The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-05-12

whispering to Tracy. dropped on a
stool and covered his face.
Don't cry, Giddings.' It was Duffy
who spoke, dry and parched his voice.
Its nothing you=could help" He
! looked around and saw Tracy at his
/ elbow. Barnes" he said, but he tried
twice before his voice would carry.
'sBarne sNthey will meet in the CHINA
mon cut Gfddings told you? Bob
/ forgot-forgot my order. Run Gid
1 dings, for Benedict Morgan and Don
bleday and Carhart-quick!"
Giddings ran, the Rat River call
/ him. Rat River was closest to Rock
! Point-would get the first news of the
wreck, and Martin Duffy was calling
| his recreant brother at the River, but
the River was silent.
1 Doubleday and the company surgeon,
DR.. Carharts rushed into the room al
most together. Then came with a
storm the Wrecking boss, Benedict
4 Morgan. It was only an evil hour that
brought Benedict Morgan into the dis
! patcher's Office STOPPED and silent,
Martin Duffy. holding the chair, was
calling Rat River. Carhart watched
! him just a moment, then he took
Barnes Tracy aside and whispered. and,
! going back. bent over Duffy. The
| chief pulled himself up.
Let Tracy take the key" repeated
the doctor Get away from the table
a minute, Martin. It may not be as
| bad al you think"
Duffy. looking into the surgeons
face put his hand on his arm. cts
the De Molay train. the Special 326,
with Bucks car. double headed. Oh,
my God, can't stop them. Doctor,
they Will meet"
Carhart unfastened the fingers on his
arm. Come away a minute. Let
Tracy have the key he urged. "a
head ender. eh?'' croaked Benedict
Morgan from the counter, and with a
! frightful oath. "a head ender!"
Shut up, you brute!" Kissed Car
| hart. Duffy's hands were creeping
queerly up the sides of his head.
Sure" growled Benedict Morgan
loweringlv, "sure. Shut up. OF course.
Shut up"
Carhart was a. quick man. He start
ed for the wrecker, but Duffy. spring
| ing, stopped him. For Gods sake,
keep cool, everybody" he exclaimed
| piteously. There was no one else to
talk, to give the orders. Bucks and
Callahan both on the special, maybe
past order giving now. Only Martin
double shame. He stared. dazed again,
| into the faces around as he held to the
fiery surgeon. Morgan" he added
steadily. looking at the surly wrecker,
''get up your crew. quick. Doubleday,
make up all the coaches in the yard
| for an ambulance train. Get every
doctor in town to go with you Tracy.
clear the Incl
The master mechanic and Benedict
| Morgan clattered downstairs. Garhart,
/ running to the telephone, told central
to summon every medical man in the
Bend and hurried out. Before he had
covered a block. roundhouse callers,
| like flaws of wind before a storm, were
scurrying the streets and from the
| tower Of the fire house sounded the
harsh clang of the emergency gang for
the wreckers.
Caught where they could be caught,
out of saloons, beds, poker joints, Sal
walton barracks, churches, the men of
the wrecking crew ran down the sill
ent streets. waking now fast into life.
/ Congregations were dispersed, hymns
cut, prayers forgotten, bars deserted,
hells emptied, barracks ra1ded at that
call, the emergency gong call, fell as
a fire bell for the Mountain division
wrecking gang.
While the yard crews shot up and
down the spurs, switching coaches
into the relief train, Benedict Morgan
with solid voIeys of oaths, was or
ganizing his men and filing them at
/ the lunch counters with huge schOon-
ers Of coffee. Carhart pushed again
through the jam Of men and UP to the
/ dispatchers' Office. Before and behind
1 him crowded the local physicians with
instrument bags and bandages. The
ominOus baggage deposited on the office
floor, they sat down about the room
or lowered around Carhart, asking for
over from the rOundhouse. Benedict
/ Morgan stamped up from the yard.
The Mountain division was ready
All three disDatchers were in the
room. John Mallerss the day man,
stood near Tracy who had relieved
| Ciddings The line was clear for the
relief run. Elcho had been notified
of the impending disaster, and at
fxedly at the key, taking the bob Of
the sounder with his eye. A dozen
men in the room were talking, but they
spoke as men who, speaking, wait on
the life of fuse. Duffy with suspense
deepening into frenzy pushed Tracy's 8
hand from the key and. sliding into the
| chair began once more to call his
brother at Rat River.
"R. T=R, T-R. T-R, TT" clicked
the River call. r. T4R' TT. +
Answer me, answer. answer. R, T
s'R T-R. T=R, T=R. T." clicked
And Barnes Tracy edged away and
leaned back to where the shadow hid
his face, and John Mallerss turning
from the pleading of the current,
stared gloomily out of the window
across the yard, shimmering under the
4 double relay of arc lights, and young
/ Giddings who couldn't stand it-just
couldn't stand it-bending on his stool,
shook with gulping sobs.
The others knew nothing of the
| heart breaking in the little clicks. But
/ they all knew the track-knew where
/ the trains would meet. knew they
could not by any possibility see each
other till they whirled together on the
! curve of the Cinnamon cut or on the
( trestle west of it. and they waited only
for the breaking Of the suspense that
settled heavily over them.
Ten. twenty. thirty. forty minutes
went with Martin Duffy at intervals
vainlv calling Then. as the crack
opens on the field of ice. as the snow
sea gives uD at last its dead. the
sounder snoke-Rat River made the
dispatcher's call. And Martin Duffy,
staring at the copper coil. pushed him
self w in his chair Ike a man that
chokes. caught smothering at his neck,
and slipped wriggling to the floor.
! - IL