Year: 1877


tie telegraph office and dropped into
the chair before the clicking instru
ment. Glancing at the clock above
her head, she noticed that it was al
most time for her to close the office for
the night, and seek her humble hume
at the foot of one of the darkened
streets Of the village. The rumbing
Of the train which had just left the sta
ton was growing fainter and fainter,
and the girl listened to it as though it
was the voice Of p friend who was leav-
ing her for long time.


She did not expect any more mes
sages that night; the engine breathing
heavily from its great iron lungs on
the track near her window would not
move until the night express had pass
ed up, and the engineer, knowing this,
had sought his sweetheart, who lived
in the village


Tom Gray, the engineer Of the train
just departing, was Drucie's lover, and
his intimate friends knew when the
wedding was to take place He had
not known her long, but that did not
matter, since he was true fellow,w Tho
loved her with all his heart, and with
all hers she loved Tom.


The rumble Of the train at length
died away, and Drucie was about to
shut off the current and leave the of.
flee when message began to fall upon
her ears.


She started, for the first word drove
the color from her cheeks, and stand
ing over the instrument she heard this
message:


'Nln,bsr ten s,oitch at Colby till n,m,
ber sic passes SIR Just startingP


"Six just starting My God ! They
will meet /" cried the beautiful opera
tor, starting from the table, "What
can l do to save him--them ?"


And with her eyes staring at the
clock, she stood in the center of the
room, thinking of the two trains ap-
preaching each other through the mist
that almost hid the moon.


The real situation, enough to blanch
a young girls cheeks, was most appal-
ling.


The order for the train which had
but Just left Fletcher to switch at
Colby could not be obeyed now. The
telegraph, even, could not stop it, for
there was no night Office at Colby. 1t
was an unusual matter for number six
to leave Fort Wayne before the arri-
val Of number ten but as the latter
train was some minutes behind time on
that particular night, six, anxious to
leave on time, to save its connections,
telegraphed to Fletcher the mes
sage which had so startled Drucie
Miller. From Fletcher to a point four
miles below Colby the Company had
completed double track, which, when
finished to Fort Wayne, would obviate
the trouble Of switching and prevent
trouble.


When Drucie recovered her self pos
session she started from the office with
the message in her hand. It had ar.
rived just two minutes too late, and
Tom Gray, unconscious Of its existence
was driving his engine ahead and
thinking of the girl he had lately kiss
ed adieu. He knew that it was kaown
/ in Fort Wayne that he was unsvo;da
bly, behind time, and thought that &C
cording to custom the express, waiting
there, would not move out until he ar
rived.


But let US return to Drucie Miller


She saw the freight engine standing
on the new track already mentioned
and caught a glimpse of the young fire
man asleep on his box.


"A determined resolution entered heI
head, and the next moment she was in
the engine cab with her hand on the
boys shoulder.


"That you, Miss Drucie2 ?" said the
boy, rousiDg himself with a yawn.
Laws mercy"


"Get out and unoouple the freight! |!
she cried. Toms moved out, and i
he doesn't switch at Colby everybody
will be killed. We must catch him ?


The boy with a cry of horror left the
engine, and a minute later the freight
cars were standing IDLY on the track
while the engine and its tender were
moving out, gaining momentum ateaef
revolution Of the wheel


"What'll Dick say when he comes
back and finds his engine gone p sale
the boy, looking up into Drucie's face


"What DO we care what he says
What is Dick to tho precious lives OF
the two trains? jim, how fast cal
your engine travel p


about two miles a minute! !" tn
boy answered with a smile. "She's tn
swifest bird on the road But don
think We can catch No. 10; We nigh
if we had Dick with MS. He know
how IN manape the BELLE"