ne. But she
was as plucky as they make them and was never molested. A mile west of
Dunraven was Peach Creek, spanned by a wooden pile and stringer bridge.
Ordinarily, you could step across Peach Creek, but sometimes, after a
heavy rain it would be a raging torrent of dirty muddy water, and it
seemed as if the underpinning must surely be washed out by the flood.

One day after I had been at X---- a couple of months, we had a stem-winder
of a storm. The rain came down in torrents unceasingly for twelve hours,
and the country around X---- was almost a morass. The roadbed was good,
however, and when the section men came in at six that night they
reported the track firm and safe. But, my stars! how the rain was
falling at seven-thirty as the flyer went smashing by. I made my "OS"
report and then thought I'd sit around and wait until it had passed
Dunraven and have a little chat with Mary, before going home for the
night. At seven-forty-five I called her but no answer. Then I waited.
Eight o'clock, eight-fifteen, eight-twenty, and still nothing from
Dunraven. The despatcher then started to call "DU," but no answer.
Finally, he said to me, "You call 'DU.' Maybe the wire is heavy and she
can't adjust for me." I called steadily for five minutes, but still no
reply. I was beginning to get scared. All sorts of ideas came into my
head--robbers, tramps, fire and murder.

"DS" said, "I'm afraid something has happened to the flyer. Turn your
red-light and when No. 26 comes along, I'll give them an order to cut
loose with the engine and go through and find the flyer."

Five minutes later the wire opened and closed. Then the current became
weak, but adjusting down, I heard, "DS, DS, WK." Ah! that meant a wreck.
"DS" answered and I heard the following message:--

"W. D. C. "PEACH CREEK, 4 | 13, 18--

"DS.

"Peach Creek bridge washed out to-night, but I heard of it and
arrived here in time to flag the flyer. Send an operator on the
wrecking outfit to relieve me.

(signed) MARY MARSH, Operator."

Two hours afterwards the wrecker came by X---- and, obedient to orders
from the despatcher, I boarded it and went down to work the office. We
reached there in about forty minutes and found that the torrent had
washed out the underpinning of the bridge, and nothing was left but a
few ties, the rails and the stringers. A half witted boy, who lived in
Dunraven, had been fishing that day like "Simple Simon," and