The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1896-03-07

jump the track because the switches
would be turned wrong!"
Indeed, doctor, there is no dan.
ger, believe me. AT all of the sta.
tions the switches will be turned for
the train that is to leave first in the
morning, and as that is mine you
need have no fear about coming
with me-.
But the crossings are not closed,
and as no one expects tt ain at this
time we might be the cause of a
great deal of harm to passing
teams.
mo, no; know every inch of the
ground and shall exercise the great
est care when we come to the cross.
ings. And, besides, who would be
out in weather like this?"
But what you propose doing is
against all rules and regulations.
You will lose your position, be-
sides being responsible for all that
may happen.
What do | care for that if | could
save my child? You can do this for
me if you only will. On my knees
beg of you to come with me. Oh,
have pity on met
The doctor yielded,
Like some wild spirit of the night
the solitary engine sped through the
stormy darkness. Mattern had not
awakened his fireman for the reason
that he did not wish to create any
unnecessary excitement in the en-
gine house. When the doctor had
taken his place, Mattern threw a
can of oil on the fire in order to put
the engine in quicker motion, and
they We're soon flying along at a
fearful speed, which was only less
ened as they passed the first station,
which they did without accident, as
switches We're turned in the right
direction,
The doctor sat down in corner
and tried to finish his broken nap,
and Mattern divided his attention
between keeping up the fire and
regulating the speed of the engine.
Had DR.. Sardo any idea of the dan
ger he was in he would not have
thought of going to sleep.
The last station was passed in
safety. There were only seven miles
moro to make, and they would be
at their destination.
While bending down to his work
Mattern suddenly felt the engine
give a jerk. A terrible cry follow
ed Mattern sprang up and look ed
about him. By the light of the en-
gine he could see that they had just
passed railroad crossing. The
next moment they We're again flying
along in the darkness and storm.
"What was that?" asked the doc
tor, who had been reused out of his
sleep.
"Oh, nothing-very likely stone
or other substance that became fast
between the rails - answered Mat
tern, With choking breath. "In a
few minutes we shall be there
He slackened the speed of the en-.
gine, but he did it mechanically, as
if in dream. That fearful cry al.
most made his heart stand still.
He could well imagine what had
happened. Some cart or wagon must
have been crossing at the time his
engine came tearing along in the
darkness like some spirit of evil,
and no doubt he was the cause of a
terrible calamity. If not, what was
the meaning of that sudden jerk,
followed by a heartrending cry?
There was the station. Mattern
could only see dimly through the
darkness, but knew the shape of the
building too we'll to be mistaken. He
stopped the engine and took the
path to his home, followed by the
doctor.
Through tho window on the sec
ond floor he could see a light shin
ing. Very likely it was there his
child was lying, wrestling with
death, and to save this child he had
perhaps killed and wounded-how
many others!
He groaned aloud. Slowly he
dragged his weary feet up the stairs.
His wife opened tho door at his
knock.
His boy was still living. Mattern
saw his ashen face and heard his
breath. In his cars sounded
again the awful cry that he had
heard a short time before. His
nerves, that for hours he had kept
under control, gave way, now that
he had reached his destination, and
he fell to the floor insensible.
1t was late the next morning when
the engineer regained consciousness,
he could not yet collect his
thoughts very clearly A rack;ng
headache prevented this. His limbs
seemed immovable and heavy as
lead. In the room in which he found
and which herecognized as
their living room, deathlike still
ness reigned. He tried to lift his
head, but in vain. He fell back on
the pillow with a groan.