The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-08-10

ing each other, and collision was inevi
table.
The train, which seemed to have broken
loose, rushed madly on, with Jim looking
at Drucie, whom he was inclined to believe
mad. The cold mist slowly turning to a
drizzle, was occasionally blown against his
face by the wind; it served to cool his
heated temples, and to make him think
calmly of his situation aud the folks at
home.
So fast were they moving, that they
seemed to glide over the rails scarcely
touching them in the mad career, and
when Drucie told Jim to listen for the
sound Of Toms train ahead, the boy poked
his head out of the window aud held his
breath.
''Pears to me | hear a sound, he said j.,
without turning his head. "Mebby I'm
mistaken-so many things pear to me just
now"
''Thank GodF' exclaimed the girl
''Listen all your might, Jim. o, for the
speed of bullet p
Her face was glowing with heat, and
while Jim listened, she opened the furnace
door and put in the last sticks of wood
they possessed.
"The woods gone, Jim. How far yet
can We go at this rate of speed? ?"
"About fifteen mile" the boy answered
twenty of 'em if we must do it"
"Then wen catch him. Colby must be
nine miles away yet, and the gulch is six
miles further on-ffteen miles Jim,
can't you hear him yet?''
"No, guess was mistaken awhile back ("
the boy said, and Drucie's countenance
fell.
"Thats the sound again, he exclaimed
minute later. ''Listen for yourself,
girl"
Drucie went to the window and put her
head out.
"Thats Tom she cried. "Oh, Heav-
en-, let me save him and all the other pre-
cious lives to-nightr'
With this prayer she turned to the fur
mace again and smiled at the red-hot doors.
The engine and its empty tender seemed
to fly over the track, and when Drucie
looked at Jim again she found him staring
at the gauge.
"What's the matter, Jim ?" she asked.
"a little more fire and we'll blow up l''
he gasped.
"TOm might hear the explosion and
stop his train. That might prevent the
collision" was Drucie's reply.
1t was now evident that the sound ahead
was that Of Tom Gray's train, and the girl
prepared to warn her lover of his danger.
The tracks were quite close, and she told
the fire boy to watch the machinery while
she attended to that part of the warning,
which she had allotted to herself.
With pallid face and almost throbless
heart she took up her station at the win
dow, needing not the drizzling rain that
beat into her face, and awaited the deci-
sive moment.
The sound of the train on the other
track grew momentarily more distinct, and
the daring girl fancied that she heard num-
Der six coming through the valley below
Colby.
< Yes, it's Tom she cried, to encourage
the boy at the lever, 'I see his light.
Now p
Then she leaned out of the window and
shouted at the top of her voice:
"Switch at Colby! Switch at Colby.
Colby, six Colby, six!"
Many times she repeated her cry, and
all at once she dashed by the heavy train.
Right into her lovers face as he leaned
from his engine, she shouted, "Switeh at
Colby! !" and heard the shrieks that told
her that he would obey.
Saved saved, Jim ~ she cried with
joy, turning upon the breathless boy who
was already checking the Bellies speed.
Golly-whiz ;! Drucie, they ought to
give US train!" he said, laughing. 'If
we can ever stop the Belle, we'll 90 back;
but the girls got her spunk up and would
run on foreverr'
Drucie Miller returned to the window
with heart filled with thankfulness, for
Tom had heard, and already was running
on to the switch at Colby.
After awhile the Belle was got under
control and backed with lessened fires.
"Listen = suddenly Grid Jim.
"Yes, number six is coming, but we
don't fear her nov !" said Drucie. with a
smile. "Tom and his passengers are safe
on the switch !"
The next moment number six dashed
by, and Drucie laughed aud actually clapp-
ed her hands.
The meeting between Tom Gray and
his love cannot be described.
"Your headlight seemed meteor" he
said to her, "and 1 knew your voice,
don't know why. l guess you made time
coming down"
"Time = cried Jim 81 don't think
the wheels touched the rails more'n half
the time. If it had been day, the mile
stones would have looked like rake.