While we were thus busily engaged, our work was suddenly interrupted by several almost demoniacal shrieks that seemed to belong to Hades, and as if driven by some common impulse, we rushed pell mell out of doors and towards the “big” house.  But before we could even reach it, we stopped short as if rooted into the ground, for there upon the front porch, with his face uplifted towards the starry firmament above him, stood Foreman McDonald, tearing like a raving maniac at the hairs of his head, while through the quietude of the night reverberated his heart-rending shrieks:  “Oh God!  Give me back my baby!  Bring back my darling Helen!  Merciful Father, do not punish me so cruelly as this!”

[Illustration:  “Oh God!  Give me back my baby!  Merciful Father, do not punish me so cruelly as this!”]

While we stood there wondering as to the causes of Foreman McDonald’s strange pleading, his wife, pale as the snow, came from around the rear of the section house and begged us to take hold of Mr. McDonald to prevent him from harming himself, and when at this moment we saw the strong man sink into a corner of the porch and commence to pray aloud, we made a rush and after we took hold of him it required every bit of strength we six husky men could muster to restrain and drag him into the section house, where we stretched and tied him upon his bed and gave him narcotics that caused him to fall into a deep slumber.

While we sat about his bed watching his every move, poor Mrs. McDonald repeated to us, amid heart-racking sobs, the dire calamity that had overtaken her happy family since our departure.  That Helen, the pet of the family and of the rough section men, had disappeared from her home, leaving not a trace.  Further questioning elicited from the distracted mother this information: 

The blizzard had given way to a perfectly calm afternoon, and after they had enjoyed their Christmas dinners, Mrs. McDonald had watched Helen toddle behind her brothers to where the passing siding turned away from the main line, permitting a small pond to form, which, being smooth as glass and swept clear of snow by the storm, offered a splendid opportunity to try out their new skates, which they had received amongst their presents.

The youngsters were altogether too busy enjoying their rare sport to pay heed to their baby sister, and when darkness approached they scampered back to the house where they told their mother of the good time they had had.  Her first question, however, was concerning the whereabouts of little Helen, as she quickly noted her absence from the returning children.  “Boys, where have you left your little sister?” “Why, mother,” readily replied Donald, her eldest son, “Helen must have been back to the house long ago, as we have not seen her since she watched us put on our new skates.”