The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-03-05

Tor so long time, mat he must SUM
let go. if some one did not come to his
assistance
Suddenly q man came out of the car,
closing the door behind him, His back
was to Sanford. who instantly renewed
his clamor. shouting and beating on tho
door with his first.
The man, apparently, did not hear
him, his shouts being lost IN the roar OF
the train. Then the man turned ana
Sanford was looking into the WHITE
evil face OF Rawlins
Open the door. Open the door
Sanford shouted God. man. hurry,
hurry. In going to fall" he shrieked
But the man on the other side OF the
door only pressed his face close 70 the
glass, and looked long and cruelty at
Sanford. Then he laughed, ana tossed
his head, and said something that San
ford could not hear, but he did not open
the door.
For Gods sake, open.' yelled San
ford again. II can't hold on a minute
longer. Open, open
Again the man laughed, and walked
slowly way and into the car, wagglng
his head his white face distorted with a
grin of derision.
sanford's heart sank within him.
Hone almost left him. for he was now
growing very weak.
The seconds heightened into minutes.
An indeseribable WEAKNESS possessed
every part of is body. He suffered IN
tensely from thirst. and the eyes that
he could not reach with his nand burn
ed from the dust that was in them
He took to calculating how many min
utes he coaId longer hold to the rails
Why should he suffer so, he thought
when if was only q matter of SECONDS
anvhoW before he must let go!
Put the hope that some one at ieast
human would soon come to heip MN
again frightened his grasp.
He could hear deep rumble as the
engine and the forward cars ran upon d
| bridge. He squinted his eyes and look-
| ed ahead, and suddenly drew himseiL III
! and squeezed his body as close as ne
eou.1 To the vestibule door,
| Cod! here was his death at last
He reached the bridge, and the iron
s,,rerst, 1lc+tlre tore at his back until his
coat was IN shreds. Closer and closer
/ he pressea to the door to avoid The bars
that seemed certain to drag him OH the
stem. and dash him TO death.
Then the bridge came TO an end, ana
| Sanford's body was convulsed with q
sob of relief.
A NOM mt after the bridge had been
crossed the train rushed, with a hollow
trosr. past a little red station. As she
wer. by the telegraph operator looked
eagerly out of the window of his once
| To him the passage of the t-anscon-
| tinental vas the event OF the day Hls
eye caugnt the figure OF man canglhs
4 to the siGe of the train. He thrust his
head cut Of the window to be sure that
his vision had not deceived him,
I chr tod has =
man as good as dead. It's fool that
would steal ride that way. He'll be
knocked off or he'll fall off before he
gone ten miles
| Suddenly he was possessed OF an idea
He opened. his key, breaking into all the
business going over the line. and tickeo
off I'D" the office call for Eudora.
The ope .:ttor in the E.udora station re-
spon5sd and received this message
.erGaE the transcontinental There's q
man sanring on to the side OF the vesti-
bule So, and he'll be killed sure.
Instantly the reply came back: Cam
do it. Transcontinental just passed"
Had Sanford. still clinging doggedl!
to his perch on the car step, known thai
an effort was being made to save him i
would have given him fresh courage.
But he was now growing dull of brain
His body seemed dead, and he chung Il
the hand rails partly because his hands
had fixed themselves. and 1t took menta
effort to make them let go.
All the operators along the line wis
had heard the message and It's reply be
came interested.
GIVE Lawrence the tip suggested
: enc over the wire. Perhaps you cal
catch her before she gets by"
Flag the transcontinental. Man hang
ing to her, must drop OF soon Save hi
life"
? The operator at Lawrence snatched
| red flag from the corner of his Office
5 and ran for the platform. He coul
hear the roar of the approaching traiI
! and he was none too soon.
9 The engineer caught the fash of tn
/ bit of red bunting He reversed his eT
CINE and damned on the aif. The trai
/ came quickly to a stop. and Sanfor
4 fell Imply to the platform at the fet
| of the man who had tagged the train
/ The engineer jumped from his engin
: and ran back as the conductor cam
running forward
5 '.Et mats the matter?'' asked the cor
e ,7uctor
ei- The operator pointed to the shapeles
/ and inert body of Sanford lying in
/ heap on the platform.
His coat was almost torn from hin
His face and hair and body were coate
with dust, and he was absolutely III
/. recognizable.
. He was hanging on the step" e1
t claimed the operator. Some of III
e boys down the road wired me to IA
= you before he fell off and was killed
S Don't you know any better than +
stop this train" exclaimed the condu'
! tor. This viii cost you your job G'
/ out Of this quick, he said turning I
the engineer This is the second tin
] we've been held up this trip
Its the tramp we saw jump on II
. train at Holiday" said Rawlins to II
h conductor.
4 And Rawlins rolled the body of san
ford over with his foot. and climbe
Il ! aboard the TranscontinentaI, which w
soon out of sight In a wnirl of dust.
@ The operator stood looking al the bod
on the platform, wondering what to {
t with it, when Sanford moved, and the
: sat I'D.