he
could do that, and like the wind she was up at the house and back
again, only this time she steered for a spot a hundred rods up, just
the other side of the curve.

In a trice she had whipped off her scarlet balmoral, the balmoral she
hated so, and had attached to it one end of the hundred feet of rope
she had brought from the house.

Could she do it? Could she crawl out on that branch there and hold
that danger signal down in front of the train?

She shuddered and covered her face with her hands. O, no, no, she
never could do it. Suppose she should fall off or the limb break. But
she wouldn't fall, she mustn't fall. Hark! There is the engine. If
she is going to save the train there is no time for further delay.
With a prayer for guidance and protection, slowly, oh so slowly, that
it seemed hours before she got there, Letty crawled out to the branch
and dangled below her, across the track, her flag of danger. She could
not see what was going on, because she dared not look down. So,
looking constantly up (and, children, believe me, "looking up" is one
of the best things you can do when in danger or trouble), and sending a
silent wordless petition for the safety of the train, Letty held her
precarious post. Hark, it is slowing up. Her balmoral has been seen
and the train is saved. The tension over, she cautiously turned and
crawled slowly back to land, and then dropped in a dead faint.
Recovering, however, she went slowly up to the house, trembling and
sick and shivering with the cold from the loss of the warm skirt
hanging on the clothes-line down in the ravine.

Relaxed and limp she sat down in the big rocker before the kitchen
stove, a confused mass of thoughts racing through her head. Dazed and
excited, she hardly knew how time was passing until she heard the sound
of wheels.

"O, Letty, the funniest thing--" shouted Laura, bursting into the
kitchen.

"Wait, let me tell," interrupted Jamie. "Why, Letty, somebody's hung--"

"Somebody hung," exclaimed Letty, in horror. "Why, Laura Mason, how
dare you say that was funny?"

"I didn't--" began Laura, indignantly, but here Mrs. Mason interfered
with a "Sh-sh-sh, children, mercy, goodness, you nearly drive me wild.
Here. Laura, take mother's bonnet and shawl up-stairs.

"Here, Jamie, take my boots and bring me my slippers. I'm that tired I
don't know what to do with myself. Goodness, but it feels good to get
home. The strangest thing's happe