The Red Cloud chief., 1895-07-26

view the engine sent its shrieks of warn.
ing; 1t grew louder-still louder.
We dashed over the switches, up tc
the station, where a group of passengers
waited. and passed 1t without the halt
or an instant, catching n glimpse of the
appalled, faces and the waiting crowd.
Then we were In the fields again. The
speed now became literally breathless.
the furnace glared red hot. The heat.
The velocity. the terrible nervous strain
or the man beside me seemed to weight
The air. | found myself drawing long,
stertorous breaths, like one drowning.
heaped In the coal at Intervals as
ie bade me. l did 1T because | was op-
pressed by an odd sense of duty which
never had In my ordinary brain-work.
since then ! have understood how II f.
mat dull, ignorant men. without n spark
OF enthusiasm. show such heorism ag
Folders, fremen. and captains of wreck-
81 vessels.
1t is this ovcrpowering sense of
routine duty. It's a finer thing than
sheer bravery, in my idea. However,
l hegan to think that Marley was mad
-~labdring under some frenzy from,
drlnk, though / had never seen him
touch liquor.
He did not move hand or foot. OK
celt In the mechanical control Of hi,
engine, his eye going from the gauge
to the t%ime-piece with n steadincss that
was moro threatening than any CLEAN
or insanity would have been. Once he
Glared back at the long train sweeping
after the engine with "A hcadlong speed
that rocked 1t from side to side.
one could imagine he saw a hundred
men and women in the cars. talking.
reading. smoking. unconscious that
'heir lives We're all in the hold Of one
man, whom | now suspected to be mad.
knew by his look that he remembered
thai their lives were in his hand. He
slanced at the clock.
Twenty miles, he muttered. Throw
on moro coal. Jack: the fire is goirc
QUE"
did 1t. Yes. / did 1t. There was
something in the face OF thai man I
not resist. Then | climbed forward
and shook him roughly by the shoulder.
"Marhlcy.' / shouted. you are run-
ming this train into the jaws of DEATH
Il know It," lac replied, quietly.
Your mother Is on board"
"l~fcavcns!"
He staggered to his feet. But even
then he did not remove his eyes from
the gauge.
Make up the fire." he commanded.
and pushed in the throttle valve.
Il viii not"
MAX up the fire, Jack very
quietly.
Il will not. You may kill yourself and
your mother, but you shall not murder
mel"
He locked at me. His kindly gray eyes
g!arod Hike those of a wild beast, but
L. controlled himself in "A moment
Il could throw you off This engins
and make short work of you" he said.
bat. hook here, DO you see the station
yondcr?'
saw a ain streak in the sky about
i've miles ahead.
II was told to reach that station by
6 o'clock" he continued. THE express
train meeting us IL due now. | ought
TO have laid by for 1t at Dufrcme. |
WAS told to come on. The track Is n
single M Unless I can make the sid
ing at the station in three minutes, we
shall meet in youdcr hollow
'~SoWobody's bluudcr?' / said.
"Ioa. / think So
. f"h4f il'aliAATs I AsAfN On coal. II L
had patroleuSS | should have thrown
Il on; hut | ucyeg was cJlmer In my
life. when death actually stares q man
In the face. 1t often frightons him into
The most perfect cOmpusure. Narklcy
pushed the valve still farther. The on
zine began TO give a strange painting
sound. Far off 10 the south / could see
the dense black smoke or q train. [
lAa.G1 gt nFApFrf.Ha nr,lrH,-f..1. IL.
nodded. Il was the express. / stopped
% The fire.
mo more" lie said.
y iOoEod across the clear summer Sky
~ TIE gray SMOKE Of the peaceful little
Village, and beyond that at a black line
coming closer. closer, across the sky.
rAcn 1 turned to the watch. In one
minute move-weil, I confess | sat down
ard buried Ely face In my hands. | don't
think | tried to pray. | had a confused
thought OF manglcd. dying men ana
Women-G,cthcrs and their babies.
There ives n terrible shrek from the
engine, pEainBt which ! leaned, another
~ my !Icc. \ hot, kissing tempest
swept cast me. ! looked up. We were
on the sidluE. and the express had gone
by. 1t gggzed end car IN Passing.
IN q rort Of dolirlous joy. I sprans uo
and shouted 10 Marley. He did not
speak. lie sat there inmovable ana cold
as a stone. ! went to the train and
brought his mother 10 him, and, when
he opened his eyes and took the old
lady's hand In his, l turned hastily
away,
Yes, gentlemen, I have been in many
4 railway accident, but | nave always
considered that the closest shave / ever
had.
what was the blunder?'
Il don't know. Aiarkley made light
of It ever aftcrwara, and kept II a Sc
cret; but no man on the limo stood so
high IN the confidence Of the company
after that rs he. Ig mis- GOODNESS and
nerve he had saved a hundred lives.
Cobra cntclcrs.