The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1898-02-26

at the end of the calculation. I was
watching him with considerable curi-
osity. / yentured to ask him what
was the matter, and what he was go
ing to do. =5 5.. -5:#5.
aPm going to obey he replied
curtly. The engine gave long shrek
of horror that made me start as if it
were Markley's own voice. The next
instant we rushed out of the station
and dashed through low-lying farms
at a speed which seemed dangerous
to me.
"Put in more COAL" said Markley.
I shovelled it in, but took time. !:
stWe are going very fast, Markley."
He did not answer. His eyes were
fixed on the steam engine, his mouth
close shut. = 4. .>,> >.. II {,
More coal" he said; I threw it in.
The fields and houses began to fly
past half seen. We were nearing
Dumfreme, the next station. Mark
ley's eye went from the gage to the
face of the timepiece and back. He
moved like an automaton. There
was little more meaning in his face.
"More!" he, said, without turning
his eye. l took up the shovel-hesi-
tated. .~
"Markley, do you know that you
! are going at the rate Of sixty miles
an hour?"
>"Coal!"
Twas alarmed at the stern, cold
rigidity Of the man. His >pallor was
becoming fri ghtful. I threw on the
coal. At least we must stop at Dunn
freme. That was the next halt. The
little town approached. AS the first
house came into view, the engine
sent it's shrieks of warning; t. grew
louder, louder. -. :. ...s ~
We dashed into the street, up to
the station, where a group of passen-
gers waited, and passed it without a
halt of an instant; catching a
glimpse of the appalled, faces and the
waiting crowd Then we were in the
fields again. The speed now became
literally breathless, the furnace
glared red hot. The heat, the
velocity, the terrible nervous strain
of the man beside me, seemed tc
weight the air. I found myself draw
ing long, stertorous breaths like one
drowning. ~
" 1 heaped in the coal at intervals az
he bade me- I did it because I was
oppressed by an odd sense of duty
which | never had in my ordinary
brain-work. Since then | have un
derstood how it is that dull, ignor
ant men, without q spark Of enthu
siasm, show such heroism as soldiers
4 fremen and captains of wrecked
. u zsEEyessels. + is this s4overpoWering
q sense Of routine duty. It's q fine1
;. thing than sheer bravery, in my idea
However, / began to think that Mar
kley was mad, laboring under some
frenzy from drink, though I had never
seen him touch liquor.
He did not move hand or foot, ex
cept in the mechanical control of hi
engine, his eyes going from gage tt
the timepiece with a steadiness thai
was more terrible and threatening
than any gleam Of insanity wouIt
have been. Once he glared back a
the long train sweeping after the en-
gine with a headlong speed tha
rocked it from side to side.
One could imagine he saw hundred'
OF men andwomen it the carriages
talking, reading, smoking, uncon
scious that their lives We're all in til.
hold of one man whom I now strong
ly suspected to be mad. I knew b.
his look thathe remembered theirliveI
were in his hand. He glanced at th,
clock.
1Twenty miles, he muttered
.'Throw on more coal, Jack, the frt
is going out"
I did it. Yes, did it. There was
something in the face of that man
could not resist. Then I climbed for
ward and shook him by the shoulder
"Markley," I shouted, syou are run
ming this train into the laws O.
DEATH"
II know it" he replied, quickly.
Your mother is aboard this train. .
"Heavens!' He staggered to his
feet, but even then he did not remove
his eyes from the gage.
-"Make up the fire." he commanded
"and push in the throttle valve"
Il will not" H.
"Make up the fire, Jack" very
quietly. @..> :.
II will not: You may murder your.
self and mother, but you shall not
murder me-" I. !. Z ,
He looked at me. His kindly gray
eyes glared like those of a wild beast.
But he controlled himself in a mo.
ment. ~ n
q could throw you off this engine
and make short work of YOU he
said. But look here, do you see the
sta tion yonder?" .@. !.
l saw q faint streak against the sky
about five miles ahead. +
81 was told to reach that station
BY six o'clock," he continued. ssThe
/ express train meeting us is due now.
I | ought to have laid by for it at Dun
/ IRENE. / was told to come on. The
track ls q single one. Unless can
llN 1 u IL -