CHAPTER VII.
A LIVELY PURSUIT.
Franklin's cries, as well as the sight of the two locomotives approaching from opposite directions, seemed to fairly paralyze the little girl for the time being, and she stood transfixed upon the tracks.
"Jump, jump for the fence!" repeated the young electrician. "You haven't a moment to spare!"
"I—I can't jump!" gasped the poor, bewildered creature, "Oh, save me! save me!"
"Come over here and I will lift you over! This way; be quick!"
Franklin sprang over the fence at a bound, and a dozen steps brought him to the little girl's side. She was deadly white, and could do nothing further than stretch out her arms to him appealingly.
He caught her up like a flash, and, turning swiftly, darted once more toward the fence on the left. There was no time left to climb out of the way, so without ceremony he threw down his unexpected charge as far as possible from the steel rails, and then crouched back as best he could out of harm's way.
With a shrill blast of the whistle, the locomotive nearest to them rushed past, parts of the great giant just grazing Franklin's left arm. Then followed a reversal of the lever and a sanding of the tracks, and with the fire flying from every wheel, the train came to a sudden halt, and they were safe.
As soon as the young electrician realized that the danger was over, he picked up the little girl and placed her limp form over his shoulder. There was a narrow path between the cars and the fence, and along this he made his way until the opening at the street below was reached. He crawled under the guard gate, and a moment later stood the little girl on her feet on the sidewalk.
"Oh, dear, are we safe?" were her first words delivered with a half sob.
"Yes, we are safe now," returned Franklin. "But it was a narrow escape," he added, with a shudder. He could not help but think of what the consequence would have been had that ponderous locomotive rolled over both of them.
"I am so glad! I would have been killed if it hadn't been for you."
And she gave him a deeply grateful look out of her clear blue eyes.
By this time several of the railroad people who had witnessed the thrilling scene came up.
"Either of you hurt?" demanded the engineer of the train, anxiously.
"No," replied Franklin. "We both came off without a scratch."
"You can thank your lucky stars! What were you doing on the track anyway? Don't you know it is against the rules to walk there?"
"I sprang over the fence to get the girl," explained the young electrician. "Were you on the other train?" he asked, turning to the little one.
"Yes, sir. The train stopped so long that I got out to walk to the station, same as lots of the big folks."
"It was very wrong for you to remain on the tracks and run such a risk, besides giving me a big scare and delaying the train," said the engineer, but not very unkindly. "All right, Dick," he added, to the conductor, who was hurrying to the spot. "Nobody hurt."
"Good enough," returned the other official. "Then send her through, Sam, for we are ten minutes behind time."
And off the train people hurried, leaving Franklin and the little girl on the sidewalk alone.
"I wouldn't have walked on their tracks, only I was in a hurry to get down to the city," exclaimed the little miss, who, now that the danger was over, was rapidly regaining her composure. "I wanted to get a street car to the Erie depot."
"Is that so?" returned Franklin, in some surprise. "I'm going to the Erie depot myself."
"Oh! Then we can go together, can't we?" and the little girl held out her hand impulsively.
"Certainly we can," said the young electrician, as he took the hand. "Come on." And off they started through the light snow, for the place where they might board the proper street car.
"It was very kind of you to help me," went on the little miss, heartily. "I shan't forget you, and I am going to tell papa Brice all about it when I get home."
"Brice!" exclaimed Franklin, catching at the name. "Is that your papa's name?"
"He isn't my real papa, but he's just as good to me as if he was," the little girl hastened to correct herself by saying. "I've lived with him a long time now, and he treats me splendidly."
"And what is his full name?"
"Belden Brice. He hasn't any middle name, and neither have I. My name is Cora Brice. Don't you think that a nice name? I do."
"A very nice name indeed. Then you live in Paterson?"
"Why, how did you know that?"
"I know Mr. Brice. I am on my way to visit him now."
"What, at our house? How strange!"
"No, not at your house, but at his office, He asked me to come."
"Then if you are coming to Paterson you must come to the house, too! I've got lots of nice things for you to see."
"Perhaps I won't have time to come," returned Franklin, kindly, much pleased by the little girl's innocent and cordial manner. "I am going to Paterson to work—if Mr. Brice can find me a place."
"Did he say he would find you a place?"
"He said he would try."
"Then he'll get the place. He can do anything, papa Brice can. Here is where we take the street cars, isn't it?"
"Yes." They came to a halt on the corner. "You are rather young to travel alone," Franklin continued. "Are you not afraid of getting lost?"
"Oh, I know the way to Orange, for I have been there a number of times with papa Brice. I've been spending New Year's with Lottie King and her mamma, and I had a splendid time. "Oh, you didn't tell me your name."
"My name is Franklin Bell."
"That's as nice as mine. And are you going to stay in Paterson?"
"I expect to—if I get a situation," returned the young electrician.
At that moment a car came along and Franklin assisted her on board and took a seat beside her. The ride to the Erie depot was quite a long one, and during it Cora plied him with questions, all of which he answered good-naturedly. He was curious to know how she happened to live with Mr. Brice if she was not his daughter, but refrained from questioning her on the point.
Franklin was well pleased to think that he had been of assistance to one who was in some way attached to Belden Brice, but he was too high-minded to speculate upon how he could turn the incident to his personal advantage. He resolved to keep silent on the point, and if Cora forgot to speak to the gentleman about it to let the matter rest where it stood.
At length Fourth Avenue, upon which the Erie depot is situated, was reached, and Franklin got out and assisted his little companion to the ground.
"We will have to wait quite some time for the train," remarked the young electrician as they walked down the street towards the station.
"Yes, I know. But I won't mind that, for I like to watch the people and the men with the trunks and satchels."
"Have you a ticket?"
"Yes, in my purse here. Papa Brice bought me an excursion ticket when I came, and he gave me a whole dollar to spend besides."
"He must be a very kind man."
"Oh, indeed he is!"
"I am glad of it," thought Franklin. "What a difference between him and his sister, Mrs. Mace!"
The depot was soon reached, and, leaving Cora standing on the platform, the young electrician entered the waiting room to purchase a ticket.
As he entered one door he saw a man hasten out by the other. He caught only a glimpse of the man, but that was enough.
"Andy Gresson!" he exclaimed. "And I thought he had gone to New York or further!"
As soon as he could recover from his astonishment, Franklin resolved to go after the man. He was firmly convinced that Gresson had stolen the two rings, and that if he could clear his own name he must recover the missing property and bring the criminal to justice.
"He left because he saw me," reasoned Franklin to himself. "That proves that he is trying to keep out of the way. But it won't do him any good if I can lay hands on him I'll hand him over to the authorities, even if I have to stay in Newark all day to do it."
Andy Gresson had passed out of the rear door of the station and was now running towards a lumber yard which was close at hand. Without turning back to explain to Cora, Franklin shot out of the same door and made after the fugitive.
There was a siding to cross, upon which stood several freight cars. Behind these cars ran Gresson, with Franklin scarcely a hundred feet behind him.
"Stop! Stop!" called out the young electrician. "Stop, Andy Gresson!"
If the flying man heard, he paid no attention to Franklin's command. He increased his speed, and half a minute later dashed into the lumber yard, banging the heavy slatted gate behind him.