The weekly union record., 1865-12-23

upon its way. The guard in the break,
so soon as he found that the train was
off on the wrong line. began to make his
way hurriedly from carriage to carriage
toward the engine, bat, missing his
footing, fell heavily to the ground.
Before he had recovered from the stun
ming effects of the fall and got upon his
legs again, the train was off. The
other guard had been standing on the
platform with the station master, wait
ing till the train should go back along
side. The moment they saw that it was
moving away on the wrong track, they
cried to the pointsman, and the guard
rushed out upon the line The points
man shouted, waved the red lamp, ran
and turned on the distance danger signal
which faced north, so that Campbell
could see it. No attention was paid to
these signals, and away the long train
went, laundering into the darkness.
Blackjack ran madly along the line,
in the desperate hope that he might
overtake the train, and in his agony
crying to God to stop it. But the red
lights along the line were growing
smaller, and hope was gone. Blackjack
stood for a moment ike one bereft of
his senses, and then starting, ran back.
Sinclair stood on his engine awaiting
him. care they of!' ''Oh, yes, off!
Ny God y he cried in agony, "what
are We to do p Sinclair plucked out
his watch, and instantly an expression
Of horror came in his face. The night
express from the South is coming on
that line" he said, hurriedly. "She is
due here in sixteen minutes. She must
be passing Blackford, now"
Aghast with horror, Blackjack stag
gered and covered his face with his
hands. Suddenly thought flashed into
his brain. He clutchel Sinclair's arm
with the grasp of a giant. Give her
chase-give her chaser' he cried
eagerly. "Quick! Is your steam up?
Let's give her chase on the up-hne.
We may stop her or the express afore
they meet. For Gods sake, quick :"
Blacklock's look Lad changed in a
moment, from one of prostration to one
of terrible eagarness and hope. Ee
sprang upon the engine. Fortunately,
steam was already up. They backed
the engine, got the up-Iine, only paused
to pass one word with the station-master,
and then away they dashed full speed
into the Wild, dark night. The other
engine and train had got the start of
them by two miles. If the express was
true to he's time, there was no hope. In
five or six minutes, there would be a
collision. But, if the express was in the
least behind, there was still a desperate
chance. Away, then, and away.
On they went, with laundering crank
and grinding steel. The tender quivered
and rocked the ground, lit by the
glare Of the engine lamps, swept like
under them. There was a
terrible voice in the quick, clanking
wheels Life or death-life OF death
life or DEATH" Away and away,
like a fiery meteor through the driving
storm and darkness. The telegraph
poles flew past like frightened spirits.
There, there she is" burst from the
lips of both men together, as they caught
sight of two red lights shining far ahead
upon the line. "On. on! for Gods
sake, on" cried Blackjack, with fright
ful eagernes.
They dashed on with a SCATTERING
roar, between the rocks at Lentrie,
burst forth again, and away on the wild
and terrible pursuit. They were gaining
rapidly on the train ahead. There was
still hope-a desperate hope. They
dashed, with another roar, through the
deep cutting at Beath's Ward, and still
away and away. Life or death-life or
or death - clanked the
wheel.
'Hal what's that? Did you see
that p cried Sinclair, suddenly, as his
eye caught sight, for an instant, Of
spectral form that flashed across the
rails almost at the engine wheel.
"On Oh !" Blackjack almost scream
ed, never turning his eyes from the red
lights ahead, which they were now
rapidly nearing. Just as the long train
- Il i,,.er-r1a