Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-02-10

deliberately stood upon end. while
face appeared out of the hole.
1t was the pale face of boy. and. as
Mike stared. he recognized the features
c. the lad who had pleaded so hard to
go TO Stony Brook with him.
How did you get in there" the en-
gineer gasped.
81 crawled in when you went to meet
the conductor at the station. You
wouldn't let me go. and my mother was
in danger"
Mike looked at his helpless fireman
and drew long breath.
We'll, now that you're here, suppose
you help me! Can you shovel coal?'
Yes, easily"
In moment the boy had crawled out
of the water tank. and he swung the
shovel so successfully that the fire
burned brighter than ever.
us it cool in the water tank?" Mike
asked. ioolingly longily at the hole.
Eyes. much cooler than out here" the
lad replied.
well, go back into it, then, until I
need more coal. I'll call you when it is
time"
Bertie-that was his handicapped
back into his cool hiding place; but be-
fore closing the top he threw bucket
of water over the PROSTATE fireman and
another over Mike.
That's good" Mike said, shivering
with pleasure, as the water temporarily
cooled his parched. aching brows.
But the run was not by any means
over yet. nor had they reached the
worst part of the fire. The heat became
more intense as they proceeded, until
it seemed as if no human being could
live in such a superheated atmosphere.
They entered a dense patch of fir
trees, where the smoke rolled up in
pitchy-black clouds. Great flying ban
ners of flame floated down upon the en-
CINE and cars from the trees on either
side. The cars were ablaze in dozen
places, and the tracks were warped and
twisted.
Mike began to grow faint and dizzy.
A sensation of falling seemed to come
over him. and he unconsciously called
to his boy companion for help.
Bert opened the top of the tank to see
if the engineer needed more water. As
he did so he saw that the engineer had
been overpowered with the heat and
smoke. and. though sitting up with his
hand on the lever. he was unconscious.
In his fall backward the engineer had
accidentally shut off the steam. and the
pounding train was rapidly slackening
its pace. To stop an instant in such a
desert of fire meant death to all on the
train!
The boy realized this, and it took him
but a minute to climb into the cab and
open wide the throttle.
He did not know much about a steam
engine, but in this terrible run through
the fiery woods he had watched the en-
gineer mechanically, and he soon found
that he could stop or start the huge
monster at will. 1t was a simple thing
to do; but the boy felt elated at his dis
covery.
In a few minutes the engine was 60
ing as fast as ever. They were rushing
along 20 miles an hour.
Hidden in his water tank he had not
experienced the full intensity of the
heat, but now he began to realize what
an ordeal the fireman and engineer had
passed through. With only slight pro-
lection from the binding. burning
| smoke and flames. the engineers posi-
! ton seemed almost unbearable.
BERTHE prayed for strength. Heknew
| that his own life. that of his mother,
and of hundreds of others depended
upon him. He knew that they must
soon be at Stony Brook; he had heard
| Big Mike say that. If he could hold out
| a little longer.
| But the heat and fever grew upon
him. His head seemed ready to burst.
| Every half minute he plunged his head
| into bucket of water; but that was so
| hot now that half its effect was neutral
| lied
How much longer? How much
Ionger?" he gasped.
Nothing but the roar of the fire an
swered him. He looked steadily ahead,
but there was no relief in sight.
'I can't stand it any longer" he NUT
tered. sob, my God, help me and
| mother"
He closed his teeth and renewed his
| energy for an instant. Then his
strength tagged and waned again. His
spirits were dropping to the point of
| yielding, when suddenly the clouds
around him seemed to tighten up.
He glanced ahead of him eagerly, and
in ecstasy Of joy he shouted:
I'm nearly through; I'm nearly
| through"
| The volumes of smoke were less dense.
| and ahead of the engine he could see a
clear space. He caught glimpse of the
track half mile beyond. Even the in
| tense heat and suffocation of the air
| lessened.
In a few moments more the relief
| train rushed out of the fire area and en-
| tered a new world, where binding
smoke and flames no longer made life a
! torture. As the boy cleared his eyes of