The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-03-07

leave the track at any moment. lie
could not keep the runaway in sight
on account OF the continual curves, but
at every glimpse 1t appeared much
nearer till, as he doubled a sharp loop,
he saw II not forty yards ahead.
Victory was almost within reach, but
In a few hundred yards the grade
would begin 10 increase. II was now
or never. and the boy pushed madly
on the jumping handles. Inch by inch
the handcar drew up. till II bumped It's
leader. Then, watching his chance,
Cleve clutched the brake rod and
swung himself aboard.
His foot slipped and he very nearly
went off again. hanging desperately
he could recover his balance. The
llghtened handcar almost Instantly fell
behind as the runaway Increased It's
speed and impetus and began TO spin
down the slope at a rapid rate. Cleve
managed to regain his footing, clam
bered upon the lumber and applied
himself TO the brake wheel
Round IL went; the ratchet ciacked.
The shoes squealed, but there seemed
no effect on the still increasing speed.
II waited half minute for the car TO
slacken, but there was no such effect.
The boys strength was insufficient to
set the brakes hard enough, and real
izDg this, he managed 10 work loose
one of the side stakes that held the
lumber In place. This he twisted be-
tween the spokes OF the brake wheel,
and with this leverage he braced his
foot against the bottom OF the rod and
pulled.
with deafening Shrek the steel
shoes gripped the wheels, and long
trail of fiery sparks shot out from the
tortured metal The ratchet came up
another notch, but there was no per
ceptible lessening OF the now breath
less speed. Again Cleve strained his
back OH the wheel. The rasping cry Of
the grating steel racked his ears, but
II was Of no use. On that abnormal
grade the hand brake could not hold
against the momentum Of the heavy
car.
Along the mountainside they darted
like flash. The speed and pitching
Of the car had grown terrific. Trees
went past in green streaks, and on
the other side the cut embankment
made smooth ribbon of brown. Then,
with a slckening swing. the car lashed
round n curve. and shot out upon
stretch of straight track.
Steve climbed upon the planks and
lay fiat for safety's sake. clutching the
brake. All his effort had been of no
avail. II seemed; he had only contrived
TO involve himself In the disaster that
now appeared inevitable. He could
neither stop the car nor leave II, for IL
would be almost certain death to jump.
The whole fabric groancd and the
planks shifted as the car went round
another curve. II was hard 10 take
breath In the furious wind that drove
against the rushing car. Cleve could
hardly hear the screaming of the tight
ened brakes. AS the planks slid, he
had momentary terror that one might
slip over the front and derall the car.
That fear passed, but IL left the Idea
that the car might even yet be stopped
If II were made TO jump the track.
Cleve was only an ordinary mountain
boy, with no particular pretensions to
heroism. and at first the idea gripped
him with cold horror. 1t was no better
than plain suicide. But, after all, the
end of his wild ride must be death.
when he crashed into the ascending
locomotives; and 10y his single sacrifice
the train load of passengers might be
saved. II would be easy to wreck the
car. One OF those planks dropped upon
the rails in front would be more than
enough TO send the car and its load
shooting like bullet over the noun
tain edge and into the ravnes below.
There was yet bare chance that
no sacrifice of life might be required
on either side. II the passenger train
happened TO be late, very late, the car
might run past the next station with.
out encountering any obstacle, and
then out upon the level, where IL could
be stopped.
This chance would presently be de
cided. There were several points on
the line from which a clear view could
be obtained of the track for miles be-
low, almost TO the station, and the
nearest of these was about three miles
farther on. III the train had started
up the mountain IL would be visible
1t was n heroic spirit that drove the
boy to prepare for n duty from which
every atom Of the flesh revolted. lie
got unstcadily upon his knees. for II
was almost impossible to stand upright
with no support. and pulled and pried
one of the heavy twentyfoot planks
till il lay athwart the rest. Then
II was easy To push it forward till lay
balanced within foot of the end of
the car. Another shove would send
IL of and under the wheels; and he
sat upon it and stared out over the tree
tops for the sight that would mean
life or death.
Cleve has ever since insisted that he
acted purely as an automaton; that he
had no clear idea OF what he was
about But courage is no mushroom
growth. and IL is these moments OF &c.
tlon under blind instinct that deter
mine the stun of which the man is
made.
The situation was enough, indeed, 10
dazc any ones brain. The brakes
shrieked diScordantly. and the flying
car left trail like comet. n trail