Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1906-08-08
THE
CRAFTERS /
By
FIR AN CTS Lynn DE
y Copyright. 1901. by The Bobbs-Merrill Co.,
CHAPTER XXVIu-CoNTINuED.

CHAPTER XXVIrI.-CoNTINUE
This is no time to quarrel" he
said. THE thing to be done is to stop
this train without getting ourselves
ripped open by that fellow behind the
headlight yonder. The stop-signals
prove that Hawk and the others are
doing their best, but we must do ours.
What do you say, Halkett?"
There is only one thing" replied
the superintendent; we've got to
make the Irishman run ahead fast
enough and far enough to give us room
to stop or take siding"
The governor planned it in few
curt sentences. Was there a weapon
to be had? Danforth, the private sec
rotary, reused from his nap in the
wicker chair, was able to produce
serviceable revolver. Two minutes
later. the sleep still tingling in his
nerves to augment another tingling
less pleasurable, the secretary had
spanned the terrible gap separating the
car from the engine and was making
his way over the coal, fluttering his
handkerchief in token of his peaceful
intentions.
He was charged with a message to
Callahan, mandatory in it's first form,
and bribe-promising in It's second;
and he was covered from the forward
vestibule of the private car by re-
volver in the hands of a resolute and
determined state executive.
"One of them's comm ahead over
the COAL" warned James Shovel; and
Callahan found his hammer
Run ahead an take siding, is ut ?"
he shouted, glazing down on the mes
senger. 81 have me ardhers firm bet
Their men than thin that stint you. Go
back an tell thin so.'
You'll be paid if you do, and you'll
be shot if you don't" yelled the Sec
rotary, persuasively.
Tell the boss he can't shoot two
av us to wanst; an the wan that's left
III slap on the air." was Callahan's an
swer; and he Stacked off little to
bring the following train within easy
striking distance.
Danforth went painfully and care
fully back with this defiance, and
while he was bridging the nerve-try-
ing gap, another station with the stop
board down and red lights frantically
swinging was passed with roar and
a whistle Shrek.
'Fwhat are they doing now?" called
Callahan to his fireman.
They've gone inside again." was
the reply
Go back an thry the tank" was the
command; and Jimmy Shovel climbed
over the coal and let himself down
feet foremost into the manhole. When
he slid back to the footplate his legs
were wet to the mid shin.
Its only up to there" he reported,
measuring with his hand.
Callahan looked at his watch. There
was yet a full hours run ahead Of
him, and there was no more than a
scant foot of water in the tank with
which to make it.
Thereafter he forgot the Naught-
seven, and whatever menace it held
for him, and was concerned chiefly with
the thing mechanical. Would the wat
er last him through? He had once
made ITO miles on a special run with
the 1,010 without refilling his tank; but
that was with the light engine alone
Now he had the private car behind
him. and it seemed at times to pull
with all the drag of a heavy train.
But one eXpedient remained, and
that carried with it the risk of his
life. An engine, not overburdened,
uses less water proportionately to
wales run as the speed is increased. He
could outpace the safeguarding mail,
save water-and take the chance of be-
ing shot in the back from the forward
vistibule of the Naught-seven when
he had gained lead enough to make a
main Zine stop safe for the men be-
hind him.
Callahan thought once of the child
mothered by the Sisters of Loretto in
the convent at the capital, shut his
eyes to that and to all things extran-
ecus, and sent the 1,010 about her BUSH
ness AT the first reversed curve he
hung out of his window for backward
look. Tischer's headlight had disap-
peared and his protection was gone.
On the rear platform of the private
car four men watched the threatening
ScCOHu SeCliOu 1duS lulO the AiSuI-
Our man has thought better of it."
said the governor, marking the in
creased speed and the disappearance
of the menacing headlight.
Guilford's sigh of relief was almost
q groan.
My God" he said; sit makes me
colo to think what might happen II
he should pull US over into the other
state!"
(. But Halkett was stu smaFting from