The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-03-28

got a big gun aboard, and want to show
him that a little thing like this don't fus-
trate US any. If you draw into Stockton
on time. I'll add $500 to that check"
And he lifted her up to the cab.
The fireman, young Irishman, stared
at Sylvia as she stepped into the cab,
but she made no explanations, and, after
a glance at the stea " and the water
gauges, climbed up to the engineers high
seat. The hand she laid upon the throt-
tie lever trembled slightly-as well 1t
might; the huge iron horse quivered and
stiffened, as If bracing itself for its task;
nuoiselessly and imperceptibly it moved
ahead, expelled one mighty breath, then
another and another, quicker and quicker,
shorter and shorter, until it's respira lions
were lost in one continuous flow of steam.
The Overland was once more under way.
The locomotive responded to Sylvia $
touch with an alacrity which thrilled her
through and through. She glanced at the
time table. They were twelve minutes be-
hind time. The twenty miles between
the Junction and Grafton lay in straight,
level line. Sylvia determined to use lit
to good purpose, and to harden herself
at once to the dizzy speed required by the
inexorable schedule. She threw the
throttle wide open, and pushed the re-
verse lever into the last notch The great
machine seemed suddenly animated with
a demoniac energy, and soon they were
night like an avenging bolt from the hand
of colossal god. The headlights daz-
zling from the front, SO insufficient from
behind-danced feebly ahead upon the
driving cloud Of snow. But that was ALL
The track was illuminated for scarcely
fifty feet, and the night yawned beyond
like some engulhng abyss.
Sylvia worked with the fireman with
fine intelligence which only the initiated
could understands; for an engine is a
steed whose speed depends upon its
driver. She opened or closed the injec-
tor, to economic heat and water, and
eased the steam when 1t could be spared.
Thus together they scoaxed, cajoled.
threatened, and goaded the wheeled mon
ster until, like veritable thing of life,
| it seemed to strain every nerve to do
| their bidding, and whirled them faster
and faster. Yet, as they flashed through
Grafton they were still ten minutes be-,
hind time. Sylvia shut her lips tightly.
| If it was necessary to defy death on tho
curves and grades ahead, defy death she
| would.
| The sticky snow on her glass now cut
off Sylvia's vision ahead. Another train
ahead, an open switch, fallen rock or
| tree-one awful crash, and the engine
would become gridiron for her tender
flesh, while the palatial cars behind, now
so full Of warmth and light and comfort,
|
shapeess heaps of death. Yet Sylvia
cautiously opened her door a little. and
held it firmly against the hurricane while
she brushed off the snow. At the same
| time she noticed that the headlight was
burning dim.
1.-THE headlight is covered with snow!"
she called to the fireman.
The young fellow instantly drew his cap
tighter, braced himself, and swung open
| n ha Of -
speed of which was that Of the gale added
| to that Of the train, he closed his eyes and
held his breath; then, taking his life in
his hands, he slipped out upon the wet,
treacherous running board of the pitching
locomotive, made his way forward, and
bated breath until his head appeared in
the door again. 49,. -.
Fire up, pleased! she exclaimed, ner-
vously, for the steam had fallen off a
pound.
AS the twinkling street lamps Of Nam
: cyville came into view, Sylvia blew long
blast But the wind, like some ferocious
beast Of prey bounced upon the sound and
throttled it in the teeth of the whistle.
One-third Of the 149 miles was now gone
and still the Overland was ten minutes be-
hind, and it seemed as if no human power
could make up the time. They were
winding through the Talahula hills, where
the road was as crooked as serpent s
trail. The engine jerked viciously from
side to side, and twice Sylvia was nearly
thrown from her seat The wheels saw
agely ground the rails at every curve. and
made them shrek in agony, One side Of
the engine first mounted upward, like a
ship upon a wave, then suddenly sank, as
if engulfed.
Yet she dared not slacken speed. The
cry Of ''Tirnel Time! Time!" was dinnec
into her ears with every stroke of the
piston. Her train was but one cog on one
wheel in the vast and complicated ma.
chine Of transportation. One slip Of tina:
cog would rudely jar the whole delicate
mechanism from coast to coast.
The party dropped off to bed, one by
one. The general superintendent himself
| finally rose and looked at his watch
Three cars ahead he met the conductor
who also seemed a little nervous, and the.
talked together for some moments. Thu
train, at the time, was swapping arount
the choppy' curves in the Tallahula Hills
: and the two men had difficulty in keepin,
their feet.
Fast. but not too fast, Dackins,"' OBJ
; served the superintendent, half einquir
ingly. --.
! What I call high safety" answere,
. the conductor. ~ y
"But fearful in the cab, eh?' I. !.
, Nothing equal to it. SIR" rejoine,
Dackins, dryly. Is ,. = 80. :.
| Howard started back toward the privat
> car about the time the train struck Beech
!; tree Hill. When he got back to his car
he found Mr.. Stamford still up, smoking
and leaning back in his luxurious seat
with half closed eyes. Stamford mo
toned Howard to sit down beside him.
"Confound you, Charlie, you've got tina
! sick engineer on my heart, with your in
: aammatory descriptions. Confess, now
J. that you exaggerated matters a little
: The superintendent chuckled. ''Wel
= did, in one respect; but in another fe
. short" He paused for effect and the
: continued exultingly: Stamford, I've 60
the best railroad story to give the paper
:, that has been brought out in years"
Lets have it, said Stamford, smil
= ing.
'swell, between you and mo that ma
r Fox was mighty sick man-too sick t
a hold his head up, in fact" Howar
\ paused inquiringly as Stamford turne
sharply and gave him a glance.
Fox, did you say?" asked Stamford
whats his first Manner
!" IT don't know; he's a tall, smooth-face
. man, with dark hair and eyes. Rather In
8 telligent looking. He's a comparative
:. new man with us"
T The old mans fingers trembled slight
y as he flicked the ashes from his cigar.
. don't know that I know him." +
answered.
a WELL" continued the superintendent
with a mildly curious glance at his CON
= panion, "he was altogether too sick to pu
a plug. But it seems that his wife he
/ been in the habit of riding with hin
! and knows the road and an engine as we