The Grenada sentinel., 1897-08-07
her down in care of Adams the drst
thing in the mornin'."

ana placed in the conductor cnafse,
along with written report of tho
breaking open of the caboose locker.
with orders to deliver both to the SUI
perintendent of the division at War
ner's Mills.
Meg. with the fear OF some terrible,
unknown punishment for her crime be-
fore her fearful eyes, pressed her wet
face to the window of the rear coach OF
the accommodation for what might be
her last glimpse of the junction. She
saw the weather-stained cabin that had
been all the home she could remem-
Der, with trembling. white-haired
Daniel standing lE the switch before
the door. The switch was open. for
the freight engine was steaming slowly
down off the side track, ls,,preparatory to
backing up, to the waiting flats on the
branch. She saw Bill Thomas at the
the brake wheel on the rear OF the ca
bo0sc.
Suddenly something happened. The
long line of fat cars jnrred and be-
gan to move. She saw Bill clutch the
wheel and throw his whole weight
| lpon it in an endeavor to wind it up;
but the brake rod must have snapped,
for the next instant he was dashed
from his foothold by the recoil of the
wheel, and she saw him fall from the
moving train. In moment the ca
boose was over the switch and lis
wheels struck the main track. Neg
sprang up with a scream and rushed
to the rear door. The conductor fol-
lowed her, fearing that the girl would
try to throw herself from the steps.
| But when he saw the caboose be-
hind them he understood her excite
ment. Not man appeared on the rum
away train, which, having cleared the
switch, was gaining speed with every
revolution OF the wheels. A rear-end
collision seemed inevitable.
The conductor reached for the bell
rope and signaled the engineer full
speed.
Run for the forward ears. there's
wild train behind u.s." he shouted, and
drove the passengers like frightened
sheep before him.
The accommodation sprang. ahead
and for Il few moments the distance De
| tween the two trains was rapidly IN
creased. But the runaway was no"
tearing down the incline with veloc
it, frightful to behold.
| Little Meg was painting right behin(
the conductor rs he reached the plat
form between the two rear ears.
"Stop, mister! set that brake! sh'
cried, pointing to that on the se"on'
car.
what do you want. child?" he asked
"You set that brake she said. III
set this ere, an then you kin uncouple
This car'll throw the wild train off tn
rails. Quick.'
God bless you. l believe it will" h
casped, and seized the wheel.
The pressure retarded the train 10
an instant and the rear car bumped.
. Instantly he pulled up the pin, AM
Meg. her thin. childish arms like stee
cords, wound up the brake on the rea
coach. 1t fell behind at once, and to tn
horror of the conductor he found him
self swept away from that hardy lit!
tipure on the platform Of the doOme
car. He saw her dart through tn
coach and set the brake at the furthc
end. The runaway train seemed almos
upon it now.
With straining eyes he saw Meg r.
turn to the front platform, and scre>
the brake up point or two. The ca
slowed down; if there had been time
would have stopped altogether.
On one side of the rail was steep de
clivity, on the other a high bank. Th
+ girl climbed down upon the steps o
the side next to the bank, and prepare
to jump. The conductor closed his eye
to shut out the sight. and uttered feI
vent, if brief, prayer.
"God Almighty help her!" h
groaned
Perhaps in answer to that praye
, strength was given her. She glance
back at the plunging cars behind. Tn
, smoking wheels of the caboose SCENE
scarcely to touch the rail. She leane
as far out from the steps as possible
closed her eyes and jumped. She struc
the bank and dug her fingers into tn
clay desperately. Her face was burie
in the earth as the passenger coac
rumbled by. Close on its trail shot tn
runaway, and. moment later, the aN
> full crash reached her dulled ears lik
roar of mutfled thunder. After fey
minutes she staggered to her feet an
climbed down to the track Below he
the roadbed was strewn with wrecl
age. and down in the cut We're the sha>
tered remains of the passenger coac
and the caboosc. The accommodate
had stopped far down the track, and sh
!, saw the figure of the conductor runnin
e toward her. Then she dropped betwee
the rails.
: Conductor Adams delivered hi
;. charge to the superintendent at tn
! mills as he had agreed. but the recel
D ton she received at that dignitary
I hands was not exactly what poor Me
e had feared when she started from tn
; junction. And the reception the supe'
lintendent gave the crew of the fiat trai
I xh,,, no,,o y, IN ,.orort 1rnr rr