Ruth Fielding of the Red Mill; Or, Jasper Parloe's Secret

hem forward. Something had happened up front of more importance than an ordinary halt for permission to run in on the next block. Besides, the afte

f the rear brakeman (whom she knew was called the

mile, Miss,

way of speaking, en

l me why we

I have set out my signal lamp a

hat a goodly company was moving forward, and that there were ladies among the curious crowd. If it was perfectly safe for them to sat

undred people grouped on the track ahead of the locomotive pilot. The great, unblinking, white eye of the huge machine

nks, evidently having waded through the mire of the wet meadow beside the tracks. He had come under, or through

both the train men and the passengers were excitedly discussing what his p

d no terrors for her. He seemed so woebegone, his great brown ey

he anxious conductor. "I wager this is som

ilver plate on his collar so that she could read, in the light of th

no, Tom Came

lives just outside of Cheslow. His father is the rich dry

tied to his collar?" p

," stormed the conductor. "I'll ha

f twisted cloth-a strip of linen-part of a white handkerchief. Her

nt as well as fear. "See! What can it

d smeared across the rag i

EL

brakemen. "The little girl's right

red, sir," cried Ruth, her voic

ry if anybody is hurt, but we cannot stop for him. Get back to the cars, please

ot leave the poor do

r-no!" exclaimed the conductor. "He

wire from the dog's collar;

he is, we cannot send him help from here. We'll report the circumstance at the Cheslow Station. Put the dog in t

iss," added the conductor to Ruth.

Ruth commanded. "Co

after her, stopped, looked around and across

noble fellow's neck. "Come, Reno," she said "Come

neck. He trotted meekly beside her with head hanging. At

d, and the great mastiff, crouching

enough, indeed! But the engineer dared not speed up much for that last

low; don't you Miss?

ion upon her old-fashioned cowhide trunk that had already been

g in the last car. H

small bag.

o you," he said, not un

ff lying on the floor of the baggage car beside her, when the train slowed down and stopped bes