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

Maverick would ne IN sight, and with a
minute to the good at the summit he would
make the meeting point on time.
Keep her hot, Toni he shouted across
to the fireman; and Tom, having three
good names at stake-his own, Macartney's
and the 5O7s-shoveled the coal with
willing hand.
So it came about that the hill was topped
in good time, and with the lunge over the
summit Mccartney eased off on the throt-
tie and leaned far out of his window to
mark down the lights at the junction.
Everything was at it should be. The
stock train waiting on the siding, and
the switch lamps on the main line blinked
yellow-eyed in The pitchy darkness. Ma
cartney felt for the whistle lever, and in
reply to the 507's believing call, the sema-
phore eye on the station winked twice, the
winks meaning, No orders for YOU. and
giving the train the right to run through
the yards without stopping.
"All clear" sang out the fireman from
his side, and Mccartney reached for the
throttle and sent the tourist special thun-
dering down the grade.
1t was when the flying special was with
in twice it's length of the nearest switch
the outlet switch for the siding where the
stock train stood-that the appalling thing
happened. For a certain dizzying instant
the yellow eye of the switch light burned
a CHASTITY blue; then it fiicked suddenly to
red, and Mccartney was down from his
box and fighting madly with the big eight
wheeler-not to make the impossible stop,
but to lessen, if so he might, by come few
wheel-turns, the crash of the inevitable
collision with the stock train on the sid
ing.
Miraculously enough, there was no col
lision. The 5O7 banged over the switch at
full twenty miles an hour, her drive
wheels sliding in the grip Of the wind
jams and a stream of fire fixing from
every brake-shoe on the long train Of Pull
mans; but never wheel left the straight
track of the main line. The straining en-
to or nd jl1Qt fha cta
ton, and in twinkle Mccartney was
down and bursting into the telegraph Of
fee, a picture of handsome young giant
in a fury.
exploded in white-hot wrath.
"Halsey, engineer; Logan. conductor"
said the ,. operator a, Whyv What's the
matter with YOU heiRg ba had
man on the division. and 1t was a new
thing to hear him rave and swear like
buccaneer.
Somebody was monkeying with that
SWITCH" he stormed. 1T went red on me
just before l hit 1t. Who turned it?"
Just then Logan himself came in to ask
gruffiy why Mccartney did not pull his
BANKED dude cars over the switch to let
the stock train out. Explanations followed
hot ones on McCartney's part. There was
already bad blood between these two for
Picnic Tredwills sake.
You're drunk" sneered Logan. There
was nobody near the switch. Get a move
on your vanished cars and let me out of
here"
II say there was" insisted Mccartney;
but now other witnesses came to refute
him. The yardmaster, the engineer of the
stock train. three or four of the station
employees; they had all seen the switch,
and It had shown white light, as it
should.
by the Lord Harry, I don't care who
saw it." Mccartney was beginning again.
when his own fireman drew him aside.
Twas all right:oi saw 1t just as you
ierked the air on 1t. Let's Co."
John Mccartney took his place in the
cab OF the big eight-wheeler, and the spe-
cial was presently storming on it's west
ward way again. But Tor that one night
the engineers nerve was gone. He stood
down on the footplate tohrun, and his hand
never left the throttle.
The next time it happened he was dead
heading over the division in the caboose
of a freight train. Not liking the company
was of it, dead-heading also-McCartney
had climbed to a seat in the caboose look
out. Being off duty, he fell asleep, and
when he awoke the train was running into
Rockton. He started up and rubbed his
eyes. While you might count five every
light in the Rockton yard glared at him
with a fiery red eye through the glass
front of the lookout window. Then the
curious hallucination passed and he saw
the lights as they ought to be.
Good Lordr he groaned; 1--WE got II
again If this thing goes on" He stop
ped short, thinking Of the lives that he
held in his hand every time he climbed to
the cab of 507; and being deep in the nit
of trouble he did not hear stealthy step
on the caboose top. or the slamming Of the
Three days after the "dead-headins' trip.