Barbour County index., 1906-09-12
CHAPTER II.-Ccntinued.
Copyright, loO5, by ]. p. Lippincott Coz

1t was a rather unnerving thought
and when he considered it he was glat
that their ways, coinciding for the mo-
ment, would presently go apart, leav-
ing him free to do battle as an honest
soldier in any cause must.
The Rosemary party was rising, and
Winton rose, too, folding the seat fol
Miss Virginia and reaching her wrap
from the rack.
Il am glad to have met you" she
said, giving him the tip of her fingers
and going back to the conventional
tiles as if they had never been ig-
nored.
But the sincerity in Winton's reply
transcribed the conventional form
OF it,
Indeed, the pleasure has been
wholly mine, l assure you. l hope
the future will be kind to me and let
me see more of YOU"
Who knows?" she rejoined, smiling
at him level-eyed. THE world has
been steadily growing smaller since
Shakespeare called it narrow"
He caught quickly a: the straw Of
hope. Then we need not say good
by?"
NO; let 1t be auf wiedershen," she
said; and he stood aside to let her
join her party.
Two hours later, when Adams was
reading in his section and Winton was
smoking his short pipe in the mems
compartment and thinking things un-
speakable with Virginia Carteret for
- nucleus, there was a series of sharp
whistle shrieks, sudden grinding of
the brakes, and jarring stop of the
"Limited"-a stop not down on the
time-card.
Winton was among the first to reach
tie head of the long train. The halt
was in little depression of the bleak
plain, and the trainmen were in con-
ference over badly derailed engine
when Winton cme up. A vast herd Of
cattle was numbering away into the
darkness, and mangled carcass under
the wheels of the locomotive suffi-
ciently explained the accident.
We'll, there's only one thing to do"
was the engineers verdict. That's
for somebody to mog back to Arroyo
to wire for the wreck-wagon."
"Yes, by gum! and that means all
night" growled the conductor.
There was stir in the gathering
throng of half-alarmed and all-curious
passengers, and redfaced, white
mustached gentleman, whose soft
southern accent was utterly at vari-
anoe with his manner, hurled a Ques-
ton bolt-like at the conductor.
"All night, you say, sch? Then we
miss ouh Denver connections. ?"
You can bet to win on that" was
the curt reply.
"Damn!" said the red-faced gentle
man; and then in a lower tone: 81
beg your pahdon, my deah Virginia; |
was totally unaware of your pres
ence."
Winton threw off his overcoat.
If you will take bit of help. from
an outsider, l think we needn't wait
for the wrecking car" he said to the
dubitant trainmen. It's bad, but not
as bad as it looks. What do you
say?"
Now, as everyone knows, it is not
in the nature of operative railway men
to brook interference even of the help
ful sort. But they are as quick as
other folk to recognize the man in esse,
as well as to know the clan slogan
when they hear it. Winton did not
wait for objections, bun took over the
command as one in authority.
Think We can't do it? lll show
you. Up on that tank, one of you,
and heave down the jacks and frogs.
Well have her on the steel again be-
fore you can say your prayers
At the hearty command, churlish
reluctance vanished and everybody lent
willing hand. In two minutes the
crew of the Limited" knew it was
working under a master. The frogs
were adjusted under the derailed
wheels, the jack-screws were braced to
lift and push with the incest accuracy,
and all was ready for the attempt to
back the engine in trial. But now the
engineer shook his head.
Il amt the artist to move her gently
enough with all that string O. dinkeys
behind her." he said unhopefully.
''No?" said Winton. Come up into
the cab with me and I'll show you how. "
And he climbed to the drivers footboard
with the doubling engineer at his heels.
AT the critical instant, when the en-
tire weight of the forward half of the
engine was poising for the drop upon the
rails. he gave the precise added impulse.
The big ten-wheeler coughed hoarsely
and spat fire; the driving-wheelsm made a
quick half-turn backward; and cheer
from the onlookers marked the little
triumph of mind over matter.
You bet. he's no prentice said the
fireman.
Not muchi" quoth the engineer,
Hes an all-'round artist, that's about
what he is. Shouldn't wonder If he was
the travelin' engineer for some road
back Moods country"