The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1907-01-04

was, would simply have been tos pave
the way for q neat Herbert Hawk
on the marble block of their plot III
Greenwood cemetery. 3.ss O.,
4a%'' Well, what under the sun = be-
/ gan Hawkins. 4 I : s LII II 5s5.5 3ss
Good heavens! This train! The
people!" gasped. > ts,s ...s !. 3s ..sz
7 OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES us find the
conductor. He'll know. what to do. 49, 80
Eyes, but he can't stop the machins
and we're backing along at certain
~ SO miles an hour: and any minutos
we may run into the next train be-
hind" y s..s S = q -: III s sz
Come! Come! Find the condue 81
tor!'' -: n
We found him very: easily. !;
The conductor was running through
the train toward us as we reached the
second car, and his face was the face
OF q fear-racked maniac, ~ ]
+ WHATS happened?" he shrieked.
why on earth are we backing?'' - ..ssg5
why, you see" Hawkins began.
For Gods sake, stop your machines
You're the man who owns it, aren't
your" '>@S :, -
Certainly, certainly. But you see.
the mechanism -er-slipped some
where nothing serious, of course
and"
.Serious!" roared the railroad man.
You call it nothing serious for us to
be lying along backwards and the
washington express coming up behind
at mile a minute!"
"Oh! oh! Is it," Hawkins faltered
Yes! Can't you stop her-anv-
way?"
well, not that know-why, sea
here! A smile of relief illumined
Hawkins face. -,
We'll? Quick, mani"
we can have brakeman detach the
Alcomotive!"
"knd what goodll that do, when
she's pushing.th the train?"
True, true!" groaned the invention
i Il didn't think of that"
I'm going to bring every one into
these forward cars announced the
conductor. Its the only chance of
saving a few lives when the crash
comes"
Lives" moaned Hawkins, dazedly.
us there really any danger Of
The conductor was gone. Hawkins
sank Upon seat and gasped and
gasped
"Oh, Griggs, Griggs!" he sobbed. IF
l had only known! If 1 could have
forescen this!"
If you ever could foresee anything!"
I said, bitterly.
But it's partly-yes, it's all that
cursed engineers fault"
People began to troop into the car.
They came crushing along in droves.
frightened to death, some weeping.
some half-mad with terror.
Hawkins surveyed them with much
the expression of Napoleon arriving in
Hades. The conductor approached once
more.
They're all in here, :" he said, res
s1gnedly. Thank heaven, there are
two freight cars on the rear of the
train! That may do a little good!
But that express! Man, man! What
nave yOE uOuS.
did he do it? Is it his fault?" cried
a dozen voices.
! mo, no, no, mop shrieked the in
ventor: Hes lying!"
You'd better tell the truth now,
man." said the conductor, sadly. "You
may not have much longer to tell TO-
Lynch him!" yelled some one. .,-
There was move toward Hawkins.
l don't know where it might have end
ed. Very likely they would have sus-
pended Hawkins from one of the VEN
tllators and pelted him with hand
satchels-and very small blame to
them had there been time. ~ X
But just as the crowd moved-well,
then fancied that the world had come
to an end. =
There was a shock, terrific beyond
description-window panes clattered
into the car-the whole coach was
: hurled from the track and slid side
ways for several seconds.
! = Above us the roof split wide open
and let in the sunlight Passengers
were on the seats, the floor, on their
heads!
| Then, with final series of creaks
apd eroans all was still.
Hawkins and were near the ragged
opening which had once been door.
We Climbed out to the ground and
looked about us. = :
Providence had been very kind to
Hawkins. The Washington express was.
standing, Unexpectedly, at a water
tank-part OF it, at least. Her huge To-
connective was on it's side.
! Our two freight cars and two more
passenger cars with them were piled
l.dp in kindling wood. Even the next
car was derailed and badly smashed.
The Alcomotive, too, reclined upon
sone side and blazed merrily, fitting
tail:pfece to the scene. 49, - i.
But not soul had been killed
we learned that from one Of the groups
which swarmed from the express, after
too = = 1~s> L~H