ASSISTED BY A TORNADO.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11502, 7 February 1903, Page 5

ASSISTED BY A TORNADO.

Bt M. L. Towsot. - "I do ;not understand it in tlie least, Rohm!" said Mtra Mackay. When Louise Mackay colled him by. Ida full name in that tone of voice, Bob " " ray usually backed down o£ once. But. this time he felt amply supported by the facts in the case, 'Tm sony, Louise," lie said with op* jvirent distress. • "Of course if" I had known yo« were upon this especial Santo Fo train nothing would have-induced me to get on at the last station. Just because my business demands that I should reach Chicago instantly would not have counted in the least, and I should cheerfully have .".waited over a day in that charming Kansas village—the hottest, most glaringly desolate spot of .paralysed nothingness I ever struck." By this time Miss Mackay was repenting her attack on him. She ielt she could easily be accused of taking too much foe granted. The beautiful face beneath the severe travelling hat flushed. She even managed a emile. * "Don't be absurd, Rob," she said politely. "But of course—your suddenly appearing out of nowhere—and in a situation where I couldn't escape you—and after I had told you " Mr Murray with one motion picked tip hie travelling bag and moved into the vacant seat beside the girl. "You didn't think for a minute, .did you," he began calmly, "that because you refused to marry me when I asked you a month ago in 'Frisco, adding the kindly afterthought that I was to stop bothering you and keep out of your sight unless Bent for, that I was going to spend the seat of my life skulking in the tall timber dogging you? Just because you think you don't care for me is no——" She drew herself up stiffly. "There was nothing haphazard about my decision," she said coldly. "I ant quite sure I don't like yon well enough to many you. As you won't be just friends, there was no course open to me but to oak' you ,'• -i to stay away." I She sighed m she looked at him, for Bob Murray was a well favoured, manly fellow. Then she turned her head sharply and gazed out on the everlasting prairies with their scorched crops drooping in the i s, heat. "As I was saying," went on Mr Murraj , imperturbably, "your whimsical idea that j we were not made for each other in nowise ' interferes with my intention of showing you where you err." The shoulder nearest him shrugged expressively, the visible ear turned wrathily pink. Mr Murray grinned, then grew sen-, ous. It is no laughing matter when the girl of your heart tells you point-blank you I are mistaken as to the state of her emotions. ' | What new line of attack 'he opened his - mouth to make no one ever knew, for of a sudden the hum and bump of the caY, and the silence of (the weary passengers, ' was broken by a scurry and rush towards i the rear door. I With one accord Murray and Miss Mac* kay alsofjumped to their feet. The cause of the excitement needed no explanatory words. , . Coming after them, exactly' down tlhe track, whirling, lifting, dipping, wee a j black funnel-shaped 'cloud. 16 wat ntilM * away, but nearing rapidly. With what looked like diabolical cunning it persistently kept to the track. There was one instant of horrified idle-toe, - and then the passengers went crazy for a ■ few minutes. Like penned rats in a trap they fought for doors and windows, but conductor end ■ brake-nan locked the exits, and the epeed of the train effectually discouraged the window route The engineer had seen the danger, and opened the throttle wide; fch> train ; whirled and- bumped over the ties with much the same motion as the death deal* i!., > ing black cloud chasing it, - r After the first shock Murray instinctively j v drew closer to the girl. Her face had J ' turned quite white, her lipa were tightly. v , pressed together. • . Amid the screaming, frantic women, aha stood seemingly dazed, storing .with fasoi* . f nated eyes at tlie' whirling demon in their } wake.- If it caught them, it meant .';• nothing less. ' Every, ounce of steam.' ira*' \ on, yet their pace seemed agonisingly _do«r» The cloud was gaining op them. "' ~' - With a quick impulse Murray, crushed. both her limp hands in his own,'"and eh*. burned frightened eyes to' his compalling > *- ones. There was a certain solemnity about . , his face which was new.and imprewive. "Louise 1" He spoke Jow and fast. In' i the confusion nobody paid, the - 'slightest f attention to theih; .they v 'could not.S»ave~_. been any more alone had they stood in tt» middle of the grey desert far back on the'" Santa Fo line or on one of the lonely mountain peaks long since passed. Hie situation had become iwtansly primeval. There was but'a mani a woman/ ' and ttoe warring element* of the ,oir. \ ■ "Louise," he raid, "be honest 'with, me, ' ] now—it can't matter much one-way or' "\;. the other—for by the looks of things there ri ' v i| aren't many more minutes left,for either j■; of us—but tell me, dear, boMetly—-don't you really care .for me? Didn't-you In- U-J tend to tell me yea f-ua_ly—*iWr'you had, l{' humbled me sufficiently?" ( . . I;'' As this was a most accurate guess ■ afc 1 ( Miss Mackay's intention, though she.had V.-,--never admitted it even to herself, she turn- r ed instantly angry at being discorered. J"of "'" a second she forgot the cyclone, and-her |, eyes fldi/hed as she wrec-hed' away her "', , hands. I "You are conceited and—end 'impertinent!" she gasped, keeping, her balattcej with difficulty in the swaying car.' "Hoir dart you a&ume I love you?*' ~ ■'~ t . "I don't assume!" flashed .back Mr/Mtpv 1. ray sternly. "I know it I But you are too 1 1 proud to give in 1 And" now—and -Boia| * you'll never have the chancel" ' '

With a start the girl looked ouf atttwi rear door again, recalled to their danger* -. and the sight she saw sent her t.b-iadlv groping for shelter, her superb nerve at last '.- shattered. ' ' ; v As Mnrrny put both alms afound her' and shut her eyes against his shoulder, ' > t there was both desperation end victory in 1" his expression. * - * ' , For the ugly roar of the-Thing pursuing them 'was drowning out all other sounds; the whole world outside the'rocking, tbjoto.. _ bing train had grown dim' and black. "Tell me," be whispered to her commandingly. Her trembling hand crept round his necli-" "Oh, yes, yen\" _&c sobbed. "I was wicked—wby*—why didn't I tell you before? And now "

"Don't look!" Murray cried sharply as she raised her head. He shut his own eyee and waited .'the bare instant for the end of all things. There was the sudden silence of utter te£Tor in the reeling car full of doomed human beings. But nothing happened, absolutely noth- , ing. "When Murray opened his eyes again wonderingly, the whirling cloud waa #me. At a rise in the track it had leaped, swerved, and token a sharp tangent, aban-, - doning the prey just in its clutch and roof*' ing its wav south across the open country. The engine stopped the next minutest the little station of Honey Creek, end omw and passengers staggered'out into the open t air with dazed, white faces. Murray and Louise MacVay stood watch* ing the disappearance of the cyclone,'in tlie distance. ' Then he looked at her, and - as he remembered, and marvelled at 1 hi. happiness, she turned towards 'hint a face , on which there was a mingling of tnaau» .' lous thankfulness, exasperation, and helpless surrender. . ..-: j '1 believe." she said, half laughing, fc*U j crying, as their hands met, "I believt^Bo*, . bert, the whole affair was a sham you arranged on purpose, 'and pressed a button or something when you were done with jt|" ; "Of course!" agreed the impWtaiWM*, . Murray.