The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-12-27

after him to straighten out their tan
gle.
He had just told Noxon for the third
time that IL Cameron's special would
not help itself he could not reach out
and pull 1t along. and begged IFS crew
to remember that little time honestly
stolen is lot of help in getting over
the road, when the pages OF his order
book shivered with a sudden draught
There seemed something strange around
him.
He could not understand the sensa-
ion. He was all alone, but there was
The compelling feeling OF eyes that de
mand response. From sheer perverse-
ness he resisted the infiunce as long
as he could, perhaps for a minute. call
ing himself fool for his nervousness.
1t was Of no use. He looked up from
the train sheet
Standing between the door and his
desk was little woman gray CARRIED,
no covering ON her gray hair that was
drawn smoothly back from her face,
her eyes like Jacks own.
His mother. his darling mother-but
how did she get there? BY any process
of reasoning she could be nowhere ex-
cept in her berth on No /. still miles
out on the division yet here she was
He could not mistake form or feature.
or the indulgent smile. which had 50
offox, for,,norod ho~ ~ox,<c<,f - IT. 49,
ish misdeeds.
His lips moved In meaningless at
tempt but he could not utter a sound.
She came slowly toward his desk as
though cropping her way. her eyes fixed
on the train sheet. she pointed 20 tn
margin, and said In mild reproach:
you told me to sleep soundly for
you would guard me safely. Is this the
way you watch over the lives In your
charge, Jack?"
Dumb with fear, bis eyes went back
to the record OF the trains once more.
realizing some awful sight awaited
him; something which had brought his
mother to him to keep her promise
some explanation of the warnings be
had SO little understood
Under the extended finger and at the
extreme edge OF the sheet were the
figures showing Magill's special east
had passed Garrison just after mid
night when Jack had given them the
three hours time on No. /. her had
gone on to Testers siding for the crew
to load five cars OF ties. They had
been bottled up there with no telegraph
Office when he changed the order TO No.
L The figures on the sheet were SO
small he had overlooked then:. and
knowing nothing of the change OF pro-
gram the train was even then hurrying
on to make Ainslee for the express.
which Swayzey. In the belief that he
had clear track, would surely get
there first.
The horror Of 1t reused the boy. The
thought of the crash OF engines. the top
pling over the coaches down the I'LL,
went through him like an electric
shock.
'-Os-os-os 10. by, three hours late"
Elliston was reporting Swayzey pairing
his time order close. The 423 had
struck her gait and would make up
fifteen minutes more to Ainslee.
Railway training asserted itself.
How his warning came. how his mother
was at his elbow was not a question
to be dealt with then One OF those
trains must be stopped
II he might get Avon, That station
had no night operator, but the agent
slept in little room OF the telegraph
Office, and IL he had not cut out his
instrument the ONCE call might wake
him.
AWAY" rang out SHARPLY
as Jack grasped his only chance.
"Av-Av-Av-" the brass soundef
seemed to change its metallic clatter
to a human cry for help.
"Av-" once more: then
T-I-Av-" licked back. sleeplly.
and Jack was on his feet with excite
ment.
Drop your signal and stop Magili.
special east" he snapped.
20. K Magill here; what do you
want with himT ratified back the op-
orator In a way which spelled indig-
nation at broken slumber
Get him on the siding quick and
take this order" answered Jack. his
breath coming thick as he sent copy
of the order given to No. ! at Bloss-
burg, and which meant 50 many lives-
A heartbreaking pause, then II was
repeated. the signatures of MagiIl and
his engineer were added. and before
the ink was dry on the order book.
Avon reported No. i passing nxe the
tail Of comet.
The special started east. The thread
snapped
Nike Schenck. the yardmaster. threw
Ice water over Jack half an hour after,
doused him unsparingly, and revived
him pale and bedraggled. No one knew
Why he collapsed and let trains run
themselves for thirty minutes. no one
lin authority. at least-knew of the
narrow escape of No. L; and Jacks
mother could not understand why the
dispatcher's Office seemed so familiar
to her when she met him there rs No.
/ arrived in Missoula, although she
never before had seen It
And while no one In authority re
ceived any report of the mysterious
visitation which lad prevented a fear
full catastrophe. there viii not be found
many railreaders who will deny the re-
atty of such occurrences; few will as
cribe them to the Imagination II the
person who receives the strange warn
ing. But the puzziing question which
remains. and defies solution. is this:
How did Jacks mother get away from
herself" and traverse the space that
her from her --Pennsy[
vania Grit.
Left I'm the Cloak Room.
There was sophomore who was