Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1905-10-11
I the indign,,ics put upon him and his

But Callahan was getting bis punish
ment as he went along. He had scarce
ly settled the ,010 into her gait for the
final run against the failing water
supply when another station came in
sight. II was a small cattle town, and
IN addition to the swinging red lights
and huge bonfire to illuminate the
yards, the obstructionists had torn
down the loading corral and were pill
ing the lumber on the track.
Once again Callahan's nerve flick
cred. and he shut off the steam. But
before t1Yas too late he reflected that
the bar las meant only to scare
him Il ngs One minute later
the a of flying splinters,
and TIN passed. But one
OF the ~ came through
the cab WITHDRAWING the engineer
by no more than hand s-breadth. And
the shower Of splinters, sucked by the
whirl of the train, broke glass in the
private car and sprinkled the quartet
on the platform with split kindling
What was that?" gasped the re-
ceiver.
Halkett pointed to the bonfire, reced-
ing like fading star In the Yearward
distance.
Our friends are beginning to throw
stones, since clods won't stop him."
he said.
Bucks shook his head
If that is the case, we'll have to do
something on our own account. The
next obstruction may derail u.s.
Halkett stepped into the car and
pulled the cord of automatic air.
>sNo good" he muttered "The
lrishman 3led our tank before he start
ed. me set the hand brakes,
Danfor and the governor took hold
of the brake wheel with him, and for
a minute or two the terrible speed
slackened a little. Then some part
of the dssused hand-gear gave way I'M
/ der the fhree-man strain and that
Ihope, was gone.
There's one thing left" said the
superintendent, indomitable to the
last. we'll uncouple and let him
drop us behind"
| The space in the forward vestibule
was narrow and cramped, and with the
strain of the dragging car to make the
pin stick, it took two of them lying
,lat, waitinsfor the back-surging mo-
Ut and wl&ling 1t for slack, to pull
ne cotNhng dropped\ out of the
ok and the engine shot ahead to
The length d the safety chains; thus
far. but no farther.
| Halkett stood up.
| TITS up to you, Danforth," he said,
raising his voice to be heard above
the pounding roar of the wheels.
You're the youngest and lightest: get
down on the 1,010's brake-beam and
unlock those chains
The secretary looked once into tn e
trap with the lodging jaws and the
acknowledging bottom and declined
the honor.
| Il can't get down there" he cried.
And | shouldn't know what to do
| if I could"
| Once more the superintendent ex-
hibited his nerve. He had nothing at
stake save desire to defeat Callahan:
but he had the persistent courage OF
| the bull-terrier. With Bucks and the
| secretary to steady him he lowered
himself in the gap till he could stand
| upon the brake-beam of the 1,O1O's
tender and grope with one free hand
for the hook of the nearest safety
chain. Death nipped at him every
time the engine gave or took up the
slack Of the loose coupling. but he
lodged and hung on until he had sat-
isfied himself
Its no good" he announced. when
they had dragged him by main
strength back to footing in the mar
row vestibule. 1.-THE hooks are bent
into the links. We're due TO go
wherever that damned Irishman is talk
ing us"
Shovel was firing and the trailing
smoke and cinders quickly made the
forward vestlbule untenable. When
they were driven in, Bucks and the re-
ceiyer went through to the rear plat
form, where they were presently
joined by Halkett and Danforth.
I've been trying the air again {"
said the superintendent, but It's no
go. What's next"
The governor gave the word
Wait" be said; and the four OF
them chung to the hand-rails, swaying
! and bending TO the bounding Iurches
of the flying car.
Mile after mile reels from beneath
the relentless wheels, and still the
speed increases. Station Donerail is
passed, and now the pace is so furious
that the watchers on the rallied plat
form cannot make out the signals in
the volleying wake OF dust. Station
Schoheld Is passed and again the sig
nals' any there be, are swiftly
drowned in the gray dust-smother.
From Schoheld to Aqua Caliente is but
scant ten miles; and as the flying
train PUSHES on toward the state
| boundary two faces In Tho ......I -