Omaha daily bee., 1896-03-22

=.
away, while the fireman returned to hi
place at the furnace door.
The two men scarcely glanced at eacl
other again until they stopped for water a
Green River. but each in his own mind wal
recalling all the wild tales Of ghost trains
he had ever heard. Each was firm In thu
belief that he had seen a ghost" but h
would never tell it-not for his job.
The official in the special train felt the re
s~istance OF the engine when the engineer
shut of and reversed, and the general man
ager, turning to the superintendent, asked
with a show Of surprise: when did you pu'
In that siding?"
what, back there. that's Coyote spur
and it has been there for six MONTHS was
the reply.
81 know very WE'LL eaid the manager
where Coyote spur is, for we waited there
fifteen minutes for No. s going down ths
other day, but we Just passed a siding on
the north"
The superintendent was inclined to be
funny. but the colonel. stroking his long
gray PETERS. remarked that he had seen a
locomotive standing at the point mentioned,
and las trains are not In the habit OF meet
ing and passing between stations. | take 1t
that there must be a siding there" There
was just a twinkle Of mirth in the colonel's
eyes. which, despite the finger marks left
about them by the touch of time, are still
bright with the sparkle Of youth, but the
superintendent was utterly unable to under
stand the general manager.
There was silence for a little while, but
the general manager was by no means sat
ished. He dressed the button and when the
black porter came in he asked: Did you
see an engine on a siding back aways,
George?"
No, sab, / haven't saw no engine, daint
no sidin' 'cept Ci-ote spur, an dat wus
| clear"
Send the conductor to me-" said the
official, and when the conductor came In
the manager asked to be allowed to look at
the running orders.
"Run special to Grand Junction, avoiding
| all regular trains. Extra engine 81 has until
five ~ffty-fve $3.50 to make Coyote spur
| against you"
what time did you pass the spur?' de-
manded the colonel.
Precisely at 5:55," said the conductor,
now somewhat alarmed at the managers
air.
"Is there a siding between here and
Coyote?" asked the colonel, and the super
intendent. being at a loss to make out what
the manager was driving at, started to leave
the car, but his superior officer called him
back.
There Is not was the conductors re-
ply. perhaps said the colonel, there
was not when we went down, but there Is
now, for | saw a locomotive standing there.
The conductor laughed, as the superin-
tendent had done, but the colonel offered to
risk a case of champagne that he had seen
no ''ghost" train, and the superintendent
took the bet as the easiest way OF setting
an argument which was about to become
embarrassing.
When the special reached Green River the
party went into the eating house, where sup
per had been ordered, and, as was his haolt,
the colonel sat at the same table with the
train and engine crew.
What did shut off for just this side OF
Coyote spur, SAM" asked the colonel, look
ing the engineer in the eye, and instantly
the eyes of the whole party were upon the
drivers dusky face. The engineer was
speeches.. Not that the circumstances mad
escaped his mind, for as a matter of fact
he had thought Of little else, but he knew not
how to answer.
"Did you think that engine was on the
main line?" asked the general manager,
noticing the embarrassment of the engine
crew.
"What engine?" asked the engineer, try
ing to look and speak naturally.
"There was only one engine there be-
side your own was the colonel's response.
"Wiil you be good enough to answer my ques-
tion?"
'em. the G. MS got EN-" and he answered:
ct did think she was on the main STEM"
'What did you think, Harry" asked the
superintendent of the fireman, who was
staring at the engineer. The fireman only
closed his eyes and shook his head slowly
as IuUuSH Ue biiSi ~ 'o1 aH.
his long lashes, dark with coal dust, lay
upon his newly washed face like the lashes
of a chorus girl.
Did you see anything on your side?"
asked the colonel, who was determined to
unlock the lips Of the fireman.
mot a thing" said Harry. 81 don't be-
lieve in ghosts"
at will not be necessary for you to take
out 63 ian accident report, but I wish you
would tell me what you saw and how 1t
affected you" said the general manager, ad-
dressig the engineer.
May / ask you first II you saw any
thing, colonel?" said the driver.
81 saw a locomotive standing on a spur
or siding just east of Coyote"
when | see her first said Sam, talk
ing courage from the colonel's confession,
''she was bang in front of us coming out
of a cut like a ball out Of a cannon. |
saw it was all up with us, but | naturally
shut off-mechanically, so to speak. l
tie, open the sand valve nor get the air
they want no use-no time-but just then
| thought of little Sammie as ] saw him
last, hangin' on the fence by the seat NV
his pants, an it seemed to me that
never see anything quite so funny, and |
laughed that hard that the tears came in
eyes and blinded me. Then the
thought came to me that we were a long
coming together, so | looks ahead an
there wasn't a thing in sight. asked
Harry IL he see anything an he lied an
asked II I see anything an I lied too, an
opened up the throttle again. That's all
know about It."
There was a noticeable increase In the
of the company, and Tim FLAIR
,ity. the hagman, leaning low toward the
able. crossed himself and v%entured the
that they would have a head
md collision before they reached the june
ion. 81 never see a ghost train show up
yet that didn't mean something" he added,
mt the burst OF laughter that followed
,losed his circuit, and he said no more.
Now the agent came in with a number
~ messages for the superintendent, and as
he official began reading the first of the
OF he began to smile.
'Read il cut" said the colonel, perhaps
I will tell un something about the ghost"
rhe superintendeut read:
"Engine 81 il off the track and nearly off
he right of way, 1000 yards east of Coyote
pur. but still on her feet" 7,
That explained the ghost" engine. At
he instant when the engineer shut OFF, the I,
machine" just then rounding a
harp curve. jumped the track, lit square on
Ter wheels and went blowing out over the !
ard adobe of the desert. She rolled and |
ocked for a few seconds and then came to 4
stand with the engine men still standing in
he cab. The engine had been working hard
nd IL the throttle had remained open she
night have made the curve all right, but the