The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1867-04-18
A hand was laid on nv arm at this

FRANK, look here, want to speak
to you," he said, hurriedly. ..Come
herc-out on the platform"
l followed him out out into the
stormy darkness of the March night,
where his lantern cleaned like suller,
shifting eye. rq
what is it? Anything wrong?
Eyes, and no. OF course you know
we're nearlp half an hour behind time,
with not quite thirty minutes between
US and the Lightning"
Eyes. What of it? ?"
"Wel, that old fool Mcleod has
turned crusty, and says if we don't run
out on the side track at apeedsville, the
next station, and wait for the Light
ming to pass, he'll not be answerable
for the consequences"
"Who wants him to be answerable ~
I demanded, with considerable acerbi-
ty, not to say disdain. 49, s:.s aa0
'.Well, he says it's bad night, track
slippery, and all that sort of thing and
l suppose it. all very true. <05~..1
But you know the Lady Franklin
of old. She'll keep the thirty minutes
between US and the Lightning won't
she %. hat a,ta> 49,
Il should say there was no kind Of
doubt as to that. Ain'tlyou going to
make up that lost time p Ia Oh
"That's just the trouble. That crack
braied old Scotch fool wants to stop
and lose another half hour which we
may just as well gain, and run into B.
ON time, as to come trailing along
behind the Lightning. But Macleod
refuses to run her unless / consent to
his conditions. Frank, why can't YOU
take the old Lady into B-?''s 4'iiJ
''l'll do it with all pleasure in life"
Carew's Frightened at once. -15EI R-J
"What lucky thing it is you chane-
ed to be on the trainr'' he said. II
should have been entirely at Macs
mercy if it hadn't been for YOU Come
on there's no time to be lost" hs=i
/ followed him through the long
train to the engine, and entered thelit-
tie inclosed compartment where Mac
Leod sat among his screws and valves
and dials, like some magician Of old
surrounded by the abstruse implements
of his art. How like home this tiny
place appeared to me! It seemed al
most as if the ''Lady Franklin shot
more swiftly over the track as I step
ped upon her. Macleod inclined his
head stiffiy in answer to my greeting.
He was tall, spare Scotchman, with
deep-set blue eyes matched with shag.
gy brows, and hair already thickly
sprinkled with gray, though he could
scarcely have been more than forty
years old. His face was cold and repul-n
sive, and his manner. forbidding in the
EXTREMIST degree Moreover, he had
a way, exceedingly unpleasant to the
spectator, of continually looking over
his shoulder with sort of spasmodic
motion, as if he had suddenly seen or
heard something close behind him.
AS [ threw myself down beside him he
suddenly pointed to the place beyond.
''Sit there. if you please, Mr.. Atwa-
ter" -.a..f f.#aT qG- 3E
Iwondered, but complied, and Carcw
spoke pleasantly.
'Well, Macleod, shall we put on
steam and drive her ahead ?'' ,<7.V% e@'.
No, Mr.. Carew," said the Scotch
man, -coldly and firmly, either we:
run out on the side track three miles,
ahead, as / have explained, or I leave
the engine" : - siil 'ii;r ''
But why are you SO determined ?r
I asked. ~. -.a.,ra,,s >.,
Il don't conceive it my business to
answer any Of your questions, Francis
Atwater,a said Macleod, tEbut 1 nave
no objection to crafty your curiosity.
| am so determined because see far.
ther than you or Mr.. Carew here, and /
see danger-danger!'
"How? and where s,i s..tl '.-'.'-' =
''You practical engineer, and ask
where is the danger ON such nj ght as
this, with the Lightning Express close
behind, and we twenty five minutes af-
ter our time? Boy, do you know that
We are responsible not only for Atwa-'
ter and Carew and John Macleod, but
for all the, passengers on this train -
Do you want the sin of murder on your
soul
Hespoke in sharp voice that was al.
most scream. 5t@d I3tIi-
.'"That is not the question" said Ca
rev, ''and all nonsense besides. Isn't
the light hung but behind, ndcan't you
tell when we are gaining or losing time?
Once for all, will you or will you not a
do your best to gain time and ahead of
the Lightning ?'"
mo; I will uot.r' he answered, sui.
lenly. r'
Every well, here is substitute that
will ~
snake room for Mr.. Atwater!!'' g.
i"He can do as he plerses," said Mac
Leod, stify, risingto yield me his place,
Il wash my hands of the whole thing,
now and hereafter. Bear witness, Ca,
rev and Atwater, that I protest against
this rash and foolhardy thing r'
Not word more did he utter, but sat
down silent and rigid as galvanized
corpse, watching me with his deep-set
eyes until the very consciousness OF
that steady surveillance made me un
comfortable. Uncomfortable, but NO
nervous. ] never, in the whole cours4
ofmy life, was more entirely in posses
sion of all my faculties, or more CON 4
posed than in that moment, as I mi
examined screws and valve
and satisfied myself as to the correc
ness of every detail. ALI was right
Macleod was a good engineer if ne ~
an agreeable companion. .-.i..