The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-25

THE KALN THE sos
BY n.B.DE COURCY

Brady gave four light blasts of his
whistle. In answer came the upward
fash of three distant white lights.
Hope III be able to see you at We'll
kim" said Coffin. as. with a grim laugh.
he sprang lightly to the ground.
To a, railroad man the incidents OF his
first trip always remain as indeIible
photographs John never forgot the
shaded cab light, strewing its white
rays over a broad, Undetermined figure.
the tar-like scent of the trailing smoke.
the plunge Of the racing cross-head.
rhyming with the rail clicks.
Now we are pitching over" said
Brady, let's give the valves a good
oiling- may prevent them from tangling
up" A liberal supply having been
poured through the cups, he con-
t1nued. after a quick glance at the
ground: He seems TO be holding them
Then, IS the train 1unges yiciously
downward. quick succession OF whfs-
ties floats back from Coffin. Brady
opens his stopcock; the pointer quivers
below sixty; under the combined efforts
of both reservoirs. 1t creeps slowly up
AS 1t passes sixty-five the speed of the
released train increases with avalanche
fury. The old Cooke, rolling over her
flying :-ivers. rocking against the sharp
curves. soon becomes thing of slapping
bell cord, of pitching lunges. Of ghostly
stunning, smashing recoil. It is with
the utmost difficulty that Brady
thrown one second against the side OF
the cab then against the straining boil
er-can keep the wrench on the pitching
plug AS the pointer nears seventy It
takes a quick downward sweep. a jerk
closes the cock then with lips drawn
in straight line. he stands awaiting
the result The rear wheel Of Collins
tank IS encircled in red glow OF spit
ting fire, a glance back up along the
sinuous, Iungfng shadows racing In mad
riot, show a like evidence OF effective
braking in drifting light or dull glow
ing shoes.
John calls out from his side: I'VE are
surely going some"
Yes, going, that is just it, growls
Brady. Then as the air Is filled with
driving coal from Collins tank, the first
long call for brakes rings out against
the night. Brady's lips close tighter AS
he lays his hands upon the reverse lever.
It's rigid strain appals him. There Is no
standing in the narrow cab now, SO
leanin, over the boiler he. with both
hands, clutches the heel OF the throttle
John, from his side, joins him, the two
heads bob grotesquely. one moment
touching, the next two feet apart ihen'
as a second blast rings out. to be quick
" succeeded by third, Brady says.
.-Out on the boiler, John Get good
ready to throw her rods
The photograph added to Johns col
lection in the next minute was Of the
kind whic., tinge and shade a soul-the
adful rush Of the almost visible air; the
rough dance of the canyon tops against
the blurring sky; the dull pungency of
burning oil; the Keeling footboard be-
meath his feet, and the hammer blows
| of the slender rod bending under his
hands-the kind that memory retouches
in sfnew-cracking dreams A strong
hand fails upon his shoulder; in mo-
nent he is seated astride the boiler,
clutcfing the bell frame. looking into
/ the white face opposite.
| A crash sounds above the tumult- then
i Collins cab arches like crushed egg
shell. for a brief second the air is filed
with spIinters and fragments of iron
J John catches a glimpse Of swirling
blanketlike thing plungins amid the
debris In a paralysis of horror he sees
! it crash against jutting rock. then, as
they fly by. to drop hands. wildly clutch
| i'm. face battered into pulp, back un-
| der the train.
Look, john" cries Brady, that was
Coffin Must have been on the running
| board when the rods let 60 Poor fell
low, ne IS through though, and John,
| fear our time is not far off"
! The words were drowned in a crash
from beneath Cab and running board
| melt undo the fierce blows of changing,
failing steel. The two sit, white-faced,
with staring eyes, as the engine stivers
over the awful impact Lances Of steel
crash into the river or against the rock.
Then In moment the dismounted ma
chine IS riding like a sllinming yacht
The vibrating lunge has disappeared.
Brady says, a glcam of hope in his face;
"Jof.n. 1 think there is a show for us.
Since she has stripped herself she rides
like Pullman" Here q water tank
shot past.
John. we are down-there Is Attic
at the foot of the ascending grade Boy
let's never forget that God for some
reason has seen lit to spare US from poor
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