Mrs. Scarlet retired to her leafy covert to wait the outcome. She could see far beyond the track a farm-house, and near her a heap of ties, and a rude fence--the moonlight revealed everything plainly. Chuckling with hideous satisfaction, the she demon waited the coming of the express that could not be far distant. Morning was already brightening the East. Far away was the sound of a moving train. The sullen, distant roar sent a thrill to the heart of the demon woman, who crouched in the bushes to await the completion of her unhallowed revenge. The sullen jar seemed to act like a shock of electricity on the nerves of Nell Darrel. She felt a strange and awful numbness. With a mighty effort the girl roused herself to a consciousness of her awful position. Louder and louder roared the train. It was but a mile distant now, and the road was straight. Nell raised her head, and resting on her hands gazed down the track where, in the distance, gleamed the light of the locomotive. "God help me!" moaned the poor girl. Then she tried to throw herself from the 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.