Nevada County picayune., 1888-07-25

ley.
 l shovelcd it in but took time.
 We are going very fast, Mark ley
 He did not answer me. His eyes were fixed on the steam gauge, his lips close shut.
 More coal" he said. threw it in.
 The fields and houses began to fly past. half seen. We were nearing Dufreme. the next station. Mark ley's eye went from the gauge to the face of the timepiece and back He moved like an automaton.- There was httlc more meaning in his face.
 'Morc," he said, without turning his eve. took up the shovel-hes- itatedl
 "Markley, do you know that you are going at the rate of sixty miles an hour?'
 Coal"
 l was alarmed at the steru, cold rigidity of the man. His pallor was becoming frightful. threw in the coal. The little town approached. As the first house came into view the engine sent its shrieks of warning; it grew louder-louder.
 We dashed into the street, up to the station. where group of passen- gers waited, and passed it without the halt of an instant, catching a glimpse of the appalled, faces and the waiting crowd. Then we were in the fields again. The speed now became literally breathless, the fur mace glarcd red hot The heat. the velocity. the terrible nervous strain of the man behind me seemed to weight the air. found myself draw ing long stertorous breaths like one drowning.
 I heaped in the coal at intervals as he bade me. l did it because I was oppressed by an odd sense of duty. which l never had in my ordinary brain work. Since then l have un- derstood how it is that dull. ignorant men, without spark of enthusiasm, show such heroism as soldiers, fire men and captains of wrecked yes Sels. It is this overpowerlng sense of routine duty. It's finer thing than sheer bravery, in my idea However, began to thing that Mark ley was mad-laboring under some frenzy from drink, although l had never seen him touch liquor.
 He did not move hand or foot, cN- ccpt in the mct hanical control of his engine. his eyes going from the gauge to the timc-piecc with steadincss that was more terrible and threaten ing than any gleam of insanity would have been. Once he glared back at the long train sweeping after the engine with headlong speed that rocked it from side to side.
 One could imagine he saw nun dreds of men and women in the car riages, talking, reading, smoking, ,un- conscious that their lives were all in the hold of one man whom l now strongly suspected to he mad. l knew by his look that he remember eel their lives were in his hand. He glanced at the clock.
 Twenty miles" he muttered.- Throw on more coal, Jack the fire is going out"
 II did it. Yes, did it. There was something in the face of that man I could not resist Then climbed forward and shook him by the shoulder. "Markley." I shout ed, ''you are running this train into the jaws of death"
 II know it" he replied quietly.
 Your mother is aboard this train"
 "Heayens. He staggered to his feet. But even then he did not re- move his eyes from the gauge.
 Make up the iire,' he comman- dcd, and pushed in the throttle valve.
 twill not"
 Make up the fire, Jack" very quietly,
 Il will not. You may murder yourself and mother, but shall not murder me. ."
 He looked at me. His kindly gray eyes glared like those of wild beast. But he controlled himself q moment
 II covld throw you off this engine