Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-07-13
The Daily Short Story
A Desperate Ride.

MARY anu were WdlliLS IL huSuy
for the midnight mail express to take
us TO London on visit to my mother.
''Oh, Charley. show me the engines"
she said TO me while we were standing
on the platform, and as we had an hour
TO walt L took her into the shed. where
several engines were standing with
steam up ready for work.
Well. after taking her around the en-
CINE room left her for a few moments
standing by one of the engines while 1
went to give some directions TO the
driver who was TO take my place till
our return from London.
On coming back TO the place where l
had left her l was Mortified TO perceive
my Mary standing upon the engine.
which either in sport or by accident,
God only knows how. she had set i'm
motion aud which was already flying
out OF the shed at a rate of speed
which rendered it utterly impossible
for me 10 overtake her.
Charley, Charley, help me-. were
the last words heard from the lips OF
my darling as the engine vanished in
the darkness down the incline beyond
the station.
To jump on TO another engine and
follow the runaway was the work of
moment, but by the time we were start
ed upon the main line my darling.
knew, would be rushing at a fearful
pace. faster and faster every moment,
down the long incline between Rugby
and Ormsby bank.
Then commenced n terrible race for
life or death. mile after mile. every mo-
ment increasing our speed. until we
were going at perfectly awful pace.
We dashed away into the darkness, l
standing on the front of my engine,
watching with straining eyes for the
one ahead Of us.
All I'm vain, Past station after station
we dashed at lightning speed; onward,
over bridges and yiaducts, through the
wind and darkness, yet never sign Of
the runaway engine and its single pas
senger.
What had become of her? Had she
sprung from the flying engine 10 a more
speedy yet not less certain death at the
bottom of some deep embankment or
had ] in my wild, reckless pursuit
driven over her?
After dashing along at this mad pace
for nearly couple of hours we swept
down the hill into the Kilsby tunnel,
and then right ahead of us on the down
line. along which knew the night mail
TO the north was coming from London,
l suddenly caught sight of the runaway
engine. The furnace door was open.
e, lot
ed 1 saw plainly as 1 see you in the
vivid light of the blazing fire the form
of my Mary standing out in bold relief
against the blackness of the tunnel.
Her slight form dilated in the weird
freight. Her hands grasping the rail-
ing, she stood upon the tender the pic
ture of despair. apparently in doubt
whether TO remain upon the flying en-
CINE or spring off into the darkness.
In vain called TO her TO remain on
the engine. My shout was of no more
avail than a whisper amid the roar
produced by the echoing walls of the
tunnel. Suddenly the horrible thought
flashed across my mind that the down
| express must be nearly due, and. look
ing ar my watch with sort of desper-
ate calmness which astonished me aft
| erward, l saw that IT was half past /
o'clock. the exact moment, as l knew
well enough by experience, when the
mail train, coming in the opposite di-
rection. ought to he entering the other
end of the tunnel. How earnestly L
prayed that it might be ten minutes
late that night The agony of a life
time seemed to be crowded into the
next few moments. Now we appeared
to be nearing the flying engine. then it
seemed to burst away from us again
with renewed speed. At one moment
my darling seemed to be almost within
reach of my arm. and at the next she
was flying away from me again.
Gradually, however, the distance be-
tween us lessened, and at last the two
engines were running neck and neck.
with only the six foot" way between
the two lines of rails to separate us.
Then for the first time Mary turned her
head and saw me close behind her.
Motioning her to remain quiet. l pulled
myself together for the leap, and, with
both engines running at full speed, L
sprung clean across the six feet be-
tween us and alighted upon the step
close to her.
At the same moment l heard the
shrill whistle OF the express as it enter
ed the opposite end of the tunnel and
saw, TO my horror, that there was not
more than a hundred yards between us.
To screw down the brakes and reverse
the engine was the work of a moment.
but knew too well that it was too late.
No power on earth could avert the fear
full collision, and there was nothing left
us but to die together. To spring from
the engine would have been instant and
certain death. so we stood, 1 with my
arm around her and Mary with her
head buried upon my breast. waiting
for the end.
Once she raised her head. and we
looked into each others faces, IA mo-
ments look. a lifetime's memory"
Never, as long as live. shall L forget
that last look, the intense light of the