The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1902-05-09
.ar on, and as the speed increased he
sat down to watch her and the rIils
ahead

scr on, and as the speed increased he
sat down to watch her and the rolls
| ahead.
He wondered whether. II the super
intendent had his head out Of the car
window, he would now think the wind
came from the east. He would wager
anything that they were not twenty
three minutes late now.
A star suddenly hove In sight on the
horizon. 1t twinkled and grew steadi-
ly larger. 1t was followed by a trail
Of weaker light. A meteor2 Nearer
and nearer 1t tore along the eastbound
tracks. For brief moment 1t shone,
dazzling, on $50, then shot past. VIII
Donohue caught a glimpse Of figure
in the cab, the faint CLEAN Of the
Ptntsch burners In the sleepers, the
sharper lights on the rear end. 1t was
the eastbound fiier. They were sched-
uled to pass at Woodvale, five miles
ahead. The Limited was five minutes
late. She would be on time in short
while.
But the sky was black with threat
ening clouds. Even then, as the en-
gineer thrust his hand out In the night.
he felt the big raindrops that presage
q heavy storm. He must watch sharp
now, for IN a moment the tracks would
be soaked and the wheels would be-
slipping.
AS the train swept round a curve.
leaning heavily to the left, a streak of
lightning flashed wildly. There was
a roar and crash of thunder, and the
gale was upon them, driving resistless-
ly, steadily, from the east. They were
on time now and soon would be ahead
Of the schedule.
Donohue, remembering the words of
the yardmaster, rose to shut off some
steam. They skinned over a bridge
and VIII felt It sway beneath them.
By the lightning he had caught
glimpse Of swirling waters and realiz-
ed that in another five minutes that
bridge would be down. Were there
others like it2 His fireman touched
his arm.
"For Gods sake" ne shouted, "shut
OF, Bill! Waverly trestle's just mile
ahead, and heaven knows whether
she's there yet"
Donohue nodded and turned to shove
the throttle in. 1t would not bulge:
He took both hands to the task and
failed. Again and again he. threw his
whole weight on it. Suddenly 1t went
home, and he fell to the floor of the
cab. In an instant he was ON his feet
and a flash Of lightning showed the
trestle hanging In midair some dis.
lance ahead. They were running nine
ty miles an hour, with a gale to push
them forward, slippery rails and wet
wheels for the brakes and an engine
which needed plenty of room in which
to stopi
On the instant that Donohue rose
from his fall the brakes flew to the
wheels and sand poured on the steel
A stream Of fire fell from the drivers
and from every wheel on the train.
With a struggle the engineer reversed
the engine. She shuddered as If In the
clutch of death; she reared and shook;
she seemed trying to tear herself to
pieces, but her speed went lower and
lower. The brakes gripped the burn
ing wheel treads with a grasp of iron.
AS she ground along her fianges some
how mounted the steel, and with
struggle, last terrible leap. she tore
herself loose from the rest of the train
and plunged over the embankment.
Mcdonald had Jumped long ago, but
VIII?
4. n-NI
had won his heart from the start, his
love of single night. crash off the
ties. He reached for the throttle and
grasped 1t. When they found him.
buried beneath the ruins Of his engine.
he still clutched the choker in his cold, |
lifeless hands. He had gone down to
his death with $50, but the train was
saved