The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1871-11-18

tunately. steam was already up. They
backed the engine. got the np-line,
only paused to pass one word with
! the station-lnaster, and then away they
dashed filll-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 trile to her
| 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 II desperate
CHANGE. Away. then. and away.
On they Went with laundering
crank and grinding steel The tender
by the glare of the engine lamps,
swept like tightening nn,ler Them
Theae WITS Il terrible voice in the quick,
c!anking wheelS-'sii or death -
/ life or death life or death - The
telegraph poles flew past like frighten-
ed spirits.
= Fhere. there she is - burst from
the lips Of both men together. as
they caught sight of two red lights
shining far ;,he'ld upon the line.
/ "On--on, for Gods sake Oh 2"
cried Blacklock, With frightful eager
Hess.
They dashed with slatteling roar
between the rocks of Lentrie. burst
! forth again, and away OH the wild
and terrible pursuit 1'heywerasgs gain
t ing rapidly on the train ahead. There
was still Il hope-;l desperate hope.
They dashed, with auotller roar,
through, the deep cutting at Beatlis
Ward, and still away and away.
= Life or ieath-lit,, or tieatfl-Iite or
( H. ,.}.,,,l-rI tJ.a ,,-I,naf.
lila, what's that Did you see
/ that - crieti rSiuciair,e suddenly, y+,s
his seyes caught sight Tor an Instant, of
| Il spectral form that flashed across the
j rails almost ut the engine wheel.
Oil--on - Blackjack almost
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 Beatll. they dashed along
side. Now or never. The awful
crisis had come.
Tlle parliamentary train was thumb
reiug along the parallel rails at the
velocity OF nearly thirty miles All
hour; and aS Sinclair ai:d Backlock
passed. carriage after carriage. they
could see, in the ,lusAy light Of tie
lamps within. the dim rows OF pas
sengers. many of them asleep, and all
unconscious that they We're on the
wrong line.s bowling; q,'ieiS and fast,
into the jaws OF death.
Great God, what Il picture of hui
man kind w:ls that, il one had Il mo-
ment to think OF il.
Blaeklock's breath was short and
g-lsping. sFhe pe1spiratiol was stand
ing i'll great beads upon his brow. As
he passed the carriage where poor
Jenny was. lie bent over and g!ared
wildly i'll, but could not distinguish
her amongst the motley crowd OF
slumbering passengers. On they
dashed-Blaeklock and sSinclair-thuil-
dering along side by side with the
other train, till they came abreast of
the engine. Campbell was there, but
apparently Supplied or asleep, sitting
on the seat under the stormboarl, with
his head hanging down nearly to his
knees.
Blackjack shouted and yelled at the
pitch OF his voice Sinclair blew the
whistle but Campbell either did not
hear, or was too far gone to pay
heel.
:. Let's dash ahead. and signal the
express to stop" cried Sinclair, eN-
citedly.
He pulled out his watch and stoop-
ed to see the time. Eight minutes to
eleven. The express was two mill
utes belfind her time already. There
wasn't a moment to lose.
20. here she cornes.' cried Black
lock, clutching Sinclair's arm rol-
vulsively.
Far affeatl,~ along the line.-two
points Of light ike the eyes 81" Il
basilisk had glidcd Into view, and
were fast dilating and growing bright
er and fiercer, us the iron monster
from the South came on through the
darkness ut the rate of Il mile Il min
ute. Already the thunder OF it APP
proacl w;ls distinctly perceptible.
Scarcely Il mile separated the two
trains. In thirty seconds they would
be together
Siiiciair's engine was still bowling
OH, alongside the other.
III jump across cried Blackjack,
suddenly. :. Dash oll-you-and sig
nal the express gsarT.
hold him back, Blackjack was at the
side of the engine, had crouclied low
aid made "a desperate spFiiig. Tie
alighted upon the foothoard Of the
other tender. He staggered for d;
moment; but recovering his balance
instantly, lie sprang forward to sthe
engine, shut off the steam, ;nldv pat
OH the break. 1t was ill the brave
fellow could do. Now for life-for
life! He seized Campbell. He drag
ged him to the side of the engine to
leap off. All, too late. The huge
train was still rolling on. when the
express with its flying plume, and its
great irids, magnifying into two great
orbs of white flame, came on through
the alakrnesa like u sdHmderbeIt. .s:l4d
in moment had dashed upon them.
The shock was terrific. The engines
were smashed, the red fires flared up;
the huge carriages of both trains came
OH like successive explosions, and
leaping madly over one another,
pileIlil ana N, INTO lideons qrdyel-
ing Ynovintlfff or agony anti Neath.