The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-07-13

l IArtner on. ne reCOgnlxed the same whistle, this time nearer, and at short intervals the signal was heard, coming rapidly nearer.
 alt must be wild train," Whitehead grumbled as the engineer reached for the rope and gave two short, sharp whistles only to hear the long, dan- gerous answers. Again in a snowshed, it occurred 1 to him that he had to "saw by" an east. bound freight at the next switch 25 miles further up the mountain, and as he left the shed the bell sounded three times and he brought his train to standstil as quickly possible. He could hear the doeful sound of the followers and the piston rods travelled back and forth in the cylinders in the crisp night air, but a sound more ominous than that was the long drawn whistles of the engine that was SO rapidly overhauling him. The conductor ran for ward at this juncture, and asked.
 "W hat did you stop for7"
 "What did you pull the bell-cord for?" rejoined Edwards.
 You're crazy, i" the conductor said "Now, pull her wide open and light out for the switches, because we've got to pass No. 19 there and besides there's wild train a-cmbing up on us. Dye hear2" Edwards drew back the lever with a strange feel ing. He opened the throttle, the wheels slipped on the steel rails, but they caught the sand the long heavy train began to move forward slowly. Both men in the cab could hear the sand grind, beneath the enormous weight of the engine The train in- creased in momentum as it moved forward, and in about five minutes running as fast as practi- cable on that portion of the road. The following train was approaching nearer and nearer. Again the short series of warning whistles was heard, which Edwards answered, but only to hear the wild train give the danger signal again He looked out of the window as he rounding a curve and noticed the other train rapidly approaching. Cold beads of sweat stood out on his forehead as he pulled the throttle wide open. Faster and faster the speed of the train increased and more danger ous was the track They were now in the very worst portion of the pass, where the snow banks were the most treacherous, and just in this part of the track was where the broken rail was reported. Every time the engine struck curve it seemed as though it was impossible for the small fanges to hold the engine to the rails. The cars were rock ing violently. The passengers were rudely awak- ened from their slumbers by the train striking snowdrft. The speed of the train so great that the train broke the drift easily and was soon roar ing through & snow shed. How the fireman la bored. His shirt was wet with precipitation, for the hungry furnace consumed the coal so quickly that the stack belched fire.
 The passengers, having been warned of the inn pending danger, had dressed themselves. The women were wringing their hands in despair, strange men were trembling, and the thought of every person on the train of the man whose hand rested on the throttle of the engine ahead. Would the rear train dash into the coaches and kill all the passengers? Who was their engineer2 Was he competent Was the engineer in the rear train mad? The curtains were all thrown up, a few daring men cung on the platform and glanced anx- iously back. The conductor started suddenly as he caught glimpse of the driving wheels of the rear train They were fully ten inches larger than those on the engine ahead. With hand tightly clinched on the throttle Edwards eye rgidly swept the track. He was good engineer, for even under that awful strain he had the presence of mind to shut off his steam In order to save it when running down grade without brake pressure and never once while running did he allow power to take the place of speed, fault of most engineers under excitement
 At this time the snow began to descend, and in the peculiar light that settles on the earth caused by the snow, Edwards saw something in back ward glance he took that made his blood freeze and almost caused his heart to cease beating. On the top of one of the cars of the rear train was tall white figure of man gesticulating wildly, while he could see 6 white form in the cab A terrible thought flashed through his mind-the train the train, the peculiar condiion-it was the phantom train.
 Without further barley, regardless of the broken