The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-01-25

his hand for silence, and then in a low
voice, but perfectly distinct to the ear
nest listener, he said:
Ladies' and gentlemen, them train
robbers have bitten IF more than they
can chew. We had warning of this
at Mudhole Junction, and the regular
engineer-I'm only a substitute-tele-
phoned an hour ago to the Stoneville
Light Infantry to be here if the train
wasn't on time, and no doubt the sol
diers amt half q mile away. I've got
a young amatoor fireman here-Mr.
Laurie Vane-who invented an air
brake7
THAT wouldn't work, added Laurie.
soto voce.
"-And the robbers took him to set
the brakes go they could run away
with the ingine and express car. But
this smart young gentleman discon
nected the coil of the brakes, and
everything about this train is just the
same as if it was nailed to the tracks
The ingine a spit sparks, but she
can't turn a wheel, and I'm thinkin'
they'll be monkeyin' with her until the
Stonevflle Light Infantry comes along
and bags 'em every one!"
A silent hand-clRpping greeted this
then all the passengers, keeping per
fectly still, waited for their reecuer to
arrive. Meanwhile a great noise and
whacking went on outside, as the rob
bers vainly struggled to make the en-
CINE move. Laurie sat, his arms about
his fathers neck, and although he said
but little, every glance was an appeal
for forgiveness. Blupdon had made
him out something of a hero in resour,
ce, and his fathers proud recognition
of it was plain to all. After fifteen
minutes waiting, under high tension,
Blundon, peering closely into the sur
rounding darkness, uttered a sup
pressed chuckle.
They're coming" he said. "The rob
bers don't see 'em; they r to busy
with the ingine."
A pause followed, unbroken by a
word; then a yell, IS the robbers real
lied that they were surrounded. The
passengers locked up in the drawing
room car could see little Of the scuf1e,
but they heard it, and ina few min
utes the door was wrenched open, and
an officer in uniform announced that
the robbers we're captured, and called
for the engineer to come and take
charge Of the engine.
Laurie and Blundon both wear
watches with Inscriptions on them
gifts from the railway company. Laurie
is living in his fathers house, and has
altogether given up his dream of in.
venting a new brake, and is reading
law very hard, much to his fathers
delight; and people say, Did you
ever see a father and son so fond OF
one another as Mr.. Vane and that boy
of hiss"
And Laurie has several times asked
his father, dryly, if he vas really sor.
~ that his only son had studied up the
subject of air-brakes when he ought
to have been in the classroom. Laurie
has promised Blundon that once in
two years at least he will go to Mud
hole junction. They have had but
one meeting as yet, since Laurie left,
when Blundon sagely remarked:
mi. Vane, sir, l think you did a
sight better in holding that train down
to the track with them ordinary brake
than you ever will with any of your
own. But the best thing you did after
all was to ask your fathers pardon,
and you ought to have done it a year
before, Mr.. Vane, sir"
Copyrighted 1925. by Harper & Bros , Publish;
ers, n. Y, and Published in Harpers' Round
Table. We republish by special arrangements
with them.