The indicator., 1897-03-27

Still was dumb. felt like
drunken man. who Unexpectedly finds
himself in the grip Of justice charged
with mutiyele5s murder remember
ing the act but wholly unable to COM
prehend. it. Then something happened.
again / felt the light touch on my
shoulder
AS that soft touch thrilled me. the
front of the car, the ear before II. the
whole train. seemed to melt into mist.
| saw them in shadowy outline but
they did not Impede my view. Beyond.
stretching on through the starlit snow
fields, lay the dark line OF the track,
which, at the distance OF about two
miles, swung out OF sight behind a
rocky hin on of sight. but not out
OF my sight, for as | gazed the hill
also seemed TO resolve itself into haze.
and | looked right through 1t. And
there. swiftly rounding the curve-"An
engine is coming / shouted. 1T Is
running wild. In half minute it will
be in sight"
You're drunk, cried the brakeman
or crazy" and he shook me. The
the vision vanished
But she caught the conductors arm.
The man is right" she cried.
Don't you see. Re quick"
The conductor started as II stung
and his face whItencd.
My God he circulated. In an
other instant he was standing in the
snow by the track straiuiug his eyes
up the line and We We're beside him,
The conductor ran toward the en-
gine
"unshackle her. Hank" he shouted
Pull your throttle fun open. Dave
and let her drive"
Almost as he spoke the big loco
motive gave titanic gasp and heavs
of sudden effort; her mighty drivers
spun and slipped, then caught the rails.
and she started with a bound like d
race horse pricked by the spur
Now juGp-for yer life, Dave
quick"
Dave swung himself off without
haste; moment later he came toward
us. shaking the loose snow out OF his
clothing
It's ole Thiry-threo. an she's
a-comin," he remarked "Niuety-ulue
II do the trick right enough. but IT'S
her last run" He gazed sorrowfully
down the track as If after departing
| friend. Shell be maxim nigh sixty
an hour afore they git together" he
added, renectivcly She's about
minute an half left. and she's
thWcrbred
The passengers were now streaming
out Of the cars and throHging around
us We ran a little way out into the
field for clearer view. The approach
ing engine was now plainly visible.
lighted by trailing pennant of IRE as
it thundered on to meet its foe, lurch-
ing and plunging in its headlong
charge until it almost leaped from the
rails.
"Merciful heavenst" cried the girl
beside me. There's man in the
cab"
Then he's gone goose, lady" com
mented the engineer.
1t was even So The doomed wretch
leaned far out from the cab. waving
his arms in frenzy. uttering a shrek
of eXultation so keen and vibrant that
it cleft its way. to our ears through
all the distance and the uproar that
lay between.
STARK mad" growled Dave. land
the best machine on the line gone TO
eternal smash to head him off. She
won't be wuth her weight in scrap
iron"
And while he spoke the contendng
engines. now speeding to the onset like
black armored knights, hurtled to-
sether with all the terrific momeu-
tum of their tons of rushing steel
There was a thunderous crash as OF
distant avalanche. a hoarsa roar Of
escaping steam and in an instant
bilowy clouu. thas rose and spread
until it seemed a mountain of gray
vapor, enveloped all
She's done for, murmured the en-
gineer.
And the MANI" cried the girl.
The madman had kept his appoint
ment.
And the gtrl-the black-eyed raven
haired girl who oNerted so strange an
influence over men on that memorable
night? What became OF her?
My wife bends over me. and again
feel that thrilling touch upon my
influence at all over you now" she
protests. You haven't so much as
spoken to me for a whole hour.'-Piits-
burg Dispatch,