, 1905-03-01

preaching from the northeast. Win
once glance l saw that which made nv
scalp creep. We were within throo
miles of Treetor, and something moro
than a mile ahead of us the trool.
swung outward into the valley. fol
lowing the base of a long, proiectina
ridge Near the beginning of fiji,
great curve we saw Drant's snecio,
rushing obliquely toward the outor
point of the sloping ridge. Beyond the
point of land, perhaps a half mile
saw for an instant the polished iae,ot
of the oil wild's engine glitter against
the lightning; then she was lost 10
sight on an inner curve.
Stevens saw it at the same moment
and threw himself back and pressed
his hand over his eyes, writing like
one who felt something of the pain of
the hundreds of human beings who
must surely be crushed to death in a
few seconds. AS for myself pa.
dumb with horror for a little space
az tongue and lips seemed sudden,v
parched, and l swallowed painfully.
trying to speak. With my eyes follow.
ing the special as she thundered to.
ward destruction l forgot the monster
in the heavens. Suddenly was con.
scious of pointing toward the north.
east and shouting something. Stevens
saw and, jamming the throttle shut
fell forward On his knees and gazed
outward and upward, all his features
working oddly.
The vast, whirling cone of cloud was
coming directly across the valley TO.
ward the point of the ridge. Houses.
barns, fences, trees, all things were he.
ing sucked from the surface of the
earth by its awful lips. The air about
rs was green, and somehoE all objects
seemed touched with a film of rust.
1t looked as if both DSnt and the oil
wild must sweep directly into it or.
missing it, crash together the moment
the appalling thing had passed. Could
Drant see it? No; the body of the ridge
ros between him and the Keeling
wrack of force. The men on the oil
wild must surely see it. Would they
stop or. trying to u by it, dash the
more certainly into Drant?
AS the mad speed of the "103" slack.
ened we gazed forward in fascinated
terror at the converging forces near
the point of the ridge. The painting fire.
man threw down his shovel and, dash.
ing the sweat from his eyes,, looked
and wondered.
n,r y hut Gov,
ments. With the roar and power of a
hundred rushing trains the cyclone
struck the point of the ridge. The wa
tiers of the little river burst up the hill.
side, tons of earth lifted into the air
and turned to dust, trees on the ridge
straws, and in the midst Of dust and
whirling atoms we saw Drants spe-
cial mount directly up the slope and
stop on the hillside, the engine turning
On it's side. 1t was the most remarka-
BILE vision yer vouchsafed our eyes.
Three minutes later we jumped down
from the "103" near the wreck. Around
the point of the ridge there was no
railroad track and scarcely any EN-
hankment. The telegraph wires had
been swept away. By searching |
found the broken end of wire No. z
and, attaching my relay, grounded the
wire in the mud at the rivers marge.
A half hour after the strange acct
dent | called up Traynor and gave
Trainmaster Wilkins the following:
1.-THE Chicago special Is up on a bill
side about two miles west of Treetor'
Most of the coaches are on the rails
the track run directly uphill. Engine
80 ran off the ends of the rails; lies on
her side. No one hurt. The oil wild
stands on the other side of the ridge
ran on to the twisted track and stopped
Cannot back the train without ASSIST
ance None of the crew injured. NO
track around the hill. A cyclone cross
ed between the two trains, lifting tne
track up the hill Oh each side ana
breaking it in the center. The ties ana
fish plates held the rails together at
each side, and Drant's train ran up tne
slope. We have dagmen out east anu
west"
Wilkins said some odd and sulphur
GUS things on the wire, then addeu'
"Have ordered wrecking train l"r
ward. Connect a wire through II you
can"
How is C%harley?" 1 asked fearfulis,
Had him taken home; he's IN pau
shape. Tell general manager ma l
gave the cross order. He will undef.
stand"
1t was like Old Wilk, hard and serf
obs ON the surfacp hut tPnde aS d