Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-06-15

again on that first Of the mail run lay-over
evenings when Mccartney was sharing
Phemie's watch in the telegraph Office
while her father went to supper.
How is Mr.. Logan now?" she asked,
sweetly. I'VE don't see much of him since
he took 16 and H.
These We're doubling trains, with no
lay-over for the crew at Lone Pine, fact
for which Mccartney was devoutly thank
full.
Hes all right guess. don't see much
of him myself" said Mccartney, wishing
that the little might be still less.
Il am afraid you don't like him very
WELL" said the brown-eyed maid, all inno-
cence
Now Mccartney was a big fellow, with
wide-open blue eyes, a thick name of red
hair, and skin white, under his Clothes
as a womans. Such men are not adopts
in concealment.
Il like him about as well as he likes
me; and that's precious little I hear he
has been making his brags that he will run
me off the c. and G. r. before he gets
through with me-"
why. dear me! didn't know you were
Mccartney laughed-the laugh of good
natured giant I'm not an enemy, but
guess he isl
What Is the troubIer" asked Phemie
again all innocence.
You" Mccartney blurted it out before
he could take time to consider if it were
the wise thing to say.
The young girl blushed very prettily, and
the lover thought there was no neck and
cheek in all the world like a soft brown to
color so deliciously under a blush. But if
he imagined he had brought matters to a
crisis at last he was doomed to disappoint-
ment.
DO you have any time at all in Grand
Butter" she asked, with one of her light
ming changes Of the subject; waking time,
1 mean"
"oh. yes: have an hour or two in the
evening before turn in
VIII you do little shopping for meT'
III buy the whole town and bring it out
TO you IN the cab of the Naught-seven, if
you say So" he replied, only too eager to
serve her.
"Oh. you foolish" she said, laughing at
him. II want two yards of this, and a spool
or SILK to MATCH handing him bit of
dress goods. DO you think you are equal
to it2'
IT'S red, isn't it?'
What question! Why, of course IL is
cardinal red, at that"
.! thought it was he said, musingly;
and then the father came in and the talk
OF possibilities was at end.
Mccartney made the purchase of the dress
goods and the silk the following evening:
and when the clerk said they were a per
rect match for the sample, he thought so,
too. But the carrying Of the small package
breadth Of being fraught with disaster
1t was beyond the Divide, on the west
ward down grade. The mail was late as
usual, and Mccartney was pushing the 5O7
to the limit-which limit on the Jack noun
tain down grade was well up to mile a
minute.
Train No. Z, the regular overland ex-
press, was just ahead of him, ripping
around the curves and racing free for the
siding at the foot of the mountain to get
out of his way, for the mail had the right
to track over all trains in both directions
Mccartney could see the smoke Of rising
over the dun Swells ahead, and he was look
ing out for her. In a way, though under the
rules 1t was rs business to look out for
him. 1t was on the last of the curves
where the line runs down to long tangent
In the valley that the crux came Macart-
ney had glimpse of patch of bunting
green, as he would have sworn-futtering
ming up the track and making frantic sig
nails. and third of the tail-end of No. 7.
stopped! Then he went to work
1t was the closest possible shave Luck
lily, all the conditions were favorable:
dry rail. automatic air in perfect work
Ing order, good brake shoes under every
truck. Notwithstanding the nose of the
5O7 was fairly under the platform of the
rear Pullman of the passenger train when
the mail came to full stop.
As a matter Of course, there was in
slant investigation and profanity enough
to pale the normal blueness Of the crisp
mountain air. Strengthened out, the story
of it was this: The track repairers had |
found broken rail, and had tagged No |
Z, after which the foreman had run ba Oh
to flag the mail. He swore by all the gods
known to mankind that he had set IN a
red flag between the rails to stop Macart- |
ney, and. In proof thereof. showed the tat |
tered remains Of flag which he said the
mail had run down.
Now. Mccartney had seen q green flas.