The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1906-02-16

cial.
II tWC1.y minutes twenty men were
running twenty ways through the
Storm. ai.si live engine doomed under
the Wickiup windows.
Phil. want you to be CAREFUL 1t
was Bucks standing by the roadmas
ter's side at the window as they looked
out into the storm. It's a bad night
Haley made no answer. a wicked
night" muttered Bucks as the light
ming shot the yards in Il blaze and Il
crash rolled down the gorge. But
wicked as it was, he could not bring
himself to countcrmand. Something
forbade it. Evans. the conductor OF
the special. ran in.
Here's your orders" exclaimed Duf-
fy. Evans, pulling down his storm
cap. nodded as he took the tissue.
HALEY buttoned his leather jacket and
turned to Bucks.
"Goodby"
mind your track" said Bucks warn
ingly to Evans as he took Hailey's
hand. Whats your permit
CflN miles, an uOur.
Don't stretch it. Goodby, PHIL he
added, speaking to HALEY. "I'll see
you in the morning"
In the morning." repeated HALEY.
"Goodby. Nothing more in, Duffy
Nothing more"
Come on" With the words he push.
ed the conductor through the door and
was gone. The switch engine puffed
up with the caboose. Ahead of it Ed
Peeto had coupled in the pile driver.
At the last minute Callahan asked to
go. and as the bridge gang tumbed
into the caboose the assistant Superin-
tendent, Ed Peeto and HALEY climbed
into the engine. Denis MulleniX sat
on the right, and with William burden.
fireman, they pulled out, five in the
cab, for the Spider water.
From Medicine Bend to the Spider
water is ninety mile run. Down the
gorge, through the foothills and into the
Painted desert that fills the jaw of the
spur we intelSect again west of Peace
river. From the Peace to the Spider
take thirty for it; there is hardly a
tangent between Their orders set a
speed limit, but from the beginning
they crowded it. HALEY. moody at
first, began Joking and laughing the
minute they got away. He sat behind
Denis MulleniX on the right and poked
1T his ribs and tainted him with his
heavy heels After Il bit he got down
and threw coal for burden. mile after
mile, and crowded the boiler till the
safety screamed When burden took
the shovel HALEY put his hand on the
to hang to big Ed Peeto on the fire
mans seat.
Callahan" he yelled in his ear, "a
mans better Off And Callahan,
though he couldn't. in the pound and
the roar catch the words, nodded and
laughed because HALEY fiercely laugh
ed. Then going around to the right the
roadmaster covered Denis MulleniX's
fingers on the throttle latch and the air
with his big hands and good naturally
coaXed them loose, pushed the engineer
back and got the whip and the reins
into his own keeping. 1t was what he
wanted. fo2 he smiled as he drew out
the bar a notch and settled himself for
the run across the fiat country. They
were leaving the foothills, and when
the lightning opened the night they
lould see behind through the blasting
min the great hullling pile driver nod
and reel out into the Painted desert like
n drunken man, for IIailcy's schedule
was the wind and his limit the wide
throttle
Notch after notch HALEY drew, heed
less of lurch and jump Needless of bed
or curve. needless of track or storm,
and with every spur at her cylinders
the engine shook like frantic horse.
Men and monster alike lost thought of
care and drunk frenzy in the deafen-
ing whirl that HALEY opened across
the swimming plain
The Peace river hills doomed into the
headlight like moving pictures; before
they could think it the desert was be-
hind them. Callahan, white faced,
climbed down and, passed from hand
to hand by burden and Mullenix, got
his hands OH Hailcy's shoulders and
his lips to his ear.
For Gods sake. Phil, let up!'
HALEY nodded and choked the steam
a little, threw a hatful Of air on the