The Plymouth Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1878-1901, 1879-02-13
THE RED SIGNAL.

do you think you can get
through?"
~Yes, il steam and iron and steel
can do it. replied Dick Elliot, patting
the bright kept brasses of his engine
as il it had been some mammoth pet.
But" continued the superinten-
dent hesitatingiy, "you know the tel
egraplic reports of deep snow in the
cuts. frozen switches. and all that
sort OF thing?"
"Can't help it." was the confident
response. Dick Elliott and the
Monarch have never been stopped
never lost single trip since 1 first
pu' my hand on the lever and made
the whistle talk"
We'll, it is very important to make
the run, but many OF the boys think
it impossible"
The heavy -moustached lip Of the
engineer curled with scorn. Day and
night for ten years he had made lis
connections; and been singularly
!, fortunate; be was brave to the very
core of his heart: man possessed OF
uncommon strength, and, more than
all. believed in himself and that his
engine couli accomplish even sup..r-
natural things. Implicit faith had he
also in his fireman. Together they
had defled tempest and darkness;
had overle ped broken rails: dashe d
over swaying bridges, and sped
through Il iming timber and burning
prairie without blanching cheek oil
/ quiveIing nerve.
what do yoI think, Charlie?" he
questioned, turning to the fireman
Can We get through"
20: coursel' was the answer. III
we can't nobody can: and what the
Monarch can't do there is no use ol
Iany thing to try"
Dick Elliott laughed pleasantly
and announced to the superiuten.
dent his readiness to start as soor
as the steam was gotten up.
Still the official hesi,ated. Human
life was held at some value by him
and he knew and appreciated the
worth Of such a man as Elliott-i
man to be always trusted and true al
steel.
Il wish you to calculate the chan
ces well, Dick" he said. Il am tn,
very last TO send another TO death
and especially snch brave fellow al
you. Truthfully speaking,I think Their,
is considerable doubt about your be
ing able to get through. and there il
danger in the undertaking. Besides
your life is not the only one to b.
weighed. Your wife and children
"Don'tl" interrupted the engineer
drawing the sleeve OF his coat owe
his eyes-@don't talk OF them. j
anything should happen you woul'
. see they did not suffer. l know yo
, would, and Jennie would sooner die
ike man than skunk away from tn
danger like coward. Gc and fir
up. Charley, and we'll start"
"You are noble fellow, Dick" sal
the official. grasping the honest, toll
stained hand, "and your wife an
children shall not be forgotten i
anythnlg-"
"Oh." was the CHEEKY interruption
nothing will happen more than
break down, and I'll soon com
g whistling back and laugh at the me
| who are afraid OF a little roug
weather and snow"
A telegram was at that momeI
placed in the hand OF the superlnteI
dent, and his face darkened as b
n read it aloud:
"Line down at Marston. No con
= munication beyond"
And" interposed the engineer, wa
, vering for an instant, 1.-The long draw
bridge over the Deep River is beyon,
and-(immediately recovering IA
hardihood) but no matter, the tend,
Is careful fellow, and the red ligl
/! will certainly be burning il anythin
. is wrong. All ready, Charley? Wei
I'll just run over and bid Jennie an
the little ones goodbye, and get
pail OF dinner and
> You need not trouble yourse
;; about that said the superintendent
>. I'll see you have plenty to eat an
money In case Of" he was about
!, say accident" but changed it
= delay
"Good enoughl See that the I'll
is brisk, plenty OF steam. and ever