Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1904-09-17

ana II TOOK ull iioui "he ~
her on the rails gain. >,
Dan was n new fireman ana shouiu
not have touched the throttle, out he
did II to save Ben Balch, engineer
from reprlmdnd and dement's TOT
helnp late at his engine. Ben had
n sick wife at home, and Dan knew
that was the reason for MS tarui-
ness.
The yardmastcr was angry NJ the
awkward result of Dams venture, ana
said some savage things. But because
Ben was respected by him ana De-
cause Ben understood Dams motive
and because Ben would have II so lhe
renort went in to the superintendent $
Office reading rs If the engineers hhho
insteod of Dams had been on the throt-
tle-Dan kept his new job and mis-
chance" "My fault, anyway sh'u
the engineer, when Dan protested
"Oueht to have been here
Dan Coryell could not forget 1t, ana
swore allegiance to Ben. lie dld NOT
know how he could ever pay the dcbt'
hut It seemed to him lifelong obliga-
ton, and he kept on the alert for HIS
opportunity. ,.
This story tells how his opportunity
came and how he used 1t.
If coming events really do cast thell
shadows before, no one had eyes to sec
that bleak November night. Dan had
lust finished coaling up and swung
himself over TO his high seat rs No. 81
pulling the evening express, left the
| long bridge above NettletOn and pound
| ed out on the embankment once more
on her way to the city. The hollow
roar of the train on the high trestl'
gave place to a solid hum over stone
bnllasted sleepers, and Ben cut dow
the stroke rs No. 81 settled into he
gait. Dan had leaned forward for
look at the track ahead when the thun
dcrbolt came.
Throw up yer hands,!
The words were shouted almost II
Dams ear, and h turned uncompre
hendingly. He had read enough news
paper stories of train robberies to IN
derstand the phrase, and he had hear
the command perfectly. Only the Oil
ficulty of understanding quickly tina
he, Dan Coryell, was actually victir
of n real hold-up made this compre
hension slow.
His understanding was helped might
lily, however, by a steel ring som
eighteen inches from his nose-tl
mllzzle Of Il forty four-caibre revolve'
The freman's hands went up. II
had thought--w when he read the storie
what he would do under SUN tn
cumstnnccs. But so"ni0jw saw bac1
pair of ugly..' put ideas of resistanc
Hft' of his head.
Then lie looked at Ben. The cnginee
had turaed and was staring over hi
shoul lei, open, mouthed, at ma
standing, on the steel apron -betwee
the cab and the tank, and covering hiE
with a pistol as the other man covere
Dan. q here was Ito fear In Ben's fac
---ev,n Dan recognized that on the in
slant but there was plenty of amaze
| ment.
"Stop her" commanded the man VIII
faced Ben.
The engineers big left hand mechar
lcnlly tiShloned on the throttle, but Ii
made on other move.
Ing forward.
Ben turned and pushed the throttl
home, while his right hand sharply ar
Piled the air. No. - slowed with
Jerk, tGcn slowed again and stopped
ben was not lacking in courage, bu
his valor contained the element of dis
getion.
"Now look out for em"
The man who had given the com
nands turned quickly, dropped fror
khe engine, and disappeared in the
darkness toward the rear of the trair
Els fellow stepped back to place mic
way between his two charges and eye
hsm alternately, holding his pistc
Rady to meet hostile or insubordil
hte move.
"Now," he said, "if you two ar
good You wont get hurt, and you ca
put your hands down."
He settled back against the edge O
the cab door and pulled the curtai
somewhat about him, for the win
was cold.
He wore no mask, contrary to a.
Dams ideas of an up-to-date train rol
Der. His face was dark, clean shave
and rather thin, the features, especial
the nose, being well-cut.
The eyes We're dark and carried j
them the light of reckless readiness t
fight.
Dan looked him over from head t
foot in silent establishment. 1t was n
most past belief, this sudden break /
the routine of his life. He was Wild
. excited, and his muscles We're instinc
lively tense for the action which h
dared not initiate.
He looked again at Ben, and some
thing In the engineers attitude il
stantly alarmed him. 1t meant figh
and Dan was sure that his frieut
whom he had reason to love, would
hurt if he made stir toward resis
ance. The terror of the though
stopped his breath for an instant, an
the wild determination to shield Iii
became uppermost in his mind.
No. 80 pulsated with the exhaust c
her air-pumps. The steam pressur
was rising rapidly, as result of Dan
good fire and her sudden stop. He
ssfcty-valve was suffering with IL
tcrmittent, vicious bursts Of steam
Suddenly she put up a deafening roN
from the valves brazen threat, PR
test against the continued halt.
Minutes passed. They seemed Ion
to Dan, the longest minutes he In
ever known. The rush of steam fe
from its ear-splittng hiss to q lowe
note, dwindled and dropped agai
slightly, and then stopped with a su,
denness that made the succeeding III
accustomed quiet for the instant a
most painful.