Year: 1879

Oh 4pAd . bulead iitS tAs pIotoSidpHlc
sembIance of his face.
Thus the acquaintance at the station.
during the Fed Birds trial over the new
road, had I5pened into love, and two
midnight shrieks told her he was safe
and driving his engine towards the river
metropolis.


She sat at the window oftentimes. with
the lamp on the sill, and often fancied
she could see him leaning from his en-
CINE, with his eyes fixed, 10 catch a
glimpse Of her. but the train would be
swallowed up in the woods again.


This life was excitement and Joy to
Viola; but it was passing away. The
time was coming when Ed. Gordon
would leave the road and accept the su-
perintendency Of the eompany's car
shops.


But let NE return to the October night
when Viola left her home to investigate
the sounds that seemed to come from
Gynne's Cat.


She felt that distractions were being
placed on the track il the dismal place


OF late the company had incurred the
hatred of several persons residing in the
vicinity of the station. and once or twice
the track had been tampered with, but
fortunately to no serious extent.


The night express generally went
through the cut with undiminished
speed, for no obstruction had been en-
countered there, though the cattle guard
in the center would assist the evil dis
posed.


Viola at last reached the cut, into
which the mellow moonbeaps fell, and
paused Something high and dark OBJ
structed the track before her, at the very
spot where the cattle guard seemed to be
and she held her breath. It was u
o'clock when she left the house, and her
walk had occupied a number of precious
minutes. The shrieks of the Red Bird
would soon be heard, and q moment
thereafter its headlight would fash into
the cut or gorge. She saw more than n
pile of strong ties on the track. She
saw the dark figure of q man moving
about the pyramids, as if contemplating
his nights work and speculating upon
the death and ruin it would cause. She
watched until she believed that one man
had accomplished the diabolical deed,
then she crept forward through the
shadow of the bushes that lined the
sides Of the cut, until she stood within
ten feet of him.


'I'Il go back to the station, now" she
heard him say to himself. ] can get
there before the accident, and when it
occurs, why L can run up here and see
him under the ruins Of his engine, so
crushed that the doll faced girl of his
viii not recognize him."


4 cruel laugh rippled over his lips as
he stepped back from the heap of ties,
several Of which he had forced into the
guard, where they were wedged like
posts of iron. He enjoyed his own
words, and viewed the work of his mad
hands.


"I'I crush the Red Bird, he said turn
ing away, and put him out my path for
ever -


The last words, full of devils triumph,
still quivered on his lips, when Viola
stepped from the shadows and thrust the
muzzlo of her revolver in his face.


He started back with a cry of horror
and uttered her name.


This is your revenge, Morgan Duke,
said she, looking stornly into her eyes.
Now obey nay commands, or there will
be a lifeless body on this track, to be
mingled among the ruins of the night
EXPRESS. To work at once; off with your
coat, and remove every obstruction your
wicked hands have placed here"


"The train can't be saved now, he
said, and there was joy in his tones. It
took me one long hour to obstruct tie
guard. In twenty minutes or less per-
haps, you'll see the Red Birds headlight
up the cut.


"Yillain she cried, if this track is
not clear when I see her headlight I'll
drive bullet through your brain. You
know what to DO. I'll talk 10 longer.


Covered by her revolver as he was,
Morgan Duke, the station-master dofed
his coat and went to work.


Viola never took her eyes from him,
and the silvery moon that rested over the
cut showed his every movement. He
was on the pile of ties, hurling them one
by one, with the strength of modern
Sampson, upon the not cver-wide grade
He worked for dear life, for he knew
when the laundering train was due, that
she would surely kill him if he did not
DO her bidding.


Once she said to him as he paused for
breath, before attacking the ties which
he had driven into the cattle-guard:


Il never thought this OF you Morgan
Duke. When [ rejected you l thought
you would bear it like man."


He replied not, but glanced at his
watch.


"Half-past u, he said.


'To work was the stern command,
and Viola stepped forward and brought
the revolver nearer his head.


81 can't get them out, he said.


You must, was the reply.


''I drove them in with a sledge."


The girls face grew paler than ever,
and she glanced fearfully up the cut.


''Take them out she said suddenly:
the train is coming. l hear il.


The yillainous station master heard
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