The Washington weekly post., 1900-05-08
.-when is the next tralnY.. asked wsar

When is the next train?'' asked weav-
/ er. anxiously.
No more to-day. sir" said the agent
shortly.
WHAT shrieked the bridegroom. "no
/ moFey What are you talking about
/ Where's the 3-07 ] must get there to-
day"
'3.2 was abandoned in the new time
table. No more trains to De Forrest to
I day
Weaver stepped back almost stunned.
What should he do? Il was imperative
/ that he reach De Forrest without DELAY.
And IL was sixty miles away Driving
was out Of the question. Suddenly on
idea struck him Why not charter Z car
and engine? True, II would be expensive.
but he was desperate. Five minutes later
a message clicked into the Office OF the
general superintendent asking for permis-
sion 10 charter a ear and special engine
for run TO De Forrest. Two minutes
afterWard a message came back saying
10 car could be furnished. but the passen-
ger might ride in an engine for $75. And
ten minutes after that a big Mogul was
slowly backed out of the round house at
/ Clinton and Harry Weaver. having turn
ed over SIS to the ticket agent, climbed
aboard But the wheels of the big engine
had not made dozen revolutions before
the sOunder in Tom Kelly's telegraph Of
/ fee away of at De Forrest said to him:
Hold down freight on De Forrest sid
ing Special engine just leaving here
with one passenger for De Forrest Has
right Of way over everything
The ticker ceased a moment and then
came private message from the opera
tor at Clinton: Passenger is your CID
friend. Harry Weaver" and then Tom
Kelly knew.
IN do the sixty miles inside an hour.
sir said Engineer Larkins as he slowly
sent the great machine over the switches
OF the Clinton junction and gave her mor1
steam as she hit the main track. Il
won't say it in minutes" he continued,
but inside an hour"
Weaver climbed up on the little seat OF
the fireman. for that functionary rad a
good job ahead Of hin keeping the NAV OF
the furnace filed with coal. and LaTkins
began to let her out" Faster anC Easter
the telegraph poles and trees hew by as
Larkins opened the throttle wider and
wider. The engine began 10 fairly hum
with the pressure Of the steam and the in
dicator on the steam gauge trembled at
1St pounds. The roar of the wheels filled
WeaVer's ears and he clUng desperately 10
the seat as the engine rocked back and
forth and the whistle shrieked almost con-
stantly as the flying monster approached
roads and towns.
We're making forty-seven miles"
shouted the fTen an into Viewers ear.
ooh, are we?" said Weaver. He mad an
idea that the speed was rearer a hundred
and foIty-sevcn. But his heart was light
and happy and his thoughts flew faster
than the locomotive and were already in
De Forrest The screaming of the whistle.
the roaring OF the wheels, and the pound
ing Of the heavy tender were almost un-
heard g : ne thought Of Myrtle and how
she would greet him after his long and
exciting ride. a half hour passed ana he
was On4y thirty miles away. when ne was
startled by the sudden reverse of the lever
and the grinding Of the brakes.
what's the natter" he asked
''Semaph0re's against U.s." said Larkins
shortly.
Almost q mile ahead on high pole be-
side the tract, q .Ong yellow arm jutted
out waIuinS.y. The engine slowed down
and stopped near the switch tower.
Stock train wrecked four miles further
en- reported the fireman, after a call o.
the operator, and Weaver almost tore his
hair.
Four hours later the track was cleared
and the big engine pulled into De Forrest
Down from the C1b dropped famished
and Wjld-eyed man, blackeEed and desprr-
ate looking.
Here's a messi ge for you, Mr. Wea-
YER said the station agent. Weaver
glanced IN ana saw = new operator. he
tore open tie =Hyt lOFe lurriedly ana read
his death-HarraEt:
Very sorry. Could not wait fol- engine.
Tom and | were married at noon. Myr-
tie"
Copyright. 1900 Daily Story Publishing Company)