The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1907-04-19

Something of all this was mind of the fireman. in
simpler and when he glanced at his gentle superior from
time time she chung desperately the armrest with
clutched lever with the other with white
set face but firm mouth and fearless his blue flashed
with chvalric fire.
The trainashed Carbondale and Sylvia made ahead
the glowing headlight Of the eastbound train detracked and
waiting for the belated Overland her engineer and conductor
doubtless Tuning frettng For the first time during the
Sylvia allowed morbid fear to take hold OF her Sup
but the sckenng possibility presented itself and again.
ws train of horrors in the brief of few seconds She
held her breath and half closed her they Numbered down
the other train and when the engine urced little as 1t
struck the switch her heart leaped into her mouth ne sus
they the danger past the town. and once more scou
ing the open country.
In spite Of hafppe of sand which she let they
Sylvia they would reach the summit and if the
BY contrast reality terrific and the tireless steed
upon whose high haunch Sylvia perched doing the
Plains gained and for forty miles-vhich we're
reeed off in less than thirty minuehey swept along ie an
abatros the of gale smoothly and almost noiseessy
in the deadening snow
Sylvia suspected the engine doing better right
than did every night of the and that when on time
Yet glanced from the time table to the clock they
clicked the switch points Of Meose with force which
seemed sufficient them off like ccles she was chagrned
TO discover that they still eight minutes behind They
now approaching the long weveme descent of -Four Mile
Spirit River Valley Sylvia grim determination Half
dozen previously she had wondered in her unfami
artv with heavy and their magnificent speed she
falling short exceeding the safety limit; and half dozen
times she had been on the point Of appealing e me fireman
her and moreover the timetable mue urging her faster and
faster seemed enough But Just before they struck the
her husbands advice-seemed too much to bear alone
Il am going to let her her head she cried in her
distress
The fireman did not answerperfaps he did hearand
setting teeth Sylvia assumed the grim burden alone The
ponderous locomotive fell the brow Of the hill with her
fury Then she lowered her head like maddened bull in is
scent might fifty have been kened winged dragon fly
ing low to EARTH appaingy Aghtlke the potion i
seemed Sylvia though they dropped down the grade az an
aeoe drops from heavensent irresistible awful touched
only by the circumambient air.
All sylyias familiar methods Of gaugng speed at
fault but she believed that for the moment they were running
two miles every minute The thought that puny human hand
hand contrived for the soft Offices OF
ovccoud that grand momentum seemed Wildly ABSURD;
and Sylvia under the strange lasstude born OF her deadly
peril her muscles and drowsiy closed her eyes she
smiled with CHASTITY humo at the trust OF the sleeping passen-
gers in heri
She was rudely shaken ot argy the train struck
slight haf way down the grade The locomotive SHE'D
like frightened steed and shook iron muscle The
aanpe sheked against the rails the cab swayed and cracked
and the very earth seemed to tfenbe For moment the startled
girl was sure they upon the ties or at least had lost
wheel But only the terrible momentum Lifting them mo-
menary the track and in few secondsthough every
second meant $50 fethe hreeang beheoh rghted itself
Yet its beautiful equilibrium was gone; and as abandoning
itself to its mad mood the engine rolled and pitched and
nse and fell like logged vessel in The bell
catching the motion, began toll and the doorou sound
valid engineer and like the Of tossed bell
buoy sounding the lnel Of the doomed
The vounu fireman. who up TO this had maintained sto-
m calm suddenly sprang the floor Of the cab, with face
torn by superstious fear
1lNhat If she leaves the rails |" he cried.
But instantly recovering himself he spang back 70 his
with the blood Of shame on his cheeks
Am running too fast?" shouted Sylvia
4Not when we're behind time he doggedly shouted back
the track became smoother the engine grew came but rs