La Junta tribune., 1907-10-19

sand Tor the company II they do: tnntS
all. How'll you run them? Give them
plenty of sea room. They'll have to
gallop to make it,
Cool and reckless planning. taking
.he daring chances. straining the flesh
and blood. driving the steel loaded to
the swapping point-tllat was what It
meant. But the company wanted re-
suits. wanted the prestige and the pre-
MUM too. To gain them we were cx-
pectcd to stretch our little resources to
the uttermost.
I studied a minute. then turned to
the dispatcher.
"Tcll Norman to send them out MS
second 1. That gives the right OF way
over every wheel against them. II
they can't make II on that kind of
schedule. 1t isn't in the track
1t was extraordinary business. rath-
er. sending n train of wheat through
on n passenger schedule. practically as
the second section of our enstbound
fiicr. but we took hair lifting chances
on the plains.
II was noon when the orders were
~
lcnve Zancsville. For three hours
kept the wires busy warning all op-
orators and trainmcn. even switch Gu
gncs and yarimasters. OF the wheat
special. second 4.
The fiier. the first section and rcgu-
lar passenger train. was checked out
of GAINESVILLE on time. Second 4. which
meant Georgie McNeai. Dad. the sky
scraper and fifty loads of wheat. re-
ported out Mt $40. While we worked
on our time card Ncighbor In the dis
patcher's office across the hall figured
out that the wheat train would enrich
the company Just $1,000. tolls and
premium. III II doesn't break In two
on Beverly hill" growled Neighbor.
with a qualm.
On the dispatcher's sheet. which Is a
sort of panorama, watched the big
train whIrl past station after station,
drawing steadily nearer to us. and do
Ing II, the marvel. on full passenger
time 1t was a great feat. and George
McNeal. whose nerve aud brain were
guiding the tremendous load, was
breaking records with every milestone.
They were due In Harvard at o
o'clock. The first 4, our fiier. pulled In
and out on time. meeting 81. the west
bound overland freight. at the second
station east of Harvard -Redbud.
Neighbor and sat with the dis
patchers up In their office. smoking.
The wheat train WAS now due from the
west. and. looking at my watch.
stepped to the western window. Al
most Immediately heard the long. pc
culiarly hollow blast of the skyscraper
whistling for the upper yard.
she's coming" exclaimed.
The boys crowded TO the window.
but Ncighbor happened to glance to
the east
whats that coming In from the
junction. Bailey?" he exclaimed. turn
Ing 10 the local dispatcher. We looked
and saw headlight In the east.
That's 5,."
where do they meetT'
"Tifty-hve takes the long siding In
from the Junction"-whIch was two
miles east-"and she ought to be on It
right now" added the dispatcher anx-
iousiy. looking over the master mechan-
les shoulder. Neighbor jumped ~ II q
bullet had struck him. She'll never
take siding tonight. She's coming
down the main track. What's her or
ders:' he demanded furtously.
Meeting orders for hrst at Red
bud. second here, 78 at Glencoe.
Great Jupiter" cried the dispatcher.
and his face went sick and scared.
they've forgotten second ~"
They'll think OF her long time
dead" roared the master mechanic saw
agely. Jumping to the west window.
Throw your red lights! There's the
skyscraper now"
Her head shot that instant around
the coal chutes less than a mile away.
and 50 going dead against her. stood
like one palsied. my eyes glued on the
burning eye OF the big engine. AS SHE
whipped past street arc light caught
a glimpse Of George McNeal's head out
Of the cab window. He always rode
bareheaded IL the night was warm, and
I knew 1t was he; but suddenly. like
fash. his head went In. ! knew why as
well as IL my eyes were his eyes and
my thoughts his thoughts. He had seen
red signals where he had every right
to look for white.
But red signals now-to stop her-to
pull her fiat OH her launches like
broncho? Shake weather flag at
cyclone.
saw the fire stream from her driv-
ers. l knew they were churning In
the sand knew he had twenty air
cars behind him sliding. What Of 1t?
Two thousand tons were sweeping
Forward like nm avalanche. What did
brains or pluck count for now with IS
along like schoolgirl right
Into the teeth OF It?
don't know how the other men felt.
As for me. my breath choked in my