Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-02-13

GUS strain of the man beside me. SEEM
ed to weigh the air. l found myself
drawing long steetorious breaths. like
drowning. l heaped in the coal at in.
tervals, as he babe me.
I'D have done nothing Of the kindr
interrupted one Of the listeners. The
man was mad
u did 1t because l 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 l felt a structure upon me to 90
through with it at any cost. | now
know how it is that dull, ignorant men,
without n spark of enthusiasm, show
such heroism sometimes, 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. However, I
began to be Of your mind, Wright, that
Blakeley was mad, laboring under some
sudden frenzy from drink, though l had
never seen him touch liquor
" He did not move hand or foot, cx-
cept IN the mechanical control of the
engine. his eyes going from the gauge to
the timepiece with 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 head
long 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 l now strongly suspected
to be mad. | 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
81 did it. Yes, did it. There was
something in the face of that man that
| could not resist. Then l climbed
forward and shook him by the shout
der.
60 Blakely ! l shouted, "you are
running this train into the jaws Of
DEATH
AuoW ~, quietly.
"'Your wife and children are on it,
"'My God =
:" He staggered to his feet. But even
then he did not move his eye from the
gauge.
"In q minute
Make up the fire. he said and push
ed in the trottle valve.
"T will not
"Make up the fire, Mr. Santley,"
very quietly.
81 will not. You may murder your
selfand you wife and boy, but you shall
not murder me-
" He looked at me. His kindly gray
eyes Clared like those of n wild beast.
But he controlled himself in n mo-
ment
"I could throw you out of this door,
look here; do you see the station yon-
der p
g | saw thin wisp of smoke against
the sky, about five miles in advance.
"1 was told to reach that station by
six O'Clock. The express train meeting
us in due now. ought to have laid by
for it at Sunbury. / was told to come
on. The track is II single one. Unless
l can make the siding at that station in
three minutes, we will meet it yondcr
the hollow.
Somebody blundered?'
"'Yes, l think So
" And you obeyed?"
He said nothing. | threw on coal.
IT, had had petroleum, / would have
Thrown it on. But l never was calmer
in my life. When death has a man ao-
tually by the throat it sobers him.
Blakely pushed in the valve still
further. The engine began to give n
strange painting sound. Far off to the
south could see the bituminous black
smoke ola train.
II looked at Blakely inquiringly. He
nodded. 1t was the express.
Il 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 | turned TO the watch.
In one minute more
Gentlemen, | confess; ! sat down
and buried my face in my hands.
don't think | tried to pray. had 9
confused thought of a mass of manCled
dying men and women, mothers an(
their babies, and, vaguely, ola mercifu
God. Little Charley with his curls an(
pretty suit
"There was terrific shrek from the
engine, against which l leaned. An
other in my face. A hot tempest pas
me.
81 looked up. We were on the sid