The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-02-19


The night was a dark one, though the
stars were shining, and the lights of the
train-yard of Horner, the end of division
in the Rocky Mountains, showed up like
flies s-small bright specks that seemed
to radiate but a few feet, and only to ac-
centuate the surrounding darkness. The
engine house was lighted by lamps, and
but few Of those, and the four men who
were in it were gathered about locomo-
tive, out of whose stack thin line of
smoke was rising. Back of them, con-
cealed by a projection that cast deep
shadow, stood boy who listened eagerly
to the conversation that was carried on in
an undertone. One of the men was the
superintendent, evidently, and it was he
who talked, while the other three, who,
beyond question, were trainmen, listened
intently.
THE news has just reached the office, ="
he was saying, ''that the mail-train that
left here at 80 is to be held up the other
side of Quincy. The whole matter is that
there are five hundred thousand dollars in
coin on the express car, and how under
the sun those oad-agents heard Of it |
don know. But they mean to wreck
the train to get it, and there are more
passengers aboard than we We carried since
the warm weather set in. The only hope
of salvation is your overtaking it before it
reaches Quincy, and stopping it there for
the night. There's no way of telegraph
ing; the wires cut. Those scoundrels
have taken all precautions against being
surprised. It's an even chance if you
catch it, johnson, but you must do your
best. You have full authority to run any
way you think proper, and no matter what
happens, you will be upheld later. That
is if you get through You understand
that you take your life in your hands;
there may be row, and, besides CON
struction train on the line somewhere, but
we can t locate it. You may run into it
and But you know all that as we'll as
do" He called johnson to one side.
'sYou are sure of your fireman p he
asked.
''Sure, Mr.. Lord. Billy comes from
my home; I've known him since he was a
kid. | got him his job here. He's all
right Well do our best, sir, an if any
man on top of the earth can stop that
train, I'll do it. Mr.. Lord" he went
on. quickly, ''my own kid is up to the
hotel." They were talking within three
feet of the boy who was hidden, and he
strained himself to listen. 81 brought
him in to see the town yesterday, an was
goin' to take him back tonight. Will you
have him sent home tomorrow? An if
anythin happens that | don t come back
could you give him job He's sixteen,
an can run an engine now. An he's
straight, is Ned =
sTll look out for him, johnson, prom
ise you.
''Thank you, sir. knew you would.
l think we We got steam enough to start.
I'll try the gauge. "
They left the corner and went to the
engine, and the boy crept carefully out
The locomotive was between him and the
men, and, drawing off his shoes, he ran
swiftly to it, and clambering up the wheels,
slid over the top and crouched down in
the coal in the tender. Dressed in black,
he was undistinguishable in the dim light,
but he could not be sure of that, and laid
quite still, hoping he would pass unno-
ticed. Then, to his joy, Mr.. Lord called
johnson to come with him moment, and
a few seconds later the voices of the two
other men were still, and he heard the
sound of their retreating footsteps. In a
fash he began burrowing a hole in the
Goals, pushing the Jumps aside in long des-
perate thrusts, until he had followed a
space deep enough to crouch in. Then
cautiously he pulled the coal about him
once more, leaving only space to breathe
freely.
eff dad thinks he can leave me behind
he'll find out, the boy said to himself,
and with one last wriggle to fit into his
knobby hole he waited for the start.
1t was not for long. MIR. Lord and
johnson came back, followed in moment
by the other two, and the engineer swung
himself up into the cab, with the fireman
coming after. Mr.. Lord spoke few last
words
at is nine o clock now. If you reach
the train new orders will be sent to Quincy
in the morning Keep lookout for the
construction. All right p
stAll right, sir Wen do our best.
johnson opened the throttle slowly, and