Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-01-20

/ There's mistake
THE boy dashed off, and Blakely sat
waiting, coolly polishing bit Of the
shining brass before him. Back came the
boy.
Had it repeated. Sands is raging at
you. Says there's no mistake, and you'd
best get on, thrusting the second mes
sage up.
for half minute. never shall forget
the dismay, the utter perplexity that
gathered in his lean face as he looked at
the telegram. and then at the long train
behind him. His lips moved as if he
were calculating chances, and his eyes
suddenly quailed, as it he saw death at
the end of the calculation.
/ "'What's the matter? What are you
going to doc asked.
"'Obey.'
"The engine gave long shrek Of hor-
ror, that made me start as if it were
Blakeleys own voice. The next instant
we rushed out Of the station, and dashed
through the low-lying farms at sp eed
which seemed dangerous to me.
+" Put in more COAL said Blakely.
81 shovelled it in
"'We are going very fast, Blakeley,' l
ventured.
HE did not answer. His eye was fix
ed on the steam gauge; his lips closely
shut.
more coal'
Il tire " it in.
THE fields and houses began to fly
past but half seen. We were nearing
Sunbury. Blakeley's eye went from the
gauge to the face of the timepiece and
j! back He moved like an automaton.
There was little more meaning in his
face
More, without turning his eye.
Il took up the shcvel-hesitated
$ Blakely We're going Gerry fast.
We're going at the rate of sixty miles an
hour
Coal.
II was alarmed at the stern, cold rigid
ity ofthe man. His pallor was becoming
frightful.
II threw in the coal.
'.At least we must stop in Sunbury.
He had told me that was the next halt.
"The little town approached. AS the
/ first house came into view, the engine
sent out its shrek of warning; it grew
louder, louder. We dashed into the
street, up to the station, where a group Of
passengers waited, and past it without
the halt Of an instant. caught glimpse
of the appalled, faces of the waiting
crowd Then We were in the fields again.
The speed now became literally breath
less; the furnace glared rcd-hot. The
heat, the velocity, the terrible nervous
strain of the man beside me, seemed to
weight the air. l found myself drawing
ong stentorous breaths, like one drowning.
I hcaped in the coal at intervals, as he
babe me.
I'D have done nothing Of the kind!'
interrupted one Of the listeners The
man was mad
II did it because I was oppressed by
an old sense Of duty, which | never had
in my ordinary FRAMEWORK / had taken
this mechanical task on myself, and
felt structure upon me to go through
with it at any cost. l know now how it is
thar dull, ignorant men without a spark Of
enthusiasm, show such herOism some
times, as soldiers, engineers, captains OF
wrecked vessels. 1t is this overpowering
sense of routine duty. 1t is finer thing
than sheer bravery, to my notion. How
ever, began 70 be of your mind, Wright,
that Blakeley was mad, laboriRg under
some sudden frenzy from drink, though
| had never seen him touch liquor.
sHe did not move hand or foot except
in the mechanical control of the engine
his eye going from the gauge to the time
piece with a steadiness that was more
terrible and threatening than any CLEAN
of insanity would have been. Once he
glanced back at the long train sweeping
after the engine, with headlong speed
that rocked it from side to side. You
would catch glimpses of hundreds of men
and women talking, reading, smoking,
unconscious that their lives were all in
the hold Of one man, whom now strong
~ suspected to be mad. I knew by his
look that he remembered their lives were
in his hand He glanced at the clock
| Twenty miles, he muttered. Throw
on the coal, Jones. The fire is going
out.
II did it. Yes, 1 did it. There was
something in the face Of that man tina,
I could not resist. Then l climbed for
ward and shook him by the shoulder.
"'Blakclevn shouted, s'you are run
ming this train into the jaws of deathn
~ know it, quietly
"'Your wife and child are on it,
My Godn
He staggered to his feet But even
then he did not move his eye from the
gauge.
" In minute
Make up the fire. he SAID, and push
ed i'll the throttle valve.
:. / will not
80 Make up the fire, Mr.. Santley,' very
quietly.
q will rot. You may murder your
self and your wife and boy, but you shall
not murdeTme.'
''He looked at me. His kindly eyes
glared like those of a wild beast But he
controlled himself in moment
~ could throw you out of this door,
and make short work of it. Bullock
here; do you see the station yonder2"
81 saw a thin whisp of smoke against
the sky, about five miles in advance.
Isl was told to reach the station by six
o'clock. The express train meeting us
is due now, ought to have laidIby for, it
at Sunbury. | was told to come ON.