he track, but she could not. Her limbs were numb, and refused to
obey her will.

A wild laugh rang out on the moonlit air.

Madge Scarlet sprang up and glared through the bushes at her victim
with maniacal delight.

"Ha' ha! You cannot escape! Them pretty limbs'll be crushed and torn
asunder! the white flesh cut and gashed, and that delicate body made a
horrid mass of blood and mangled fragments! THEN I will present them
to you, Dyke Darrel. Ho! ho!"

Her voice was raised to a high pitch now, and even reached the ears of
the startled Nell.

No help, no hope!

On thundered the iron monster.

On and on till the eye of the engineer catches sight of something on
the track--SOMETHING!

Quickly the engine is reversed and the air brakes come into play.

Too late!

A moan of agonized terror falls from the lips of the half dead girl,
and then she sank helplessly to the ground. At the same instant help
came from an unexpected source.

A man dashed swiftly through the moonlight and flung a heavy oak tie
in front of the slackened engine.

A rumble and a jar, and then the train came to a dead stop, within
three feet of the prostrate girl!

It was a narrow escape.

The man who had come so unexpectedly out of the shadows dragged Nell
from her dangerous position. The engineer and fireman came down and
congratulated the young man on his presence.

"The brakes couldn't quite do it," said the engineer. "That tie saved
the girl, with no damage to the train."

"It seems to be a lucky accident all round," said the young man, who
had laid Nell on a safe spot, and now turned his attention to
assisting in removing the obstruction from the rails.

"Yes. Who is she?"

"I can't say."

"Well, I must be on the way," uttered the engineer, "we are behind
time now."

By this time the conductor was on the ground, but the train was
running again, and he received a full explanation from the engineer
afterward.

When the young man made a closer inspection of the girl he had
rescued, a cry of surprise fell from his lips.

"As I live, it is Nell Darrel!"

But she could not speak to thank him for his act, since she had
fainted.

Lifting her tenderly the young man turned his steps in the direction
of the farm-house, where he had been stopping during the past two
days.

"Curse you! curse you!" were the venomous words flung after the man by
Madge Scarlet.

But she dared not interfere to prevent the rescue.

When Nell Darr