Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1889-10-11

10 n standstul.
"Now for a spin back" he said. and
quickly reversing the engine, he opened
the throttle again. There was n peculiar
jumping motion az we started, and Harry
In some way lost his balance, fell for
ward and sideways, and, carrying the
lever down with him, opened the valve
10 its fullest capacity.
There was a sudden lurching forward
Of the car, and In a moment the tremen-
dous speed of the engine, added to the
force Of gravitation-for it was down
grade now-sent us forward like an ar
row. The air seemed to hiss past US, so
great was u speed.
Harry regained his feet ut once, and
called to me. Med, the lever is bent over
the guide rods. Help me straighten t."
But our efforts were useless. We only
bent it in another place. while the united
strength Of all three could not shut the
valve.
1.-THE brake, Ned said Harry, and
catching the wheel l gave it a quick turn.
Even as Isaw how loosely it spun around,
Harry exclaimed: "No use. The collar
is on Aliens bench. / saw it there this
morning. We are in for it. boysr'
We were. Even while we had been
making the discovery we had reached
the high embankment near the river. A
moment more and there was a Rur-r-r-rl
as we sped over the %trestle. A brief in
terval, scarcely noticeable, and a shorter
Rur-r-rl sounded. The next instant Ste
venton station and shops were before us,
and on the platform, with lantern held
above his head. stood the Waterman.
We had thrown ourselves fiat upon
the floor, forward. before crossing the
bridges. The car swung round the curve
in safety, gained the main line, and sped
on toward the next station Of Hanield,
a town Of some Importance twelve miles
below.
Willis had not spoken since our mis-
hap; he now asked, in a voice so changed
that l would never have known it, Don't
you think the Waterman will telegraph
them to sidetrack us at Hanfield or do
something for us?'
"He can't" said Harry. even If he
could find our operator, the Hanfield
Office is closed. Don't worry, boys" he
added coolly; were all right if our en-
CINE only runs down before the special
meets U.S."
Oddly enough, I had forgotten the
special train which was to bring twenty
two hundred recruits up to the camp at
Fairview, and as Harry spoke a chill
crept over me and a horrible buzzing
filed my ears. and then every sense was
strained TO catch some sign of the dread
ed train.
Still u speed was undiminished. We
sped through cuts and over bridges; past
barns and patches of woodland; through
fields and past quiet farm houses. On.
on, on.
"Harkg' called Harry, involuntarily
for we could not be more quiet OF alert
and then to our ears vas borne the sounC
of n distant whistle.
Tho special was comingl
/ Again the whistle sounded, nearer thar
/, before, and to me it seemed like a human
shrek.
In another moment we caught sight o.
a white light high above the track. The
, Central road crossed us here at grade
and this was the signal to the specia
train that our line was open. And ther
TO the left of the track we discerned {
lantern borne by a man who seemed tC
be running toward us. But these sight,
were forgotten in an instant as the glare
of a locomotive headlight burst full upor
us, lighting the rails ahead until they
seemed like bars Of fire.
What my feelings were / ann tell
l only know that / was powerless t.
move hand or foot. l could only watcl
the flaming meteor that ueared us Sc
rapidly.
All at once l saw a lantern swung alofi
at Il left, and the man who held i
shouted something I could not make out
Then, at the very moment that weseemeC
about to crash into the kissing monster
before us, our car swerved violently t
the left, while the two locomotives ant
the long train of cars Numbered by Oh
the other side.
A short distance W. ran with rapid.
slackening speed, then left the rails, and
! plunging into the sand, stopped short.
rolled off under the railing, and kney
nothing more until a man raised me t
i, nv feet and asked If | was hurt.
soon recovered sufficiently to wal
to the station, whittier Harry had pre-
coded me, while poor Willis, who lay a
one dead. was carried to the house of
physician near by.
4 There was not a little excitement owe
d our escapade, but it died away finally
with no prosecutions.
II came out that the Waterman 4
Steventon had rightly guessed the troubl
o when we sped by him, and had succeed
4 ell in getting a telegram to Hanfield jul
e in time to save us. To stop the speci;
II was of no use, even If they could do e
e in time, which was doubtful, as it wa
in sight when the message was received
10 So a man WIS sent to shift us to a sid
J track if possible, and this he succeede
g In doing, running us upon an uphill spu
% which led to a sand bank excavated L
the road.
Il was a long time before Willis coul
Il be brought home, so great was the shoe
j to his nervous system. He never full
e recovered, and died before he had reache
his twenty-third birthday.
4 Harry enlFared in no way from n