The Newtown bee., 1892-10-14

saved from the wreck had brown eyes
like Brier Rose? / remember the baby
smiled when / held it out to the men.
couldn't move. I've never seen Brier
| Rose smile at me that way. IL / had saw
ed her perhaps she would. Do you think
so, Joe?"
| At home, Rose was thinking of the
story of Dawes bravery in the wrecked
train, of the lives he had saved, of his
defence of her.
And to-day in return she had Knocked
him. Aye, if the look he gave her spoke
truly, she had cut him to the heart.
Tears-tears in the eyes of Brier Rose.
| III.
The position of telegraph operator at
Red Valley was given to Dave Comstock.
The afternoon freight, heavily loaded,
had just pulled clumsily out of the Weep
ing Willow station, with Dave on the
rear platform of the way car.
The A, having come down on the rear
of the freight as second engine, now
stood on the siding, waiting to go back
to Horseshoe for the midnight express.
| Old Bryan was up in a crowd of men
in front of the post office. Brier Rose
watched him anxiously. AS long as he
kept away from the Owl she felt easy.
| He knew she was watching him. He al
so knew that she would not hesitate to
come after him if the Owl proved too
strong an attraction. Therefore he kept
away.
She trod fearlessly along the side of
the boiler, rubbing the hand rail with a
black oil sodden cloth. She touched the
engine as if she loved it. Every part of
| it shone like the sun. Every valve work
ed with precision. Every screw was Sc
cure. Joe laughed to see her fling
shovelful of coal into the furnace like
| born fireman.
His own machine called his attention
from the A. Then Rose heard him cry
out, and, springing down, she rushed in
to the station.
GA runaway engine coming this way"
he said, hoarsely. ''Spite work of dis
charged engineer. No one on her-go-
ing % miles an hour-a single track
Dawes train only going fifteen-the A
and that ere car on the only siding be-
tween here and Red Valley. My God!'
"Where is it? 90 cried Brier Rose.
sit broke away from Horseshoe Gap.
Message is from Prairie City. It's al
ready passed Prairie City headed straight
for here. It's bound to. catch Dave be-
fore his train gets to Red Valley"
Rose turned white to her very lips.
She covered her face with her brown
hands. Only for moment, though.
Then she flung back her head and look
ed Joe full in the face.
81 can save HIM" she cried. She
sprang for her engine and climbed into
the cab.
"Rose! Rose - roared Joe in dismay.
Rose turned her white face toward him
imploringly. "Be at the switch, Joe,
and listen for my signals, as you value
Dawes lifel - she cried. Then she pulled
the throttle valve out to it's full extent.
The engine shivered all over and, at 80
miles an hour, the A driven by Brier
Rose leaped down the track to meet the
runaway.
There was not moment to lose. A
certain number of miles, lessening every
moment, lay between the numbering
freight, with Dave on board, and the cru
ell, senseless, runaway engine. Between
them was Brier Rose, with just chance
of safety.
She knew that loosened rail or any
obstruction would hurl her to her doom,
and still not avert disaster from Dave.
The whistle of the A shrilled out an I'M
earthly screech continually to warn even
the birds from futtering too near the
messenger of life.
The engine rocked from side to side at
the dizzy rate of speed. For the first
time, the oGor of hot oil made Rose feel
faint. She hung out of the cab window
painting for breath and her hands cling
ing crafty to the window for support.
Suddenly she saw smoke in the dis
lance. Larger and larger grew tho black
speck on the track. Faster and faster
flew the Al to meet it. Nearer and near
er came the runaway. When she could
plainly see the shape of the approaching
engine, she closed the throttle with rush
that made the A tremble. She reversed
her engine and, at little less than %
miles an hour, began running away from
the runaway.
Slowly, almost imperceptibly, gained
on her brave engine. A horrible fear
took possession of her that it was COM
ing too slowly, and that they both would
reach Dawes train before she stopped the
runaway. She changed the speed and
let the engine gain on her faster.
II can signal for the siding if | fall
thought Brier Rose. sJoe will obey my
signal But she shuddered
In sight of Weeping Willow at last.
The A whistled frantically. Rose sig
nailed for clear track and, only train
length apart, the A and the runaway
flew past the little station platform,
crowded with every man, woman and
child in town.
Joe understood her plan now. He
bounded into the station, frenzied with
excitement, telegraphed to Red Valley
what Brier Rose was doing; then from
sheer nervousness he squeezed Foxy I'M
til he yelped wildly.
Out of sight of Weeping Willow and
Dawes train in the distance, nearer and
nearer came the runaway. The A snort
ed in defiance of being caught. Rose
braced herself for the shock. Crash
came the coWcatcher of the runa way into