Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-11-15

Dan made a last appeal to his father.
Wont you listen to what saw
sinking his voice to a hoarse whisper,
They'll hang you-do you hear? If
e they lay hands on you they will
show no mercy" 1t did not occur to
him thai his father would be returning
under circumstances so exceptional
that public sentiment might we'll I'm.
dergo a radical change in his favor.
Roger Oakley merely smiled as he
answered, with gentle composure: 81
don't think we need to worry about
that. We are In his hands, Dannie."
And he raised his face to the heavens.
Dan groaned.
"Come, then," he said aloud.
"Ill throw the switch for you!" And
the operator ran down the track. He
was quite positive he should never see
Oakley again, and he felt something
akin to enthusiasm at the willing sac
him to be making.
Father and son stepped to the en-
CINE. The old convict mounted heavily
to his post, and Dan sprang after him,
his hand cropping for the throttle lever.
There was the hiss of steam, and Joe
cried from the darkness:
"All right, come ahead!' And the en-
CINE, with its tender and two cars, be-
gan it's hazardous journey.
AS they slipped past him the opera
tor yelled his goodby and Dan pushed
open the cab window and waved his
hand.
Roger Oakley on the narrow iron
shelf between the engine and the tend
er was already throwing coal into the
furnace. His face wore a satisfied ex-
preston. Apparently he was utterly
unmoved by the excitement of the mo-
ment, for he bent to his work as if it
were the most usual of tasks and the
occasion the most commonplace. He
had taken off his coat and vest and had
tossed them up on the tender out of his
way. Dan, looking over the boilers
end, could see his broad shoulders and
the top of his head. He leaned back,
with his hand on the throttle.
"Father!" he called.
The old convict Strengthened UP in
stantly.
Eyes, 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 of his mouth. for he ap-
p%reciated his victory.
II want to know, because if l am ia
slow up for you I'll have to do it soon
o. I'll 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 a straight stretch of
road beyond the Junction, and the
the engine looked down upon it with
its single eye. Each minute their speed
increased. A steady Earring and
pounding had begun that grew into a
dull and ponderous roar as the engine
rushed forward. Dan kept a sharp
watch for the freight.
AS Durks had said, it might be on
the siding at Parker's Run. and it
might not. In the latter event his and
his fathers troubles would soon he at
an end.
He rose from his seat and went to
the door of the cab.
wen take it easy for the first ten
miles or so, then We'll be in the fire,
and that will be III 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
be had profound respect.
How fast are we going?' he asked,
Dan steadied himself and listened. with
a finger on his pulse, until he caught
the rhythmic swing OF the engine as il
Jared from one rail to another. The,
he said: E.
TWENTY-FIVE miles an hour"
at amt very fast, is it, Daimler
He was evidently disappointed.
"We'n 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 cult
waited fields ON the other, but with eacl
rod they covered they were edging il
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 burnec
timber that had sent Baker back tt
Buckhorn earlier in the day, Here ant
there q tree was still blazing. but fol
the most part the fire had spent 'its
strength.
tTo RE Continued