The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1866-02-23

ADJUST WlJU uOIEOT, DluChlOCh ,
staggered and covered his face with
his hands. He clutched Sinclair's
arm with the grasp OF a giant. "Give
her chase--give her chasc!' he cried
eagerly. "Quick! is your steam up?
Let's give her chase on the up line
We may stop her, or stop the express
afore they meet. For Gods sake,
quick"
Blacklocls's look had changed in a
moment, from one of prostration to
one of eagerness and hope.
He sprang upon the engine. For
tunately, steam was already up.
They backed the engine, got the
uplinc; only paused to pass one word
with the station master, and then
away they dashed iull speed into the
wild dark night.
The other engine and train had got
the start of them by nearly two miles.
If the express was true to her time,
there was no hope. In five or six
minutes there would be n collision.
But if the express was in the least
behind, there was still desperate
chance. Away then, and away.
On they went with laundering
crank and grinding steel. The ten
der quivercd and rocked, the ground
lit by the glare Of the engine lamps
swept like lightning under them
There was terrible voice in the
quick, clanking wheels-"Life or
| lo,tbl I;fo , 4. Hath l;fo or Jaotbff
The telegraph poles flew past like
frighted spirits.
"There she is!' burst from the lips
of both men together, rs they caught
sight of two red lights shining far
ahead upon the line.
"On-on, for Gods sake on! , cried
Blackjack, with frightiul eagcrness.
They dashed with SCATTERING roar
between the rocks at Leptrie, burst
forth again, and away on the wild and
terrible pursuit. They were gaining
rapidly on the train ahead. There
was still hopc-a desperate hope.
They dashed, with another roar
through the deep cutting at Bcath's
Wark, and still away and away.
"Life or death life or death life
or DEATH clanked the wheels.
"Ah what's thatY Did you see
that? cried Sinclair, suddenly rs his
eye caught sight for an instant, of n
/, spectral form that flashed across the
rails almost at the engine wheels.
"On--on," Blackjack screamed,
. never turning his eyes from the red
lights ahead, which they were now
rapidly nearing.
Just as the long train crossed the
: Bridge of Bath they dashed alongside.
Now or never the awful crisis had
come.
$ The parliamentary train was thun
e dering along the parallel rails at tho
= velocity of nearly thirty miles al
5 hour; and as Sinclair and Blacklocl'
4 passed carriage after carriage, they
: could see in the dusky light Of the
C lamps within, the dim rows of pas
2 sengers, many of them asleep, and
il all unconscious that they were on The
It wrong line, bowling quick and fast
e into the jaws Of death.
d Great God what a picture of human
d kind was that, if one had u momen
a to think of it.
II Blacklock's breath was short ant
d gasping. The perspiration was stand
: ing in great beads upon his brow.
;; AS he passed the carriage where
d poor Jenny was he bent over ant
glared wildly in, but could not dis
" tinguish her among the motley GROVE
t. of slumbering passengers. On the,
dashed-thundering along side b.,
IS side with the other train, till the,
l. came abreast of the engine. Camp
!, bell was there, but apparently stupe
!. fled or asleep, sitting on the seat un
l. der the storm board with his heaC
y hanging down nearly to his knees.
! Blackjack shouted and yelled at th'
A top of his voice; Sinclair blew tn
&c whistle; but Campbell either did no
y hear, or was too far gone to pa.
heed.
g Lets dash ahead, and signal tn
/. express to stop" cried Sinclair, ex
4 citedly. lie pulled out his waite
ic and stopped TO sec the time. Eigll
/ minutes to eleven. The express wa
N two minutes behind her time already
ii There wasn't n moment to lose.
le "Oh! here she comes!' cried Black
he lock clutchine Sinclair's arm conN u
" sively.
&c Far ahead, along the line two point
is of light like the eyes Of basilisk ha
d. glided into view, and were fast di,;
ne ting and growing brighter and fierce
OF as the iron monster from the Sout
II. came on through the darkness at IL
d. rate of mile minute. Alread
N the thunder of its approach WI
Id plainly perceptible. Scarcely mi
mt separated the two trains. In thirte'
ng seconds they would be together.
ed Sinclair's engine was still bowlir
'h' on, alongside the other.
"I'll jump across" cried Blacklo
he suddenly. "Dash on-you-and 81
is, nal the express"
ed In moment, before Sinclair cou
it. hold him back, Blackjack was ut I
ig- side of the engine, he crouched l(
mt, and made desperate spring,
alighted upon the foot board of t
inc other tender. lie staggered for
er- moment, but recovering his balan
my instantly, he sprang forward to
red engine, shut off the steam, and |
ing on the brake.
was IT, was all the brave fellow could {