The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-11
Martin Duny. But Martin Duny spoke be-

What do you WANT he asked: it came
terribly quick on Giddings as he turned.
What's the matter?' exclaimed Martin,
looking into the boys face. Speak. can't
you? What's the matter Giddings?'
bob forgot order 20 and let third so go
without-and special go is out of Elcho,''
choked Giddings
"Whatr
Bob at-Rat River-gave third so a
clearance without the order 10
Martin Duffy sprang straight up in the
air. Once he shut his lifted hands; once he
looked at Giddings. staggering again
through the frightful news, then he drop
ped into the chair, looked wildly around.
seized his key like a hunted man. stared at
his train sheet. grabbed the order book,
and listened to Giddings cutting off one
hope after another of stopping special 326.
His fingers set mechanically and he made
the Rat River call; but Rat River was
silent. With Barnes Tracy tiptoeing in be-
hind ION the instinct of trouble and young
Giddings shaking like leaf. the chief
called Rat River. Then he called Elcho,
asked for special 326, and Elcho again re-
peated steadily:
Special -326 left here ON -order-79
at-7:55 p. M
Martin Duffy bent over the message;
young Giddings, who had been whispering
to Tracy, dropped on a stool and covered
his face.
Don't cry, Giddings." 1t was Duffy who
spoke; dry and parched his voice. Its
nothing you-could help. He looked
around and saw Tracy at his elbow.
Barnes he said, but he tried twice be-
fore his voice would carry. 'Barnes-they
will meet in the Cinnamon cut. Giddings
told you? Bob forgot, forgot my order.
Run, Giddings, for Benedict Morgan and
Doubleday and Carhart-quick.'
Giddings ran, the Rat River call echoing
again down the hall behind him. Rat River
was close to Rock Point-would get the
first news of the wreck, and Martin Duffy
was calling his recreant brother at the
River; but the River was silent.
Doubleday and the company surgeon, Dr.
Carhart, rushed into the room almost to-
gether. Then came with storm the wreck
ing boss, Benedict Morgan; it was only an
evil hour that brought Benedict Morgan
into the dispatcher's Office. STOPPED and
silent Martin Duffy, holding the chair, was
calling Rat River. Carhart watched him
just moment, then he took Barnes Tracy
aside and whispered-and, going back,
bent over Duffy. The chief pulled him.
self up
Let Tracy take the key repeated the
doctor. Get away from the table a min
ute, Martin 1t may not be as bad as you
think
Duffy, looking into the surgeons face,
put his hand on his arm. Its the De
Molay train, the special 32e, with Bucks's
car, double-headed. Oh, my God-I can't
stop them. Doctor they will meet!'
Carhart unfastened the fingers on his
arm. "Come away a minute. Let Tracy
have the key he urged.
"a head-ender, eh?' croaked Benedict
Morgan from the counter, and with a
| frightful oath. "a head-enderr'
"Shut up, you brute!' Kissed Carhart
Duffy's hands were creeping queerly up the
sides of his head.
Sure" growled Benedict Morgan, lower
| ing, "sure. Shut up. OF course. Shut up"
Carhart was a quick man. He started
| for the wrecker, but Duffy, springing.
| stopped him. For Gods sake, keep cool,
everybody" he exclaimed piteously. There
| was no one else to talk, to give the orders.
! Bucks and Callahan both on the special
may be past order-giving now. Only Mar
| tin Duffy to take the double load and the
double shame. He stared, dazed again,
into the faces around as he held to the
| fiery surgeon Morgan, he added steadi-
| ly, looking at the surly wrecker, "get up
! your crew, quick. Doubleday make up all
| the coaches in the yard for an ambulance
| train. Get every doctor in town to go
with you. Tracy, clear the line
| The master mechanic and Benedict Nor
| gan clattered downstairs. Carhart, run
ming to the telephone. told central to sum-
mon every medical man in the Bend, and
hurried out Before he had covered block,
roundhouse callers, like flaws of wind be-
| fore a storm, were scurrying the streets,
and from the tower of the firehouse sound
| ed the harsh clang of the emergency gong
for the wreckers.
Caught where they could be caught out
of saloons, beds poker joints, Salvation
barracks, churches-the men Of the wreck
| ing crew ran down the silent streets, wax
! ing now fast into life. Congregations were
dispersed, hymns cut, prayers forgotten,
bars deserted, hells emptied, barracks
raided at that call. the emergency gong
call, fell as fire bell, for the mountain
division wrecking gang.
| While the yard crews shot up and down
| the spurs switching coaches into the re-
| lief train, Benedict Morgan with solid
volleys of oaths was organizing his men
| and filling them at the lunch counters with
| huge schooners of coffee. Carhart pushed
again through the jam of men and up to
| the dispatcher's office. Before and behind
him crowded the local physicians with in
! strument bags and bandages. The omi-
nous baggage deposited on the Office floor,
| they sat down about the room or lowered
around Carhart asking the details. Double
| day, tall and grim, came over from the
roundhouse. Benedict Morgan stamped up
\ from the yard-the mountain division was
| ready.
ALI three dispatchers were in the room.
John Mallers, the day man. stood near
| Tracy, who had relieved Giddings. The
| line was clear for the relief run. Elcho had
been notified of the impending disaster,
| and at Tracys elbow sat the chief looking
1 fxedly at the key-taking the bob of the
sounder with his eye. A dozen men in the
room were talking; but they spoke as men
who speaking wait on the life Of a fuse.
Duffy, with suspense deepening into frenzy,