The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1896-06-04

n boy. and this boy had climbed up
on a picket fence TO kiss his father
goodbye that morning at their home
in Salt Lake, but he slipped. fell and
hung there with a fence picket through
the seat of his first pair of trousers;
and it was all s 20 funny that now as
the engineer recalled the circumstance.
he threw back his head and laughed
as heartily as he had ever laughed in
his life. The fireman. casting a fare
well glance ut his companion, saw him
laughing and concluded, in his last
moment that the driver had suddenly
become insane. but, as he glanced
ahead where death was waiting. he
was not sure that he was sane him
self.
The driver, having finished his laugh
and still feeling no shock, looked
ahead. The track was clear. He un-
latched the reverse lever and threw
the engine in the forward motion and
the speed of the train, which had been
but little checked. carried them away
down among the sand hills. The driv-
er looked over at the fireman and
asked: Ibid you see a%nything?'
NO" said the fireman. did you?"
and the driver said no. tried his water
and opened the throttle and the en-
CINE whirled away. while the fireman
returned to his place at the furnace
door.
The two men scarcely glanced at
each other again until they stopped
for water at Green River. but each in
his w mind was recalling all the
wild tales of ghost trains he had
rye heard. Each was firm in the be-
lief that he had seen a ghost but
he would never tell it-not for his job.
The official in the special train felt
the resistance of the engine when the
engineer shut her off and reversed, and
the general manager. turning to The
superintendent, asked. with a surprise:
when did you put in that s%idingY'
what, back there, that's Coyote
spur, and it has been there for six
months" was the reply.
Il know very well,' said the man
ager, "where Coyote spur is. for we
waited there fifteen minutes for No. s
going down the other day, but we just
passed a siding IN the north"
The superintendent was inclined to
be funny. but the colonel. strOking his
long gray PETERS. remarked that he
had seen n locomotive standing at the
point mentioned, and las trains are
not in the habit of meeting and pass
ing between stations | take it that
there must be a siding there" There
was just a twinkle of mirth in the col
oncls 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 understand the gen
cral manager.
There was silence for a little while,
but the general manager was by no
means satisfied. He pressed the but
ton and when the black porter come in
he asked: Did you see an engine on Il
siding back aways. GEORGE"
NO. sab. | haven't saw no engine,
d'aint 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 en-
gine 81 has until five tifty-five (J:55) to
make Coyote spur against YOU
What time did you pass the spur
demanded the colonel.
Precisely at 800" said the conduc-
tor. now somewhat alarmed at the
managers air.
rs there a siding between here and
Coyote?" asked the colonel, and the SUI
perinteDdent being at a loss to make
out what the manager was driving at
started to leave the car, but his supe-
rior officer called him back.
There is not was the conductors
reply. Perhaps" said the colonel
there was not when we went down,
but there is now. for | saw a locomO-
tive standing there
The conductor laughed as the super
intendent had done. but the colonel of
fered to risk a case of champagne he
had seen no ghost train, and the SUI
perintendent took the bet as the east
est way of settling an argument which
was about to become embarrassing.
When the special reached Greer
River the party went into the eating
house.whcre supper had been ordered
and, as was his habit, the colonel sat
; ut the same table with the train ant
engine crew.
: What did you shut off for just thi;
: side of Coyote spur, SAM" asked thu
, colonel. looking the engineer in thu
; eye, and instantly the eyes of TIT
/ whole party were upon the driver;
p dusky face. The engineer was speech
less. Not that the circumstance hat
: escaped his mind, for as n matter o