Year: 1865

ASN


but just as he was preparing to mount the
stairs again. Dick, with joyful cry, burst
out of David's room, exclaiming that he
had found the cash-box Even then, Mr.
Kulp was half inclined TO stay at all risk
and have his revenge, for his hand hurt him
terribly but Dick hurried down stairs with
the box under his arm, and Mr.. kulp's GU
pidity rendering him fearful that unless he
quickly followed he might perhaps never
see Dick or the box again he postponed the
consideration Of his revenge till a future
period, and hurried after his friend, threat
ening Madgc with what he would do to her
if she stirred out of the loft, OF made any
alarm, for full hour at least


"Madges ruse had succeeded. Deceived
by the weight of the box, they had hurried
away without opening it, thinking that it
contained the money of which they were in
search, whereas it held only the bag of sill
yer and copper placed there purposely by
Madge. But Madge knew that the respite
was only short one they would not go
far before breaking open the box, and on
discovering the deception they would hur-
ry back, and woe be to her if they found
her there when they returned


She would go out Of the house at any
risk and try to make her escape across the
fields She lowered the ladder, and after
feeling that the money was still safe in the
bosom of her dress, got down as quickly
as possible, and so groped her way down
stairs, and through the house to the plat
form. In few minutes more the night
mail would be due but alas it did not
stop at Birkwood nor even slackened speed,
but rushed past in complete Indifference to
the existence Of any such insignificant spot


An excellent thought She would turn
on the red light at the signal, and stop the
train. Under the circumstances she felt
| herself justified i'll doing this. Perhaps the
| train with its living freight would come up
in time TO save her from the two miscreants,
who would certainly he back in a few min
utes more. The hope was a faint one, but
she could not afford to throw it away. To
reach the semaphore, it was necessary that
she should traverse the platform to that end
| of it nearest the road taken by the twomen
on leaving the station, although her first
intention had been to try to make her es-
| cape by hurrying away in the opposite di-
rection There was however. no time to
hesitate the risk must be run at once, if
at all So she sped as fast as she could to
the end of the platform, and seizing the iron
handle Of the immense signal-post, gave it
| the necessary turn, which changed the glass
in front of the lantern at its summit, and
displayed the red light in place of the white
one. She had just turned to hasten back
along the platform, when Kulp and Cara
dus, leaping over hedge about twenty
yards away, came suddenly upon her, and
loud cry from one Of them proclaimed that
she was seen.


I'm their hurry to get back to the sta
ton, after discovering the trick that had
been played them, they had cut off the an
gle of the road by coming across a field,
and were consequently unseen ,by Madge
till they were close upon her. Madge was
like wounded animal brought to bay to
fee was useless, she would have been
caught before she had run twenty yards
resistance was equally out Of the question:
what resistance, in fact could girl like
her offer to the will of two desperate ruff
fans There seemed nothing left for her
but to lie down in dumb despair, and pray
that her misery might be as short as pos
sib e. As she stood thus, her fine and prac-
ticed ear caught the first faint sound of the
approaching train-only five minutes more,
and she would have been saved


She was still standing close to the SEM
aphore. On the instant she turned, and
despite the impediment of her dress. ran
quickly up the iron ladder-up, up to the
very top, till she sank exhausted on the
little grating fixed close under the lamps
for the convenience of lighting and clean
ing them. Mr.. Kulp laughed loud and long


"'What' precious fool the wench must
be- he said with an oath, to go and fix
herself in a trap like that Now l shall
have her as safe as possum in a gum-tree
have her money and her life BOTH or my
name is not Jared Kulp ?


"' Perhaps, after all, she hasn't got the
money about her. said Dick, it may be
hidden IN the old mans room--under the
bed, or in the chimney, or somewhere


cay, ay, lad-do you think SOP said
Kulp, eagerly. Then you just go, and
have a hunt about and I'll wait here atthe
bottom of the ladder till you come back to
see that my lady doesn't escape Only
don't be a month away


"' Never fear answered Dick, and hur-
ried off into the house,


Neither of the men had yet heard the
noise of the advancing train, for the wind
was in the opposite direction but Madge
heard it coming nearer and nearer, but so
slowly, as it seemed to her hnngering ears,
that her heart within her grew sick with
fear that it would not arrive in time to
save her. No sooner had Dick disappeared
than Mr. Kulp drew a formidable bowie
knife from some hidden pocket and having
unsheathed it, seized the black haft between
his teeth, and prepared to ascend the lad
der <; he had evidently determined not to
await the return of Dick, but to accom-
plish his revenge while his companion was
away. He had made but two steps up
ward when all at once his ear caught the
shrill whistle of the approaching train, and
he knew that his work must be done quick
ly, or else left undone forever,


"The red signal had been aeen,


'Madge, crouching on the little iron gra-
ting under the lamps, and kept from falling
by the rail running round it, had not been
idle all this time


"A day or two previously the semaphore
ladder had been removed for repairs, and
an old one temporary substituted in its
place, fastened with stout rope at the top
to keep it firm. Madge's nimble fingers
were busy with the knots before Kulp be-
gan To ascend but the rope was thick, and
l,t