Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1891-09-18

from side 10 side along the road,
seemed like a fugitive fleeing for its
life.
Faster, faster. ever faster, they
ran, but nearer, nearer, ever nearer.
came the runaway engine.
Tho frightened passengers now be
gan TO leap from the windows, or
jaa p from the platforms. They flew
like balls through the air, and went
wlirliag down the embankments-
that is, the men dill.
The womoa never bulgcd. Some
swooncd, some prayed, some threw
| themselves about their male compan.
joins and wildly begged them to save
tliem.
These hapless wrctchcs sat. some
weak with fright, some sworc, scmc
wtpt, and some burst from .he de-
tining. grasp Of their female COM
panions, aud Jumped of, as has al
ready been told.
+ The drummer did this. lie cast off
Jcnny's arms with unnecessary vio-
lence, and then he burst out of a
window and was gone.
lie went hurting through the air
like u new sort of cannon ball. lie
struck the earth half way down the
clnbanknent, and rolled to the bottom,
Flowing up the ground a' he did.
Before Jenny could take it in, lie
had vanished, for the cying train had
borne her on. But when she did, she.
felt shocked at his dcscrion.
To t!.inG that he should leave her at
such a time! If die they must, why
not die together? John would never
have acted 50. Never! Oh, John.
Oh John!
Then she thought of Mckee at the
engine. All their hope of escape
rested OH him As she rcmemb cred
how she had treated him, sickenilg
Feeling of shame aud fright, qucerly
blended together, came over her.
She looked out Of the window, and
saw him looking back, his face quite
white aud SET, watching fheir pur-
sncr
Mckee stood with his hand OH the
throttle of his engine, desperate but
4ool. The officials knew their mau
/ Si,cn they put him here
lie turned on al the steam he coull,
and tic trees and houses by the road
side seemed TO fly by him in con-
fused mass.
But strain and strain as they might,
the pursuing engine gained steadily
on them.
lie thought of the girl in the rear
car. lie looked out Of the window,
and saw the engine nearly on them.
The sides of the long train were n mass
of weaving heads and hands. He
saw Jenny hanging out of window.
She waved at him. ooh, John! Oh,
John! for Gods sake, save me-" she
exclaimed.
The cngi"e was nearly on them.
Their engine had reached her top
spced-shc could 90 no faster.
Tho runaway neared thcm-was on
fhem-struck them-and stopped. Her
steam was exhausted She had run
TO the last gasp.
But the train hurried on like a crea-
turc struggling for lif,. Gradually
she diminished her speed, then slowed
up and stopped.
They were savedl
The rescued passengers dashed out.
They laughed. They wept. They
embraced each other.
"John! John!'' cried they. "But
for Mckee we would have been lost!"
They crowded around him as he
leaped from his engine.
But his GOODNESS was gone now. lie
shook and staggered like drunken
man. They seized him; they huggcd
him; shook his hands, kissed HIN.
"Is Jennie safe?" he asked in
husky voice.
All eyes turned OH her The coquet
in Jennie had died of sheer fright
She now came forward, snatched the
engineers grimy hand and kissed it.
only hero! My herow she sobbed
in burst of hysterical joy.
But John turned away. covering his
face with his hands.
ooh, John! Oh, Johnl" sobbed she
and something in the tone of her
voice rewarded Mckee for all he had
endured.
Ole of the crew now manned the
runaway engine. The monster was
quite helpless. Then the train began
slowly to back, pushing their late pur-
sucr before 1t. Stopping every now
and then they picked up their casta-
ways, some bruised, some with bones
broken, but none killed.
The drummer had his leg fractured,
his eye bunged, and cut across his
face that narred his beauty.
But strange enough Jenny did not
view him with as much pity as John
did. His selfish cowardice filled her
with contempt. True, she had been
equally as frightened herself, but
that, she said, was different. She was
a woman.