The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-02-21

behind him. His lips moved as if he
were calculating chances and his eye
suddenly quailed, as if he saw death at
the end of the calculation.
What's the matter? What are
you going to do?' asked.
"'Obey.'
1.-The engine gave u long shrek Of
horror, that made me start as if it
were Blakely's own voice. The next
instant we rushed out of the station,
and dashed through the low-lying
farms at speed which seemed dan
gerous to me.
".Put in more coal said Blakely.
81 shoveled it in.
we are going very fast, Blakely,' l
venturcd.
He did not answer. His eyes were
fixed on the steam-gauge; his lips close
ly shut.
So More cOalr
g threw it in.
"Thc fields and houses began to fly
past, but half seen. We were near
Sunbury. Blakely's eye went from the
gauge to the face of the time-piece and
| back He moved like an automaton.
| There was little more meaning in his
| face.
".Morer without turning his eye
II took up the shovel-hcsitated
IS Blakely! We're going rery fast.
We're going at the rate of sixty miles
an hour
Coal
Il was alarmed at the stern, cold
rigidity of the man. His pallor was be-
coming frigh,ful.
{" threw in the coal.
AT least we must stop in Sunbury.
He had told me that was the next halt.
1.-The little town approached. AS the
first house came in view, the engine
sent out its shrek of warning; it grew
louder, louder We dashed into the
street, up to the station, where group
of passengers waited, and past it with
out the halt of an instant | caught Il
glimpse of the appalled, faces of the
waiting crowd. Then We were in the
fields again.
1.-The speed now became literally
breathless; the furnace glared red-hot
The heat, the velocity, the terrible
| nervous strain of the man beside me,
! seemed to weigh the air. found my
self drawing long stertorious brcaths.
like one drowning. heaped in the
coal ut intervals, as he babe me-
I'D have done nothing of the kind!"
interru pted one of the listeners. 1.-The
man was mad.
81 did it because | was oppressed by
an odd sense of duty, which l never had
in my ordinary brain-work l had
taken this mechanical task on myself,
and felt 4 structure upon me to 90
through with it at any cost. l know
now how it is that dali, ignorant men.
without a spark of enthusiasm, show
such heroism sometimes, as soldiers.
engineers, Captains of wrecked vessels
1t is finer thing than sheer bravery.
to my notion. However, l began to be
Of your mind. Wright, that Blakely was
mad, laborng under some sudden frenzy
from drink, though | had never seen
him touch liquor.
He did not move hand nor foot, en-
cept in the mechanical control of the
engine, his eye going from the gauge
to the timepiecc with steaiiness that
was more terrible and threatening than
any g'eam of insanity would have been
Once he glanced back ut the long train
sweeping after the engine, with head
long speed that rocked it from side to
side. You would cacth glimpses of
| hundreds of men and women talking,
reading. smoking, unconscious that
! their lives We're all in the hold of one
man, whom l now strongly suspected
to be mad. knew by his lock that he
remembered their lives were in his
hand. He glanced at the clock.
"'Twentv miles, he muttered
sThrow on the coal. Jones. The fire is
going OUT
Il did it. Yes, did it. There was
something in the face of that man that
| could not resist. Then l climbed for
ward and shook him by the shoulder.
"' Blakely.' l shouted, you are run
ming this train into the jaws of DEATH
81 know it, quietly.
So Your wife and child are en- it,
"'My Godr
"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
| pushed in the throttle-valve
g. l will not
"' Make up the fire, Mr.. Santlcy,'
very quietly.
~ will not. You may murder YOUR
self and your wife and boy, but you
shall no. murder me-
He looked at me. His kindly gray
eyes glared like those of wild beast
But he controlled himself in a moment
SO | could throw you out of this door.
and make short work of it. Bullock
here; do you see the station yonder?'
II saw a thin wisp of smoke against
the sky, about five miles in advance.
al was told to reach that station by
six o clock. The express train meeting
us is due now. | ought to have laid by
for it at Sunbury. l was told to come
on. The track is a single one. Unless
can make the siding at that station in
three minutes, we will meet it yonder
in the hollow
&C. Somebody blundered?'
"'Yes, l think so.
"sAnd you obeyed?'
HE said nothing. / threw on coal
If had had petroleum, l would have
thrown it on. But l lever was calmer
IN my life. When Death has a man ac-
tually by the throat it sobers him.
''Blakely pushed in the valve still
further. The engine began to give Il
strange painting sound Far off to the
south could see the bituminous black
smoke of train.
II looked at Blakely inquiringly. He
nodded. 1t was the express.
II stopped to the fire.
:" No more he said.
81 looked across the clear, wintry
sky at the gray smoke of the peaceful
little village and beyond, that black
line coming closer, closer, across the
sky. Then 1 turned to the watch.
"In one minute more
Gentlemen, / confess; l sat down
and buried my face in my hands. l
don't think l tried to pray. 1 had a
confused thought of Il mass Of mangled.
dying men and women, mothers and
their babies, and, vaguely, of merci-
| f,,1 God itflo ~, rlox, with ANIL,