The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-08-25

VI snoW ana fragments of rock an
bark, made Jimmy think it would b
dangerous to attempt to get out. Blu
the April sun would swing around tn
western slope that afternoon, and 8
y soften the snow that the masses aboy
> him would inevitably fall. Now O
never he must get out. He crept along
crushing the snow down with his shoul
ders, until his head had struck a cold
taut wire running diagonally from tn,
oak branches up along the wall.
The wire! 1t recalled the construc
ton train! Had it left Elwood
Around the great base of the hill anf
into Van Dorn's cut it might he sneed
ing, with the ninety men of the outfit
10 De hurled over the bank into the
river or dashed against the rocky wall
Inc SIDE had come Just where tbe
sharp curve hid the track ahead and
there could be no warning before the
'raln dashed into the barricade of logs.
snow and boulders.
The lineman lay face down. thinking
OF the Jovial, red-shirted crew who
had welcomed him kindly and consid-
erately when he came, ''tenderfoot."
INTO Van Dorn's rough camp. He must
try to save those men.
Jimmy tried to crawl back. thinking
oizziiy that he might find an outlet
anu flag them if not too late. A mass
Oh snow fell heavily into his former
resting place, and he dug his way up
over 1t until he struck the telegraph
| wire again, and attempted to tear il
away from his path. He took the clip
pers from his kit and snapped it off,
and then new idea flashed through his
mind. Was the wire still intact beyond
the avalanche?
Which way did 1t lead from his dim
tomb? If it was unbroken and free
from contact with everything except
the dry snow, he might use it to avert
evil. Jimmy took the little relay from |
its case. and pressing out the snow |
about him, quickly wound the loose |
end OF the wire around the connecting
post of the instrument. Then he con-
nected the section of wire he had cut
OFF to the other brass post, and buried
the tree end in the ground underneath
the snow, knowing that to ground the
current beyond his relay would COM
plete the circuit with any station on the
line.
Then the sharp metallic clicking Of
the keys came with such startling
swiftness that Jimmy shrank back in
the darkness with an awed cry.
Train due ElwoOd 1:45. Through s
there to Van Dorn's without shtop. as I
Instructed before. What's the matter {
Van Dorn's? Nothing from there since t
arrived? c
1t was the man at the last station t
beyond ElwoOd who was talking. q
The operator at Elwood began to re-
'ly, but Jimmy Wardwell, with a cry S
s If the instrument could voice his a
npotent protest, seized the relay with n
rembling fingers on the keys and broke t
4: n
Flag that train! Hold that train! t
Tide on the track in cut. This Is Van a
'orn's-Wardwell. Flag that train un- il
,ss too late-too later Fl
Then the clicking sounder brought
lwOOd'S message: whats that? "
That's matter with you? Train COM 81
lg in past siding now" He evidently b
i'd not understand.
Jimmy flashed back one more des- Il
crate appeal:
"Slide in cut. Track destroyed. Flag te
ain, quick, get Out!' b.
mo answer came, and in the dark sc
ess the lineman hammered unintelli- ht
bly, on the kays. Hell do it, he'll is
we 'em" he muttered, deliriously; CO
I'd the man beyond Elwood began to 70
k what it was all about, as he had not &c
terpreted all of Jimmy's messages. pa
hen Elwood clicked back the glad bJ
'ws that he had held the train, and an of
cited demand for an explanation was tn
upled thereto.
Ten minutes later the operator rushed do
t to the engine, where the gang fore ul
|
lether the high bit of work ahead was tn
rough brown sandstone or just ordin- tn
Y limestone. we
Great Scott" he cried. There's ins
en- slide somewhere in the cut, and
1T pink checked boy at Van Dorn's
ears that he's telegraphing to me .
I'M under the top of the whole blamed 49,
|. l don't understand what he's
wing at, but you'd better run in "a
WY and see what's up" ~,
he ninety men of the construction !.
ng spent the rest of the afternoon in
ding what was up" or rather down.
Zen they had traced Jimmy's hiding :,
&c, by means of the wire, and had :.
ried him back to the station, 1t was -"
agreed that the troubleman
Van Dorn's had undergone an ex- Aes
fence interesting and unusual in a
mans first year.-Youths Compan- ~ =.
ap