Year: 1873

of voices that were evidently meant TO
be low and guarded. There were other
sounds mingled with the voices, and Ka.
tie could not make out more than word
or so here and there, but there was some
thing about it all that startled and fright
ened her. AZ first she was half inclined
to turn and make her way back to Aunt
Betsey's that seemed foolish, and Katie
was really outrageous little soul. She
hid her lantern under her shawl, how
ever, and stepped very lightly and swift
ly forward, trying to remember if there
were not rock or hollow where she
would be as safe from men as she had
been from the passing train. She did
not think of or find any such place, and,
after all, the persons whose voices troub-
led her were not in the cut, nor were
they coming to meet her. She was very
nearly through, herself, before she could
but, as she paused in the deep shadows of
the rocks and peered timidly out toward
the low, dull and mufiled sounds, with
which tho voices were no longer mingled,
a broad, quick CLEAN, as from lantern,
suddenly shaded or extinguished, shot
across the track not many yards below,
and then all was darkness and silence.


But that one moment of illumination
had revealed extraordinary things to the
keen, excited vision of Katie Crownin-
shield.


There were men, three or four, she
conld not say just how many, but rough,
fierce, wild and anxious looking, and be-
fore them, on the railroad track, from
which the rails had been pried away just
there, was confused heap of heavy gran
itc powders and fragments. Katie un-
derstood it as clearly as if those men had
taken her into their confidence, and had
told her in words.


1t was plot to wreck the train


No matter why-whcthor for revenge,
or plumber or in the utter .malignity of
lost souls-katie never so much as paus-
ed to ask herselfa question, but turned
and ran back through the cut as for life
and death, for both were with her, side
by side, and hurryng step Cor step. She
had 10 thought or dread that the wreck
ers had seen hor, or would follow. Nei-
ther was it at all likely but Katie's
brain was too full of her purpose to ad
NIT thought of self, and she held out her
lantern icarlcssly enough now, that she
might DC doubly sure Of her footing on
the ties and gravel.


And now she was out in the open air,
beyond the upper entrance, and she could
see the peaceful light still shining peace
fully from aunt Betsey's window. But
there was no time to go there for help.


The train must be so very near


Katie for moment did think of kind
ling bright fire on the track, but that
would take too long before even small
fagot could be ablaze.


There's nothing but my own little
lantern" sobbed poor Katie. "May be
he will know it when he sees it, but he
must be warned before he reaches the
cut"


The lantern shono like frosty little
star, determined to be seen, as Katie
sprang forward up the track. She had
not far to go, for the train was ahead of
time that night instead of being behind,
rs would have been more desirable under
the circumstances. Never had anything
appeared more suddenly to Katie Crown
inshicld than did the great glaring eye Of
the locomotive head light that now glow
ed upon her out of the overshadowing
night, and her lantern seemed to have
instantaneously vanished.


1t is 50 small" she cried, in agony,
land he will never see it,"


Nevertheless, on a low mound Of earth
and stones, close by the side Of the track,
Katie took her post Of charity and dan
ger, and swung her little lantern frantic
| ally to and fro, while she tried to make
her sweet girl voice heard through the
roar and clamor of the rushing train.


On came the railway giant, tugging
with him his precious freight of human
life, and it flashed upon Katie Crownin-
shields mind what an awful capacity for
suffering that train might have on board.
On with the great glare and the all-ab-
sorbing torrent of sound, and almost be-
fore Katie knew it, the object of her hope
and fear had dashed ruthlossly past her,
and was quickly swallowed up from her
sight in the rocky jaws of the deep cut.
With cry Of disappointment and grief
on her lips, and a strange thrill of pain ut
her heart, the poor girl sank upon the
ground and buried her face in her hands,
while the little lantern dropped neglect
edly beside her.


Only for one brief instant, however,
did Katie yield to the terror and the
trouble Of it, for in another she picked
up her starry friend, sprang to her feet,
and darted down the railroad track to-
ward the cut. She was light of foot us
any fawn, and there were sad wings to
her speed, but it seemed to her as if she
should never get through the cut. She
paused q moment when the lower end
was reached, to gather breath and brush |
the salt mist from her eyes before she
looked upon the awful scene she knew
she must be prepared to meet.


And then-why, there was the train,
the rear car rising close in front of her
while the others (and there were but few
of them that night stood all erect upon
their wheels beyond-not all upon the
track to be sure, but all apparently safe
all except one great, dark mass, whose
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