Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-08

, commanded. and I obeyed. running forward
through the stripped car where Bossuet
was telling the frightened women Of the
plan to send them ahead on the engine. and
scrambling over the tender to the footplate
OF the iaboring 256. The fireman was show
| cling the coal as one who tolls for dear life
and Bronco Pete was standing at his levers.
his angular jaw set and the sleepy eyes
ablsze for the first and only time in my
seeing of them.
The water" / shouted. coming close to
his ear to max myself heard above the
gathering din Of the engine.
Gone" he answered, 1T sucked dry at
the foot OF the hill"
what art you going to dof"
Make Summit Siding II I have to burn
the crowr-sheet out OF it," he said.
I passed the line over the mountain In
quick mental review. In its climb II skirts
the spurs and heads the gulches in alter
nate loops. Rounding the last Of the shoui-
ders It describes a huge U in passing
around the final and most abyssmal Of the
gulches. In the bend Of the "U'' the mar
rowing chasm Is spanned by a light bridge
OF the Overhead type and the APPROACH 10
this bridge from either direction is down
grade. The southern end Of the great loop
is the summit Of the mountain, and just be-
yong the cutting In the summit shoulder
through which the line passes IL Summit
Siding.
We were skirtfng the shoulder Of the
northern approach when Bronco Pete
sprang to his box and leaned far out for a
look to the rear. Our three pay-car rides
barked sharply and they were answered
promptly by a dropping volley from the $40.
Pete ducked inward and gave his engine
another notch Of the throttle.
"'Tain't no use." he said. soberly; I'VE
ain't goin' TO have no time to transfer them
wimmen.' Then he called sharply to his
fireman and gave the boy an order which
l did not hear, and q moment later We
were on the inner curve OF the ~" racing
down TO the bridge at q speed which prom
Used anything but a safe passage over the
spidery structure.
Nevertheless. before ! could gasp q second
time we had stormed up the opposite grade
and were laundering through the cutting
at the precise moment that the believing
freight engine came in sight on the north
ern shoulder.
Once more Pete yelled to his fireman.
Gee a move, now!" he commanded, and
the boy shot out Of the gangway and raced
ahead to the switch. As / learned after
ward. the superintsndent's order had beer
to make a nying switch at the siding: thii
to bring the car and engine side by side
for the quicker transfer Of the women
Savage was on the forward platform to pull
the coupling pin. but at the last moment
his nerve failed him and he countermande
the order.
Go oni" he shouted: I'VE can't make it
they're too nesri"
But nov the man became the master.
Il know what I'm A-doln'i'' he yelled
back. with a fierce oath 10 cap Il. 'Yot
pull that pint" and when the engine terked
the car for the kick it was the superintend.
ent who obeyed.
The pay car was scarcely over the switch
when Pete sent the engine spinning baei
into the cutting and brought It to q stand.
"Mistah Graves" he said, the revenuel
allowed yOa-all d pay me another month,
take that and this" showing the blue en-.
velope with its unbroken ~rouleau Of Eolt
pieces into my hsnd-"and send 'em 4
Squire Jackson. Tell him that squares hin
and me. and say III new trouble him ns
more. Nov get on-Quicki"
But you-what are you going 10 dot"
cried.
"A nsger to hit them Ku-Kiuckers rishi
about the middle o. that bridge. Git on
viii yei" And with that he hurled me oui
Of the sangvay.
was haIf-stunnsd By the fan. but
was alive enough TO zee the last act Il
the tragedy. IN freight engine hal
passed the bridge In safety when Pet
launched the z5e like a stone from
eatapuit out Of the cutting. There va
a yell Of terror from the robber crew.
collision on the steep mountaiR side mean
death to every man Involved. and III
only possible chance for escape lay Il
hight The big freight pulIer buehicd an