Evening star., 1902-01-11

and called Treetor for a moment, then
rushed TO the window and shouted hoarsely:
Bring your engine on to the main track,
Stevens. Go after the Chicago special-a
cross order, Be quick,''
The ''lo3 stood on the siding across from
the station. exhausting slowly as she work.
ed her injector pumps. She was ready to
be coupled TO train from the west
Take line relay and go with him."
" ilkins cried to ME. 'If they come to-
geather cut the wire and report to me-"
l caught relay instrument from the
shelf Of the supply case, threw a coil Of in
sulated wire over my shoulder, snatched
climbers and pliers, and rushed ont AS
turned for the door l glanced back San
line was hanging white and wavering across
his ms table. one hand on the key and calling
Ireetor like mad, the other wiping the
trickling perspiration from his face
Poor boy, what a frightful thing has
fallen upon him. / thought as I went
lunging down the stair. and the vision of
Sanline hanging over the keys haunted me
through every phase Of the terrible scene
that followed.
With a few bounds cleared the platform
and track and tumbled into the gangway
of the ''l03." l was still on my knees when
Stevens pulled her throttle open.
Throw that switch open! Let us outn
heard him yelling to some one could not
see.
With succession Of thunderous blows on
the frogs, the log tore out through the
yards and started along the valley like a
wild thing. The fireman began shoveling
coal into the firebox with might and main
The heat from the boiler-head, combined
with the hot sultriness of the day, was
something maddenfng. l clutched my fin
gers In the engineers smutted clothes and
eiang 20 him. trying to tell him the situa-
ton OF the imperiled trains as the roll of
the engine banged me back and forth
There's no operator at Fruitlane, you
KNOW. ] shouted near his ear, 'and the
man at Treetor is at dinner The oiI-Wild
Will thrp7lpsb
ping, making for Fruitlane, and the special
will pass Fruitlane without stopping MAX
ing to meet the xpil-wild at Treetor. They
Treetor. Charley said"
Did he give the cross?'
nodded, choking lump rising into my
| throat.
Stevens kicked his feet against the foot
! board and ground his teeth. He had the
| throttle lever back in the last notch. and
! we were going like the wind. The roar of
! the giant machine was kind Of continuous
/ thunder
''Drant will drive the go like Satan" he
| shouted. He is probably making over ffftv
| miles an hour. We will have to make sixty
| miles an hour, and then We will probably
| not catch him. l hate this-if they sbanIa
happen TO stop and We struck 'em In the
| rear! Say. get up in the window on the
| other side aud yell to me if You see 'ern.
| This is crazy idea. sending us after 'em In
/ TINS way. Burns to the tireman-"pound
4
| Sweat was dripping from the fireman. g
| chin. He rocked back and forth like a
1 machine. Stevens held his watch in his
| right hand his left on the throttle Now
4 and then he glanced at the timepiece. then
| strained his eyes ahead. In seven minutes
We rushed through Fruitlane like a meteor
] saw giimmer OF small houses a man
| falling back with his uplifted hands against
! the side of the little depot and then. as
| with breath. We were in the open agar.
] From Trayner to Fruitlane We had come
| in almost a straight line but here we
| struck the fanktng hills OF the broad val
ley, and from thence eastward the track
1 flowed forward in long curves, following
| IN some degree the textures of n small
/ river. Here the drawn Intent look on Stew
ems features deepened. and his hand on
| the throttle worked nervously as IL he
would gladly close the valves but he plnck
| hy held her throat wide open and we few
| onward. Te one not strung to the keenest
pitch Of excitement our speed would have
| been terrifying; but personally 1 was not
| strongly impressed by this, for the trans
eendant danger Of crashing into the mas
| sen8er train. somewhere before u.s. the fact
that In five or ten minutes the splendid spe-
cial and the otl-wild might rush together
eclipsed all else, save aeeting bits al
thought that raced through my mind like
sparks: How was Charley bearing this
Would the Treetor operator return to his
Office before the ofl-wiid passed his station
| How should we stop the special IL We over
took IT?
Then somehow became. aware that the
hot. still atmosphere had turned brown.
green hue and as we whirled round a Ions
bend suddenly miles and mites Of level val.