The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-09-27

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the top of his head. He leaned back,
! with his hand ON the throttle.
Father he called.
The old convict Strengthened up in
stantly.
YES, Dannie."
you are going with me? You are
determined?"
II thought we settled that, Dannie,
before we started he said pleasantly.
but there was a shrewd, kindly droop
to the corners of his mouth, for he ap-
preciated his victory.
II want to know, because if am to
slow up for you I'll have to do it soon
or III be leaving you in worse shape
than l found you"
To this his father made no direct re-
ply. Instead he asked do you think
We'll reach Antioch in time to do them
any good?" Dan faced about.
| They slid into straight stretch of
road beyond the Junction, and the
track shone yellow far ahead, where
the engine looked down upon it with
its single eye. Each minute their speed
increased. A steady jarring and
pounding had begun that grew into a
dull and ponderous roar as the engine
rushed forward. Dan kept sharp
watch for the freight.
AS Durks had said, it might be on
the siding at Parkers Run, and it
might not In the latter event his and
| his fathers troubles would soon be at
an end.
| He rose from his seat and went to
the door of the cab.
We'll take it easy for the first ten
miles or so, then We'll be in the fire,
| and that will be our time to hit her up"
| Roger Oakley nodded his acquies-
cence. In what he conceived to be
worldly matters he was quite willing
to abide by Dams judgment, for which
he had profound respect.
"How fast are we going?" he asked.
Dan steadied himself and listened, with
finger on his pulse, until he caught
the rhythmic swing of the engine as it
| Jared from one rail to another. Then
| he said:
Twenty-Five miles an hour
ut amt very fast, is it, Daimler"
He was evidently disappointed.
We'll do twice that presently"
The old convict looked relieved. They
were running now with a strip of for
est on one side of the track and Guilt
waited fields on the other, but with each
| rod they covered they were edging in
nearer the flames. At Parker's Run
| the road crossed a little stream which
doubled back in the direction of Buck
horn junction. There was nothing aft
er that to stay the progress of the fire,
and the rest of their way lay through
the blazing pine woods.
Just before they reached the ten mile
fill they came to the strip of burned
timber that had sent Baker back to
Buckhorn earlier in the day. Here and
there tree was still blazing, but for
the most part the fire had spent its
strength.
AS they swung past Parker's Run q
little farther on Dan saw the freight,
or, rather, what was left of it, on the
siding. 1t had been cutting out four
fat cars loaded with ties, and he un-
derstood the difficulty at a glance. On
the main track brick and stone Gull
vert spanned the run, but the siding
crossed it on flimsy wooden bridge
This bridge had probably been burning
as the freight backed in for the fiat
cars, and when it attempted to pull out
| the weakened structure had collapsed
and the engine had gone through into
L no ~. g..
damned between the steep banks, with
its big drivers in the air. OF the cars
there remained only the trucks and
ironwork. Near by a tool shed had
| formerly stood, but that was gone too.
The wheels and gearing of hand car
in the midst Of heap of ashes marked
the spot.
Dan turned to his father. "Are you
all right, daddy" he asked
Yes, Dannie."
Mind your footing. 1t will be pretty
shaky back there"
They We're still in the burned district,
where change in the wind that after
noon had driven the fire back on itself
1t had made clean sweep of every
4
had been freshly ballasted, and the
track was in fair condition to resist the
flames. But an occasional tie smol-
dered, and from these the rushing
train thrashed showers of sparks.
Dan kept his eyes fastened on the
rails, which showed plainly in the jerky
glare of the headlight. 1t was we'll to
be careful while care was possible. BY
and by he would have to throw aside
all caution and trust to chance. Now
he increased his speed, and the in
sistent thud of the wheels drowned ev-
cry other sound, even the faroff roar
of the flames. AT his back at intervals
a rudy glow shot upward into the
night when Roger Oakley threw open
the furnace door to pass in coal. Save
for this il was still quite dark in the
cab, when Dan sat with his hand on
the throttle lever and watched the vel
low streak that ran along the rails in
advance of the engine. Suddenly the
wall of light ahead frightened visibly,
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