The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-01-22

conductor, came running up. Between /
us we gave the little fellow a life. He
squirmed out like cat and backed in |
stantly up against the tender.
lone at a time, and come onw he
cried hotly. IF it's ten to one and on
a mans back at that, we'll do it differ
emit" With a quick, peculiar movement
of his arm he drew pistol and, point
ing it squarely at Cameron, cried, "Get
backw
l caught a fash of his eye through
the blood that streamed down his face.
l wouldn't have given a switch kew for
the life of the man who crowded him
at that minute. But just then Lancas-
ter came up, and before the crowd real
lied it we had Foley, protesting an
grily, back in the cab again.
For heavens sake, pull out of this
before there's bloodshed, Foley"
cried, and, nodding to Buckley, Foley
opened the choker.
1t was a night run and a new track
to him. l tried to fire and pilot both.
but after Foley suggested once or twice
that If l would tend to the coal he
would tend to the curves let him find
them, and he found them all,
thought, before we got to Athens. He
took big chances in his running, but
there was a superb confidence in his
bursts of speed which marked the fast
runner and the experienced one.
At Athens we had barely two hours
to rest before doubling back. I was
never tired in my life till | struck the
pillow that night, but before 1 got it
warm the caller routed me out again.
The eastbound fier was on time, or
nearly so, and when l got into the cab
for the run back Foley was just cou-
ping on.
did you get nap?" 1 asked as we
pulled out.
mo; we slipped an eccentric coming
up, and I've been under the engine
ever since Say, she's bird, isn't
she? She's all right. 1 couldn't run
her coming up, but I've touched up
her valve motion bit, and I'll get ac-
ton on her as soon as it's daylight"
"Don't mind getting action on my
account, Foley; I'm shy on life insur-
ance."
He laughed.
you're safe with me. I never killed
man, woman or child in my life.
When 1 do, I quit the cab. Give her
plenty of diamonds, If you please" he
added, letting her out full.
He gave me the ride of my life, but
hated to show scare, he was so coolly
audacious himself We had but one
stop-for water-and after that all
down grade. We bowled abeng as easy
as ninepins, but the pace was hair
raiser. After we passed Arickaree we
never touched a thing but the high
joints The long, heavy train behind
us few round the bluffs once in awhile
like the tail of a very capricious kite,
yet somehow, and that's an engineers
magic, she always lit on the steel.
Day broke ahead, and between
breaths / caught the glory of a sun
rise on the plains from a locomotive
cab window. When the smoke of the
McCloud shops stained the horizon re
Numbering the ugly threats of the
strikers, left my seat to speak to
Foley.
II think you'd better swing of
when you slow up for the yards and
| cut across to the roundhousef' | cried
| getting close to his ear, for we were
on terrific speed. He looked at me In
| quiringly. ''In that way you won't run
into Cameron and his crowd at the de
pot" 1 added. 81 can stop her al
right"
He didn't take his eyes off the track
'T'Il take the train to the platform,
said he.
isn't that crossing cut ahead?" hC
added suddenly as we swung round ;
hill west of town.
Eyes, and a bad one"
He reached for the whistle and gave
the long warning screams. L set TIT
bell ringer and stopped to open the fur
mace door to cool the fire, when-chug
few I'D against the water gauges
like a coupling pin The monster en-
CINE reared right up on her head
Scrambling to my feet, | saw the new
man clutching the air lever with bot
| hands. and every wheel on the trail
was screeching. l jumped to his sid
and looked over his shoulder. On tn
crossing Just ahead big white horse
dragging a buggy, plunged and reare'
frantically. Standing on the bugg.
seat a baby boy clung, bewildered, t
the lazyback-not another soul il
sioh+ All of once the horse Swervet
sharply back. The buggy lurehed hal
over. The lines seemed to be caugh
around one wheel The little fellow
chung on. but the crazy horse, instea
of running, began hornpipe right be
tween the deadly rails.
I looked at Foley in despair. Fror
the nonstrous quivering leaps of tn
great engine 1 knew the drivers wer
in the clutch Of the mighty air brake
but the resistlesS momentum OF To
train was none the less sweeping U
down at deadly speed on the babI