The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1907-05-10

growled Neighbor. There's a thou
sand for the company IL they do: that's
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
the daring chances, straining the flesh
and blood, driving the steel loaded to
the swapping point-that was what it
meant. But the company wanted re-
suits, wanted the prestige and the pre-
MUM too. To gain them we were ex-
pected to stretch our little resources to
the uttermost
studied minute, then turned to
the dispatcher.
'9Tell Norman to send them out as
second 4. That gives the right of way
over every wheel against them. If
they can't make 1t on that kind of
schedule, it isn't in the track
1t was extraordinary business, rath-
er, sending train of wheat through
on passenger schedule, practically as
the second section Of our eastbound
t1ier, but we took hair lifting chances
on the plains.
1t was noon when the orders were
flashed. At 3 o'clock No. 4 was due to
leave GAINESVILLE. For three hours
kept the wires busy warning all OPP
orators and trainmen, even switch en-
gines and yardmasters, of the wheat
special second 4.
The flier, the first section and regu-
lar passenger train, was checked out
of GAINESVILLE on time. Second 4, which
meant George McNeal, Dad, the sky
scraper and fifty loads of wheat. re-
ported out at $40 While we worked
on our time card Neighbor in the dis
patcher's office across the hail figured
out that the wheat train would enrich
the company just $1,000, tolls and
premium, IF it doesn't break in two
on Beverly hill,'' growied Neighbor
| with qualm.
On the dispatcher's sheet, which is
sort Of panorama, I watched the big
train whirl past station after station,
drawing steadily nearer to us, and do
ing it, the marvel. on full passenger
time. 1t was great feat, and George
McNeal, whose nerve and brain were
guiding the tremendous load, was
breaking records with every milestone.
They were due in Harvard at 8
o'clock. The first 4, our flier, pulled in
and out on time, meeting IS, the west
bound overland freight, at the second
station east Of Harvard Redbud.
Neighbor and I sat with the dis
patchers up in their office, smoking.
The wheat train was now due from the
west, and, looking at my watch. I
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 Neighbor happened to glance to
the east.
whats that coming in from the
Junction, Bailey?' he exclaimed, turn
ing to the local dispatcher. We looked
and saw a headlight in the east
'oThat's S."
where do they meet?'
"F'ifty-tive 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-.
hously, looking over the master mechan-
les shoulder. Neighbor jumped as if
bullet had struck him. She'll never
take siding tonight. She's coming
down the main track. What's her or
ders?' he demanded furiously.
Meeting orders for first at Red
bud, second 4 here, IS at Glencoe
Great Jupiter" cried the dispatcher,
and his face went sick and scared,
they've forgotten second Ar
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 mile away,
and 55 going dead against her. l stood
like one palsied, my eyes glued on the
burning eye Of the big engine. AS she
whipped past street arc light caught
glimpse Of George McNeal's head out
Of the cab window. He always rode
bareheaded If the night was warm, and
knew it was he; but suddenly, like a
fash, his head went in. knew why as
well as if 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 on her launches like a
broncho? Shake weather flag at a
cyclone!
I saw the fire stream from her driv-
ers. I knew they were churning in
the sand. I knew he had twenty air
cars behind him sliding. What Of it?
Two thousand tons were sweeping
forward like an avalanche What did