Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-05-07
liar shape, connected, doubtless, with
. system of air brakes.

attention. l read ii again and again,
IDLY. without much heed to the mean
ing. even caught myself reciting it
aloud in sing-song tone. AS l dOzed,
u sometimes seemed 10 leave its po-
snion and hover in the air near my
lace. 1t was positively annoying. l
! shut MY eyes to get rid Of 1t. but saw
1t just as plainly.
was still in this unpleasant, dreamy
condition, when felt light touch on
my arm. 1t thrilled me like an cleo
trio shock. l sprang to my feet, and
without knowing why. without any
clear idea whatever, rushed forward
and showed up that lever.
The train came TO a sudden stop
with a grinding Jar. The startled pas
seugers leaped from their seats.
! brakeman caught me by the collar,
While the angry conductor pushed
through the aisle toward HE.
What's the meaning Of this?" he
| shouted.
| stood dazed; had not word to
say.
AAS ycu dA lOiOl. AC SOAtAANSNp
roughly. What do you mean? Don't
you know that it's criminal offense
to stop train in that way, you young
Jack-a-napes?"
Still l was dumb. felt like a
drunken man, who Unexpectedly finds
himself in the grip of justice charged
with motiveless murder, remember
ing the act but wholly unable to COM
prehend it, Then something happened;
again l felt the light touch on my
shoulder
AS that soft touch thrilled me, the
front OF the car. the car before it, the
whole train, seemed to melt into mist.
l saw them in a 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 hill. Out of sight. but not out
OF my sight; for as l gazed the hill
also seemed to resolve itself into haze,
and l looked right through 1t. And
there, swiftly rounding the curve-"An
engine is coming!" l 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
girls hand slid from my shoulder;
the vision vanished.
But she caught the conductors arm.
THE man Is right" she cried.
Don't you see: Be quick"
The conductor started as II stung
and his face whitened.
My God" he calculated. In an.
other instant he was standing In the
snow by the track straining his eyes
up the line and we were beside him.
The conductor ran toward the en-
CINE.
"Unshackle her, Hank" he shouted
Pull your throttle full open, Dave
and let her drive
Almost as he spoke the big loco.
motive gave titanic gasp and heave
of sudden effort; her mighty driver!
spun and slipped, then caught the rails
and she started with a bound like {
race horse pricked by the spur.
Now jump--for yer life. Dave
quick"
Dave swung himself of withou
haste; a moment later he came toward
us, shaking the loose snow out of hi
clothing.
Its aHe Thirty-three, an She
a-comin." he remarked. Ninety min
II do thH trick right enough, but it,
her last %1n." He gazed sorrowfull,
| down tho rack. as il after departin,
friend. "che'll be maxim nigh sixt,
an hour afore they git together" h
added. rcaectively. She's about
minute an half left, and she's
| thurerbred."
The passengers were now streamin
/ out Of the cars and thronging aroun
! us. We ran a little way out into tn
| field for clearer view. The approach
4 ing engine was now plainly visibl.
| lighted by a trailing pennant OF fire a
it Numbered on to meet it's foe, lurch
| ing and plunging in it's headlon
charge until it almost leaped from tn
rails.
q "Merciful heavens" cried the ri,
i, beside me. There's a man in tn
!, cab"
:, Then he's gone goose, lady" com
g mented the engineer.
= 1t was even So The doomed wretc
a leaned far out from the cab, wavin
e his arms in frenzy. uttering shrie
d OF eXultatiOn so keen and vibrant tina
n it cleft it's way to our ears thrOug
all the distance and the uDrOar tha
9 lay between.
n STARK mad" growled Dave, IAN
e the best machine on the line gone I
e eternal smash to head him of. Sh
won't be wuth her weight in scra
iron"
l. And while he spoke the contendin
:; engines, now speeding to the onset lih
=, black armored knights, hurtled Il
y gether with all the terrific momeI