The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-09-13
CHAPTER XXI.

CHAPTER NM.
L Buckhorn Junction Joe Durlls,
~ who combined the duties of
telegraph operator with those
4 q of baggagemaster and ticket
agent, was at his table receiving mes
sage when Dan Oakley walked into the
Office. He had just stepped from the
Chicago express.
whats the latest word from Anti
och, Joe?" he asked hurriedly.
"How are you, Mr.. Oakley? l got
Antioch now
"What do they say?"
They are asking help"
The metallic clicking of the instru-
ment before him ceased abruptly.
whats wrong, anyhow He push
ed back his chair and came slowly to
his feet. His finger was still ON the
key. He tried again to call up An
tioch. "They are cut off. guess the
wire is down."
The two men stared at each other in
| silence.
| Dams face was white in the murky,
smoky twilight that filled the room.
DurEs looked anxious, the limit of his
emotional capacity. He was a lank,
colorless youth, with pale yellow to-
bacco stains about the corners of his
mouth and large nose, which was
superior to its surroundings.
| Oakley broke silence with:
whats gone through today, Joe?'
"Nothings gone through on the B.
end A. There's nothing to send from
this end of the line, t.le operator an
awered nervously.
what went through Yesterday"
Nothing yesterday either
"Nhere is No. q"
cts down at Harrison, Mr.. Oakley"
"And No. 90"
"It's at Harrison too'
do YOU know what they are doing
at Harrison?' demanded Oakley an
grily.
1t seemed criminal negligence that
no apparent effort had as yet been
made to reach Antioch
II DON'T" said Durks laconicaliy, bit
ing his nails. II suppose they are
waiting for the fire to burn out"
/
Dan tartly. His displeasure moved
the operator to fuller explanation.
''1t was cut off yesterday morning.
The last word got was that No was
on siding there and that No. 8, which
started at S:15 for Antioch, had had to
push back. The fire was in between
Antioch and Harrison, on both sides of
the track and blazing"
where's the freight?" questioned
Oakley
''The last heard it was trying to
make Parker's Run"
When was that?"
That was yesterday morning too. 1t
had come up that far from Antioch the
day before to haul out four carloads of
ties. Holt gave the order. 1t is still
there, for all lnow-that is, If it amt
burned or ditched. sent down the ex-
ira men from the yards here to help
finish loading the cars. had Hollis
order for it, and supposed he knew
what was wanted. They amt come
back, but they got there ahead of the
freight all right"
Oakley felt this care for few hun
dred dollars worth of property to have
been unnecessary in view of the graver
peril that threatened Antioch Still, it
was not Durks' fault. 1t was Holt who
was to blame. He had probably lost
his head in the general alarm and ex-
element
While Harrison might be menaced
by the fire, it was in a measure pro-
tected by the very nature of it's sur
roundings. But with Antioch, where
there was nothing to stay the progress
of the flames, the case was different.
With north wind blowing they could
sweep over the town unhindered.
Yesterday the wind shifted bit to
the west, and for awhile they thought
Antioch was out Of DANGER" said
Durks, who saw what was in Oakley's
mind.
what have you heard from the 9TH
er towns?"
They're deserted. Everybody's gone
to Antioch or Harrison. There was
plenty of time for that, and when No.
Z made her last run wired ahead that
1t was the only train we could send
out"
How did you get the extra men to
Parker's Run?"
Baker took 'em there on the switch
engine. l sent him down again this
morning to see what was the matter
with the freight, but he only went to
the ten mile fill and come back He
said he couldn't go any farther.
guess he wasn't so very keen to try.
He said he hadn't the money put by for
his funeral expenses"
'"They told me up above that the NJ.
and w. had hauled a relief train for
Antioch. What has been done with it?
Have you made an effort to get it
through?"
Durks looked distressed. Within the
last three days flights Of inspiration
and judgment had been demanded of
him such as he hoped would never be
required again. And for forty-eight
hours he had been comforting himself
with the thought that about everything