The Savannah morning news., 1901-02-17

/ down the track, and in another moment
the whistle sounded AS the train came
up by the lower switch he could see
that steam was smut off with the evident
intention of stopping. That's queer"
he remarked to himself, as he took
step or two nearer. the track, Il Won
der what's wrong
The crowd, too, had noticed by this
time that something was the matter.
and they began pushing and scrambling
in a wild endeavor to reach the agents
window Just as the train came to a
standstill, with the engine even with the
depot. 1t took but moment for them
to learn what was wrong. The engineer,
overcome with the heat and the strain
of the excitement, had given out and was
unable to go any farther
The conductor held a hurried consul
tation with the agent. I'm afraid the
contracts lost he said gloomily. "They
told us when we took water at P that
we were just about even, but here We
are, laid out, and not an engineer with
in forty miles. I'd run her myself if
thought I could make it, but l guess
you might as well tell headquarters We've
lost the heat"
But the agent, whose eyes had been
wandering over the crowd while the con-
ductor was talking, suddenly caught sight
of Barney and replied quickly: There's
Barney Mcdonald; why not give him a
| chance. He used to be able to turn them
fast enough"
The conductor glanced in Barneys d.
rection. IT'S worth a try" he said
1t took but a moment to call Barney
to the engine. The conductor hurriedly
explained the situation. winding up by
saying, Now. get up here and take the
train in. I'll be responsible for every
thing, but I'll guarantee that you never
need worry if you only get there on
time"
Barney's railroad training came to the
front on the instant. He knew there
was no time for haggling or explanation
He merely said, IAN right, I'll do it,"
and swung himself up into the cab. A
CLEAN of his old-time spirit came to his
eye as his feet touched the deck, and it
was with almost childish eagerness that
he picked up an oil can, jumped down
and began to 'oil round" He hurried
from one side to the other. feeling her
boxes touching up her links, dropping a
splash or two on her guides. and in an
instant was back in the cab and they were
started. She's a bird" he remarked TO
| himself as they began to leave the town
behind them, land brand new. Her driv-
ers must be at lest seven feet high and
| that tank holds over 1000 gallons. We've
| lost twelve minutes" he continued, as he
hooked her up a notch and gave her a
! little more steam, but unless I'm mis-
taken this is just the sort of a mill that
will make it up. We've got coal enough
and we've only got one stop to make for
water It's a good seventy miles, but
an hour and a half ought to get US there
| easy"
| That he had forgotten nothing OF his
! former skill was soon evident from the
/ way the train was handled. He knew
every foot OF the road. from one end Of
! the division TO the other, and as each
! familiar landmark was reached and
passed his every move clearly showed
| that he was still the Barney of old. The
! curves were approached with Just
enough caution to keep her inside The
limit, the hollows were gagged TO n
nicely she was held up at just the
proper instant on the falls and dropped
! to her place at the right spot on the
| hills, until her speed became something
terrific The fences seemed 10 be van
/ ishiug into the earth, the telegraph
poles went by like, wisps of straw, the
! frees that lined tho right-of-way blended
! together until they resembled a NOV
/ ing sheet shaken by the wind; an &C.
I cational horse or COW flashed by like
/ so many dancing dots on a moving
/ screen. and one town after another
/ was reached and passed like pictures on
/ "A revolving panorama. But on the en-
/ glnc there was little opportunity 20 put
/ ln any time admiring the scenery. Tho
I fireman kept his place in the middle OF
! The deck and only let SO Of the shovel
| long elough to shake a CRATE or work am
! injector The brakeman-for once with
out klcking-was cracking coal mile after
| mile without 80 much as lokmg up, ana