Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-09


eyes; every nerve and muscle in his athletic
| frame at Its highest tension, Joe is closely
watching the track ahead for the danger
that may arise at any moment
Meantime how Jared It with the little
woman We left flying down the street?
Polly reached the road crossing out of
breath and trembling like a leaf She ston-
ped in the middle of the track ana Iis,e1aS
The train had not passed; OF this she ySaS
If it had. VAC i0au
All! A bright light is dancing on the rails
at the end of the curve and now she can
plainly hear the low rumble of the heavy
,Iain on the rails. A moment later the
brilliant electric headlight is throwing its
powerful rays down the line, and now for
the first time since she left the house she
thinks to look at her lantern and is al
most frozen with horror to find 1t had gone
OUT; A little glowing coal still on the wick
told Its own story:
1t was out of Oil
God help me now. What shall / dor
cried the girl in an agony of distress, as
she held the glistening shape at arms
length and could see no sign Of light within
! the dark globe.
Then, even as the hoarse note Of the
aupisx whistle broke on the night air. CIV
ing the crossing signal. less than eighty
RODS away. there came to her mind, as
plainly as If she had seen the very Incl
dent he told Of. story Of her engineer
lover that would save his life now.
Polly was sitting on the porch sewing,
while Joe lounged on the steps at her feet
He had been telling her of his past life,
and OF the many hardships he had endured
when he had first commenced railroading.
He had told her many tales of thrilling
interest of life on the road, and many show
ing the humorous side of the men of hts
vocation. She had been listening attentive
ly, and while watching his face as he told
of a particularly exciting event in his own
life, her loving eyes had discovered a little
scar only faint line now, on his forehead.
What did that Joe?" she asked, as she
pushed back the curly hair that she might
see 1t plainly.
"Oh. brakeman out on the Central
Branch. Hit me with a lantern"
why, Joe? Were you fghting?"
Fighting? Not much. Why, my dear,
that man saved my life when he did that"
Tell me about it, please Joe" pleaded his
pretty listener.
Its not much of a story but I'll tell you
about it If you want. 1t happened when
was running that little passenger engine on
the branch, four years ago. i had been out
all day on a special two officers cars full
of big officials on a tour Of inspection
When We got to the end of the road. they
decided that they must go back TO E
that night. 1t had commenced to rain and
1t was as dark as the"
"Joev'
..Weil, so dark you couldn't see anything
had broken my headlight chimney and
couldn't get an extra one there, 50 1 put a
white lantern in the headlight reflector, and
IL gave just enough light to show any one
on the track that We were coming, and that
was about all.
1--WE got orders about Q o'clock and pulled
out with, as we supposed, a clear track. i
had made about seventy OF the ninety-hve
miles We had to go. and was sailing them
along about forty-five or fifty miles an hour.
when something came through the front
window of my cab. hit me square IN the
face and dropped into my lap. i picked it
up. knew what II was the minute I touch
ed II, a lantern. and a red one at that.
Il set my brake. pulled the sand lever open
and reversed her. She skated along a little
way and then stopped with a sudden jar.
When l got down on the ground ] found
she had poked her nose under a freight
caboose. II 1t hadn't been for that brake
and his red light, I'd a split that train wide
open, and you'd probably had some other
fellow In tow now.
You see. 1t was this way. The freight
had been running ahead Of us and had
broke down. The conductor had sent his
nag out all right. but the brakeman, run
ming back over the wet and slippery tics,
had stumbled and fell putting out both his
lanterns. He had matches. but he was wet
through and OF course the matches were
ruined. He had started to go back to the
caooose to light his lamps when he heard
me-, me whistle 1or a road crossing little
piece back Then he ran towards me, got
as far as he could. and. Just as I passed
him, fired his lantern through the window
Pretty good scheme that. Wasn't itr'
This was the story that photographed f..
sell on Poily's brain as she stood in the
track Of the black monster that was SO rap
IDLY nearing her. Perfectly cool now she
stepped 70 the side OF the track. ana. with
uphfted arm. braced herself to take as she
thought. the only chance to ave her lover
from an awful death
on the engine joe as soon as he got out
ca Ihe straight track, could see something
A "a.
rear enough to see who IL was and know
Ing full well 1t could be no trif,ing matter
that had brought his little sweetheart there
AT tnat time OF night and alone. he shut
OH steam and applied the air brake Then,
as ne got down on the step. prepared to
get on as soon as the speed OF the train
siackened sufficiently. he said to his fire.
man:
stop her. Tim. and back up for me"
Murphy had hardly Strengthened up On
the footboard when there came a crash of
broken glass, blow on the shoulder from
some heavy object: and a shattered red
"Howly Moses! Pfwhats dthatr Me
shoulders broke intirely"
a glance at the bent frame and broken
glass lying in the bright light of the omen
firebox door told him. and the reverse lever
Of the powerful locomotive went back with
jump.a stream OF sand was pouring down
on the rails beneath the big driving wheels,
and the little Irishman at the throttle was
the 16O pounds Of steam she carried.
Hearing the crash the lantern went
through the window, Quinn took desperate
chances. and as the engine cleared the
crossing, jumped to the ground The
speed Of the train was so great that he
was unable to keep his feet, and he rolled
into the ditch beside the track. He was
on his feet again in an instant and, run
ming back to the crossing, found Polly's
slender form lying in the road; for the first
time in her vigorous young life she had
tainted.
When she opened her eyes her head was
on Joe's broad breast and the blue and gold
conductor. lantern N hand. was cycling her
severely. while a small but rapidly growing
crowd Of passengers stood around and
wondered what had happened.
Her story was soon told and as she was
on her way back home under the protection
Of the baggagemaster, Quinn went thun-
dering down the hill with the light engine
her cab and tender crowded with an armed
posse recruited from among the passengers,
and led by that muscular little Irishman N,
Murphy, who sported a murderous looking
messenger. The engineer knew VIII ere to
stop now, and as they slipped up to the
end Of the trestie they saw a skuIking
shot or two after II. but when the party
searched the woods In the bottom there
was no sign OF any OF the robbers to be
found. In the timbers Of the bridge between
the rails the found four big oak ties SO
placed that they would surely have thrown
the train to the rocks below.
Nt,,a A-,. - n-rn-