance three
evenings week. but he made 1t fou
with an occasional daytime bour wheI
possible as he had acquired bicycle
The machine was not made for two
but Alan's natural Ingenuity suggested
a seat device that enabled Nellie t.
Join him in a merry ride once In {
while. Returning home at ten o'ciocl
evenings was. however, lonely task
The road was rutty and winding an(
Alan had suffered q number Of break
downs.
'Tve struck q new scheme. Nellie.
he announced one evening, when hi:
fiancee had expressed concern as tG
the dark and uncertain road after q
heavy rain. Tuesday / adopted q
new course"
"YesT" smiled Nellie inquiringly.
II took the railroad"
ooh, Alan" exclaimed the solicitous
Nellie, a quick pallor coming into her
face. "you frighten me. The danger
Nov don't go worrying, dear,
laughed her lover. Between the dou.
bic tracks is a six-foot cinder path az
level as a floor. The acetylene lamp
in front throws a ray fifty feet ahead
and the rear red lantern is so bright
1t shows a mile down the track"
Eyes. know, but there are the
curves"
II know them all and the time of the
trains" responded Alan lightly. Just
think-it cuts off a mile and a half
In distance and / am home and In bed
thirty minutes after I leave here"
swell. do be careful" pleaded Nellie.
and after that when she went to the
door to bid her lover good night she
would linger and watch the red light
twist In and out along the railroad I'M
til rise and a curve shut 1t out from
sight.
II have received a letter from q
friend in the city telling me he can
get me position where l can earn
double what / do in Leesburg." said
Alan little later.
"Oh. Alan. surely you wouldn't think
of going away from met" exclaimed
Nellie piteously.
"That Is right, wouldn't" replied
Alan quickly. II am glad you look
at 1t that way. OF course the new
position would mean that probably we
could get married in two years. where
as It will take four with my present
earnings to start us out In life. even
on a modest scale. It's worth the sac
rifice to be near you. though. dear. and
We will wait patiently"
Eyes, and you may do better right
here at home" said Nellie hopefully.
"a change in fortune may come when
you least expect It."
Which 1t did, and Alan Frisbie new
err thereafter forgot the night and the
event that made Of him hero In the
eyes Of the community and brought
him hero's reward.
1t was a misty night with occasion
nj dashes Of rain, and as he reached
the roadbed level Alan put ON full
speed. He had gone nearly third Of
the distance to the town when he
slowed up in excitement and dismay.
His light showed lying across the track
two freight cars half on. half off the
rails and jammed one into the other.
In an instant Alan reasoned out what
had happened. A wild freight had
gone east just as he left the Dwight
home. It had evidently swung loose
the two rear cars and had gone on
without missing them. There vas the
regular west passenger due in about |
thirty minutes. In five, Alan knew he
Gould reach the station at Leesburg
md report the menacing obstruction.
he drove ahead at full |
speed. turned curve and put on
brakes with wild thrill. The head |
light Of locomotive showed less than
I've hundred yards away. He COM
pretended that 1t must be an extra |
passenger. So abruptly had he stopped
he bicycle. that its wheel turned |
against the rail, the machine fell fat |
md he was thrown sideways down the
and into water and mud |
lp to his waist.
Alan was half stunned, but he caught
he echoes Of shrill whistle blast
The train had passed over his bicycle,
denolishing 1t. but 1t had
stopped before reaching the wreck.
lie could make that out. and when he
lad clambered up the side of the en-
'ankment he found himself in the
midst of crowd discussing the trag-
'dy they had escaped in time. saving
trainload of excursionists.
Alan presented sorry spectacle IN
IFS dripping garments, but a welcome
me when the train crew learned his
tory of the adventure of the hour.
I'VE caught sight of your red bicycle
amp ahead just in time" announced
he engineer. "Feared something was
wrong. reckon your bicycle is