The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-04

Inc LLlle bel0On NlduuCt SlOWtu III the
distance when the engine had left Woona
ten miles behind.
Burgo. with extreme reluctance in his
eyes, slowed up and stopped his high
mettled steed twenty yards on the hither
side of it.
Jan hoped to the ground. Look. look"
she said. christmas bells, Let's make a
wreath and hang it on the darling things
neck; she deserves some decorations.
doesn't she?"
Burgo's eyes went to the blaze Of orange
that had caught his sisters fancy; they
were the first bells of the year, and even
Burgo thought il meet his beauty should
wear them.
Come on he said. and dropped to the
ground beside her.
The sunset bells nodded on a bush that
chung to a patch of earth halfway up the
viaduct. Perhaps the shade of the little
wooden arches had made it possible for
the green buds TO turn TO flame so much in
advance Of other bushes; for no CLEAN OF
gold shone anywhere else in the sun
scorched country around.
John Peters got the first last year; we'll
get the laugh on him this year. Burg said
Jan.
III go down; don't you climb it," Burg
said. and went clambering down over the
viaduct's side.
Perhaps he was five minutes gone, per
haps eight. Jan began to call impatiently
and to remind him of the mail train.
Then he came TO the top again.
What on earth's up?' Janet said,
startled.
His face was quite white, his eyes held
horror. his very knees shook as he walked.
They were nearly back at the engine be
fore he could find words to tell her. And
she, too, paled, trembled, caught her
breath.
Fhe viaduct was unsafe: some one had
sawn one of the beams half way through.
When the mail train came laundering over,
at forty miles an hour, she would go crash
ing TO her death.
The children gazed at each other speech
less. II was not more than six months since
the country had rung with the horror of an
unspeakable railway calamity caused in
such a way. The perpetrators. supposed to
have been actuated by a senseless hatred of
certain politicians travelling in the train,
had never been caught. This was probably
more of their Work.
Burgo's young face wore a new look as
he climbed up into the cab again, his eyes
were very steadfast, his lips firm.
"Tve'thought what to do. JAM he said.
ut would be no use TO run on and try to
stop her; we'd never be able to run that fan
before she started, and if we stop here and
wave, they'll only think we are kids wav-
ing. Now, you've just got to do what 1
say. Cut along across the viaduct and wait
the other side till l pick you up"
JAMS lips grew white. You're not going
to drive her across that awful place." she
said.
Burgo nodded. 81 can't think of anything
else" he said, land it may hold all right
an engine isn't like a heavy train, and If
l take her very slowly she'll be all right"
Jan shivered. and tried TO pull her broth
er down by the arm.
why should you get killed?' she said.
Come home; let's come hOme-let's go
back to Woona and tell them; why should
you get killed"
The lad looked at her with grave eyes.
It's better than for three hundred people,
JAM" he said.
Jan gulped and acquiesced. But she
climbed up TO him again.
NAlN = 9AC SUM- S0AAC CAa
He grew angry. "Get down." he said.
I'll push you off if you don't. Get down at
once, you silly idiot. Cut along to the 9TH
er side. or I'll go without you. If we waste
any more time they'll have started, and
thereTl be a collision instead of this smash
up. Now, are you going to get DOWN.
JAMS quick mother wit saved the situa-
ton.
IL - - I'D ff,DL11rv nod nof lf1I11
at all. Let the old thing run over by her
self-not so fast. you knOw-just set her
going. and then jump on the other side"
Burgo flashed a glance of admiration at
her. He had no more than the average
boys desire to lose his young life, and this
thought of JAMS was genius.
"Thatn do us grand he said. "See, 1
set on things better than you; I'll cut over
to the other side and be ready to get on
her. You can easily drop off her when
you've started her, can't you?"
Am 1 a baby?" was JAMS contemptuous
reply.
But the situation was too serious to be
dependent on the chance of a girl 'mulling
it," Burgo had no trust in the sex's knowl-
edge of machinery.
Here shows what you'll do he said.
The girl demonstrated rapidly. Just
whisk this round a few times" she said.
her fingers on the mandrake, land then
give that a shove" pointing to the throttle
valve. land then jump off like mad"
He showed her it must be a very little
shove, or he would not be able to climb on
when the engine had crossed the viaduct.
She nodded and stood up TO her part as
capable as himself. cut along she said.
Burgo dropped to the ground and sped
across the viaduct on winged feet. He ran
on when the other side was reached for
twenty or thirty yards, then stood at the
side and shouted for her to start.
Suppose she could not get off; suppose
she should grow too nervous to drop. little
Jan, and five seconds from now should go
crashing downtown to a horrible death,
little Jan in her ~nightgown?
Suppose. even if she dropped of. she
made a mistake and put the steam on hard,
and the engine came tearing across and
rushed on riderless till it crashed into Ben
dooley and into the train therei
The suspense Of the frightful moment
made BurgO never quite so young again.
Hot beads burst upon his forehead, his
throat swelled. a strange trembling as
sailed his knees.