Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1903-10-02
FRIDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 3 1903
ON THE BITTER
CREEK RUN
BY W. BERT FOSTER



But Evylyn was not to be dissuaded.
Write me tho order, Lester" she COM
manded. What " the good of being
the daughter Of man who owns
railroad and the sister of boy who
thinks he owns the Bitter Greek divi-
sion II can't ride In the cabr'
But Jim Lsstrangs"-
mir. Lestrange is nothing whatever
to me. Merely because we used TO
know him when we were children
makes no difference. He IL only the
engineer"
"Humphi Member when he and you
tried to elope together In his goat
wagon and with a pound Of crackers
and some cheese that mother had sent
you to the store for. Hviei Le's-sesI
you were about Ave then, weren't you2"
Evyiyn's glance would have withered
anybody but an older brother. She
marched away with the order address
ed to the engineer Of the western spe-
cial, her head In the air and deepened
color In her cheek.
The fact that Jim Lestrange had been
a playmate of her extreme youth did
not freeze Miss Evylyn Grantham. She
remembered that her mother had
soundly spanked her for the escapade
Lester had mentioned, and with the
smart Of that chastisement her interest
In Jim had expired.
In fact. soon after that fateful day
the Granthams had gone east. Only
during visits to the town of her birth
did Evylyn hear Of Jim. The Gran
thams went up the social and financial
scale by leaps and bounds. jim Lee
strange, with pair Of strong hands
and some brains, had, to Evyiyn's
mind, scarcely risen at all.
Certainly the sooty faced fellow In a
greasy cap and overalls who took her
pass when she reached the platform
beside which Ninety nine and ita long
train Of vestibule cars stood would
have made strange figure In the par
lors OF her eastern friends. And to her
mind his Good morning, Miss Evie,"
was extensively familiar. She stepped
aboard the painting locomotive without
answering and heartily wishing she
had not come.
hut what an adventure to tual the
girls of when she went backi xhe
crack fier OF the Bitter Greek dtglsion
was becoming popular. Some Of her
friends had been through the canyon
and seen its marvels from the windows
OF parlor car, but no girl in her set
had dared ride from Logger to McMa-
hon Station. the towns guarding the
entrance and exit OF the canyon, In the
cab Of big Ninety nine.
you better sit over on this side,
MISS" the fireman said respectfully,
motloning to his own side of the cab.
but Miss Evelyn thought him officious
and crept in behind the lever and
squeezed into the engineers seat. She
did not know much about the huge ma
chine on which she was to ride and
considered II a personal affront when
Jim Lestrange swung himself aboard
and stepped up In front of her, OBJ
structing her view OF the landscape
from the front window OF the cab.
Under his tight fitting Jersey she
saw the muscles of his shoulders and
arms slip back and forth-like the con-
tracing OF the tigers tendons under
its tawny hide-when he stretched his
left hand back to seize the lever. He
waited, glancing ahead, for the con-
ductor's signal. There was something
fascinating In his tense though easy
pose. The compressed air signal spit"
overhead. Instantly the hand on the
lever frightened. There was scarcely a
jar as Ninety-nine. taking deep breaths,
pulled out Of the Logger station.
There Is little in the Bitter Creek
canyon to please the eye Of tourists,
but II certainly awes them. Sheer
walls rise 80 high that only for an
hour at midday IL the bottom OF the
gorge flooded with sunlight. Through
this the single track Of the division
weaves Its way, crossing and recross-
ing the whitened torrent upon trestle-
work. Around these piles the water
roars when at It's full, seeking to tear
down the distractions man has placed
In its path.
you should have chosen a pleasant
err day for your ride, Miss Evie," Jim
said casually. ITS been raining this
morning and the creek will be high.
And l shouldn't be surprised II we got
more Of It before long. The canyon
will be dark"
She sat stimy upright In her corner
OF the narrow seat ana maze no reply
But the rain came ere the western
special plungeu INTO tne gloom OF the
gorge jim reached pehind ner ana
smut .ne SIiuins pane 10 shieiu her
from any cnhnce gust In doing 10
tne sleeve OF MS Jersey touched her
snouiuer anu She shrank aside, but ne
seemed utterly unconscious
Ane tram swept INTO the canyon ana
speu over tne giistening rails IKE
he,y eyeu serpent n was uark ana the
slrI snivereu' suppose the angry creek
snou,u wrench Tree some pornon OF inc
tres.ie"orkf 5he only Dreamed win
connuence "hen tne traih was upon tne
SOHO RnRnH OF rock. WnIrn n10 been