Wicked No. 7 [pp. 505-523]

~884.] WWKED No. 7. 519
saw that the hungry flames needed more fueL "Oh! let me
shovel in the coal," exclaimed Helen. "Exercise will keep ~e
warm." And with this she took the shovel out of his hand an4
performed her work as fireman very well indeed, considering
that she was not Dick Barnes. But Helen, like her twin sister,
was strong and healthy; she had been brought up to do some
thing better?han read dime novels and pore over the fashionplates in the illustrated papers. She had been born in Iowa
of Kentucky parents-Kentucky, the land of tall and graceful
maidens-and no wonder that Shippen made big eyes at her and
finally ejaculated: "By Jingo! If you'll take me to church
this Christmas morning I'll go with you; for if we arrive on
time`twill be thanks to you, my new fireman." Then to himself
he said: "What a magnificent figure she has! As supple as a
piece of hickory and as straight as an arrow."
And Des Moines was reached on time to the minute. But
Dick Barnes did not make his appearance; nor had the conductor nor any of the brakemen seen him; and now it occurred
to Shippen that perhaps his friend had fallen off the engine, and
he loudly blamed himself for not having suspected this before.
His eyes filled with tears, and Helen, too, felt very sad.
"Well, I'll immediately telegraph to Casey," said Shippen,
"and I'll leave no stone unturned to find his body. Poor Dick!
Although he was sometimes very scary, he was a tip-top fellow;
swore a little, but never drank, and knew every hymn in the
book."
"Well, I'm acquainted with every one for miles around
Casey," said Helen, "and I'll get a hundred farmers to search
for him"
Accordingly, having taken his locomotive into the engineyard and given her in charge of another fireman, Shippen and
Helen hastened to the telegraph office, which was near by in the
railway depot But scarcely had they reached it when a deafening sound was heard; the whole building shook as if in an earth.
quake; and presently word was brought that engine No. 7-the
big engine-had exploded! "And not the smallest piece of her
can be found," gasped a frightened employee, who had had a
most miraculous escape-" not the smallest piece of her; she
has vanished into the air like a spirit!` At this startling announcement Helen made the sign of the cross, while Ship pen's
hand trembled as he rested it on her arm.
True to his promise, after a brief but rigid examination before
the superintendent, who acquitted him of any carelessness with