Iron County register., 1892-07-07

| WIZ PAhsAOA NAochSU
Ben was in the cab with his hand on
the throttle while a sturdy fireman
stood behind him.
The mayor looked again at the boy
and hesitated.
He'll take you through all right"
said the agent. Climb up to the fire.
mans seat and keep the bell ringing"
The mayor thought of the scenes of
| bioodshed, perhaps. taking place in his
| own town. He stepped into the cab.
See here" said he to the young engi-
neer, IF you take me through in sew
enty minutes I'll give you hundred
dollars, but if you feel uncertain about
your ability don't try it. What do you
say?''
''I'll go. SIR"
The passenger reached for the rope
and the bells clangor sounded through
the howl of the storm. Ben tried the
water guages, looked at the fire. and
then with his slender white hand drew
the lever to let the steam into the cylin-
| der.
With an angry hiss the engine started
on its way, followed by loud hurrahs
and waving caps from the office men.
On she sped, faster and faster. down the
inclined track, clicking over the switch
es and then out on the two threads of
steel that skirted the edge of the noun
tain side against which the storm was
beating.
The mayor sat very stifiiy upright,
and the fireman was perched back on
| the tender, while little misshappen Ben.
with hand on the throttle, was piercing
through the rain and mist, guiding the
whirring wheels.
The watchers at the station looked
after the locomotive until they saw it
shoot into the black opening of a short
tunnel, half mile down the canyon.
Then they saw the puff of smoke on the
/ other side and knew that all was well.
Soon they had returned to their duties
and had forgotten the trio taking the
long and dangerous flight.
The old Pilgrim went laundering on
down the road. Two miles, five miles,
ten miles, His honor grew nervous.
Never in his life had he ridden at such
a speed on that crooked mountain road,
now on one side of the stream and now
on the other, now into a tunnels dark
ness and now out on trestle over the
water.
But Ben was calm. The roar of ma
chinery and laundering tread of the
wheels prevented them from talking
and the locomotive bounded and
swayed as they rolled fercely over the
track
The Pilgrim seemed to exult in con-
scious power and many admiring gazers
watched it speed through the little
mining towns that afternoon. The
Sfn hal la=-nna1 hut ,,,no1-y- of
mosphere still encompassed the valley.
Ben's thin, white hand clinehed the
lever and his sharp eyes scanned eager
ly the track ahead and the machinery
below. Town after town and then came
Woodlawn, an incipient summer resort
for tourists, just half way. Here they
stopped for water. The mems faces
We're black with cinders.
shall we get to the Springs ia time?''
asked the mayor, looking at his watch.
'sNe have come this far in thirty-tive
minutes Can we do the OF her half in
thirty fve?"
Yes, SIR" said Ben, cheerily. ''in less
time than that"
Then you shall have two hundred
dollars"
Ben secretly determined to get to the
Springs in thirty minutes-but he failed
to do it.
They rushed on again. Cascade was
passed. Manitou. Ute Park-they were
now only fifteen miles from the city.
The mayor grew more and more anX-
ious as they approached their destina-
ton. In his minds eye he saw the city
in the hands of a mob and fearful bat
tles going on in the street.
Twelve miles.
Ten miles.
Eight miles.
In the region through which they
were now passing the storm had ragged
most fiercely of anywhere on the route.
Although the clouds had now passed
away, except for few hanging about
he hoary head of Pike speak. the roaring
stream showed how great had been
the volume of water poured down by
their force.
Just after they passed LongmOnt
there was a long descending grade. At
the bottom, the little stream, now
swollen into n river, which they had
been following made a sharp turn,
crossing the railways course, gurgting
under long bridge one hundred feet
from side to side and supported on piles
driven into the earth of the canyon and
the bed Of the river.
Down the grade toward the bridge
rushed the engine with fearful velocity,
the cab swim ,ing from side to side un-
til it seemed that it must throw the
three passengers out.
All at once Ben. straining his eyes to-
ward the flying perspective of rocks
and track ahead, perceived something
that made his heart leap into his
throat. The water on the lower side of
the bridge was thick with mud. This
was evidently from the banking behind
the piers of the structure. Was it pos
sible that the bridge was giving way?
To stop the engine was now out of the
question. Ben made up his mind in an
instant. With = quick, nervous jerk he
pulled the lever and let on full head
of steam. The Pilgrim sprang forward
like frantic creature. The mayor
turned and gazed at his frail engineer
Ben as leaning forward with flashing
eyes, scanning the danger. His lips
were set firmly and the onCentrated
intensity of his look made the boy al
most grand. He said nothing. He was
bent upon rushing the engine across
the bridge before it had time to sink,
even if the abutments were already
giving way.
In moment they were upon it. Ben
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