The Penn's Grove record., 1894-06-29

! aDOut nlnl. Ildluly, UhO hiSo etiuS
to do was to warn the engineer OF the
EXPRESS But this must be done
without alarming the passengers and
Throwing them into a panic Some
nersons would have been lust foolish
enough, on making the discovery
which Kent had, to run back through
the train, crying, 'Get ready to Jump
for your lives! There's a runaway
freight train on the track behlnd
US !"
But Kent did not even hurry
through the cars on his way forward
to the engine, lest he should thereby
excite the suspicious of the passeni
gers. Even the brakeman did not
suspect any danger from his actions
as he passed through the train. But
as o as he reached the baggage
car, where the conductor was sitting,
he motioned the latter to follow him.!
Rushing to the forward platform, he
climbed on top of the tender and
shouted:
"Faley !"
The engineer did not hear him ct
first.
"Faley ~
The man turned quickly.
'Crowd on steam! That freight
train has broken in two, and is chas-
ing us down the grade !"
''Good Col ~ exclaimed the con
! ductor, who had followed Kent out
on the platform of the b-aggage-car.'
.,Let her out, Faley! l will go
back and signal you from the rear
car"
The conductor disappeared, and
Kent crawled over the tender into the
engine-cab.
Faley had already '1et her out" as
much as he dared on so steep a grade.
Presently, however, came the cleaE
signal of the conductors bell, 'Morc
steam" Faley's hand was on the
throttle, but he hesitated. Its
worse to jump the rails than to get
oyerhauled ON the track" he mutt
tered. ''But here goes! I'm in this
cab to obey orders"
He threw the throttle wider open,
and the great engine rocked and
plunged at most terrific speed down
the steep incline.
''Those stone cars must be terribly
heavv," exclaimed Kent.
"Yes; how many of them broke
loosc-do you know" said Faley.
mot exactly" replied Kent; ''but
I should say four or five"
enough to smash the whole ex-
press to bits" muttered the engineer.
otis curious how much faster ii
loaded freight car a travel on a
down grade than a locomotive, even
Seems to get a greater momentum
Good Heavens! he wants more
steam"
The conductors bell clainored its
signal twice. Faley threw the throt-
tic wide open. "There!" he ex-
claimed, 'if that doesn't ave us, it
will smash US"
Kent Ballard had been thinking
very hard for a few minutes. A pro-
jcct was forming itself in his mind.
Suddenly he grasped the engineer by
the sleeve and asked, eagerly:
''How far ahead is the next sta
tion?"
about five miles"
"Siding there?"
ayes"
Telegraph OPERATOR"
eyes"
"Goodl l have a plan. Let M
work the whistle. I'll signal them,
What is the name Of the station?"
"Mineville."
Kent Ballard grasped the whistle
cord. In sounds corresponding tn
those of the Morse code when ticket
out by the instrument he signalled.
"Mineville! Attention."
pca Atadfr Che G Few cs sfifond If. pause Far h are re r.;
from the station now?" ne asked.
"Between three and four miles,
answered the engineer. "You u
| calculate a little more than a mile to
the minute"
Kent repeated the call once more,
and allowed a pause of ten seconds.
Then he t~elegraphed by sounds:
"Open the siding, quick"
Then a pause Of ten seconds. and
again:
'Open the siding"
The station was now in sight.
Men were running to and fro in front
Of 1t.
"1've t~elegraphed them to open the
sidingl" shouted Kent in Faley's ear,
tor the traiI was roaring and thunder
ing on at terrific speed.
"Aud sure enough they've done It'll"
exclaimed Faley, shutting of steam
and setting the brakes. 1.-THE signal
SAYS, Siding open.' You've either
killed us or cured us-depends on how
close behind the freight cars are"
1t was a minute of terrible sus-
pense. The express. its speed slack
ened just in time by the wonderful
J. -brakes, glided on to the siding.
Would there be time to throw open
the main track again before the run
away freight cars came on?
Jump! We've done everything
we cam" cried Faley to Kent and the
fireman, as the express stopped on the
siding. Even as they jumped there
was a roar like a thunder peal ON the
right side of the engine, and a dark
shadow passed with the swiftness Of
lightning.
1t was the runaway freight cars
laundering by on the main track.
The station master had thrown open
the switch rod and closed the siding
just in time.
! 1t was not long after this expert
encc that Kent Ballard got his pro-
motion; and the next time that he
visited the Rockies it was as assist
ant general passenger agent of the
e., ID. and F. Railroad. On this trip
he brought his mother with him in a
Pullman car.-The Independent
DOING COOP BY SrEALrH.-Mis.