The San Francisco call., 1904-06-19
,wo-sa.yty as~ wAaA ~. you, Gsor-

"F1ve-two-thirty-tw answered SIN
clair, leaning from the cab window.
"And we are ready"
Then GO" cried Pat Francis, rails
ing two fingers
"Gol" echoed Sinclair, and waved .
backward smile to the crowd, as the
pistons took the push and the escapes
wheezed.
A roar went I'D. The little engineer
shook his cap, and with a flirting.
shaking slide, the MoWiIliams Special
drew slipping away between the shin
ing rails for the Rockies.
Just how McWilliEms felt we had
no means OF knowing; but We knsw
our hearts would not beat freely until
his Internal special would slide safely
over the last of the 2ss miles which lay
between the distressed man and his un-
fortunate child.
From McCloud to ORalalla there
was a good bit OF twisting and slew
ing; but looking east from Athens
marble dropped between the rails
might roll clear into the Ogalalla
yards. 1t was a sixty-mile grade. the
ballast OF Stag and the sweetest.
springiest bed under steel.
To cover those sixty miles in better
than fifty minutes was like picking
them off the ponies; and the Five-Nine
breasted the Morgan divide, fretting
for more hills to climb.
The Five-Nine-for that matter any
or the sky-scrapers are built to bal
ance ten or dozen sleepers, and when
you run them light they have fashion
OF roofing their noses into the track
A modest upgrade just about counters
this tendency; but on q slump and q
stifr clip and no tail to speak of, you
feel as II the drivers were going to
buck I'D on the ponies every once IN .
while. However, they never do. and
George whistled for Scaxboro Junction.
and $50 miles and two waters in 195
minutes out OF McCloud, and looking
happy cussed Mr.. McWilliams a little
and gave her another hatful OF steam.
1t Is getting down a hill, like the
hills Of the Mattaback Valley, at such
a pace, that pounds the track out OF
shape. The Five-Nine lurched at the
curves ike q mad woman shook free
with very fury, and If the baggage
car had not been fairly loaded down
with the grief OF McWilliams 1t must
have jumped the rails a dozen times
in as many minutes.
Indeed. the freman-it was Jerry
MacElroy-twisting and shifting be-
tween the tender and the furnace,
looked for the first time grave and
stole a questioning glance from the
steam gauge toward George.
But yet he didn't expect to see the
boy. his face set ahead and down the
track, straighten so suddenly UP, sink
in the lever nd cIoaa NJ
the air. Jerry felt her stumble under
his feet-caught up like girl in a
skipping rope-and grabbing a brace
looked, like a wise stoker, for his an
swer out Of the window. There far
ahead 1t rose in hot curling clouds OF
smoke down among the alfalfa mead
ows and over the sweep OF willows
along the Mattaback River. The Mat
taback bridge was on fire. with the
McWilliams Special on one side and
Denver on the other.
Jerry MacElroy yelled-the engineer
didn't even look around; only whistled
an alarm back to Pat Francis. eased
her down the grade bit. like man
rejecting, and watched the smoke and
flames that rose to bar the McWiliams
Special out OF Denver.
4ue 1lNG-4Nluc aC1OSS NIo
meadows without a break. and pulled
up a hundred feet from the burning
bridge. 1t WIS an old Howe truss. and
snapped like popcorn as the flames bit
into the rotten shed.
Pat Francis and his brakeman ran
forward. Across the river they could
see half a dozen section men chasing
wildly about throwing impotent buck
cts Of water on the burning truss.
Were up against it. Georgie!" cried
Francis.
Not If we can get across before the
bridge tumbles into the river" re-
turned Sinclair.
You don't mean to try it7''
Would I? Wouldn't you? You know
the orders. The bridge is good for an
hour yet. Pat, II you're game. I'll
run it."
Holy smoke" unused Pat Francis,
who would have run the river without
any bridge at all If so ordered They
told us to deliver the goods. didn't
they7"
1--WE might as well be starting. Pat"
suggested Jerry MacElroy, who depre-
Gated losing good time. 'There'u be
plenty Of time to talk after we get into
Denver-or the Mattaback."
Think quick. Pat" urged Sinclair;
his safety was popping murder.
Back her p. then, and let her 60"
cried Francis; I'D just as lief have
that baggage car at the bottom Of the
river as on my hands any longer"
There was some sharp footing, then
the McWilliams Special backed; backed
away across the meadow, .-alted and
screamed hard enough to wake the
dead. Oorgie was tr--'-- to warn the
section men. At that instant the door
of the baggage car opened and sharp
featured young man peered out.
Whats the row-what's all this
screeching about, conductor" he asked
as Francis passed
Bridge burning ahead there"
Bridge burning!" he cried. looking
nervously forward. "Well, that's deal.
What are you going to do about it?''
Run it. Are you McWilliams?"