La Junta tribune., 1907-09-14

the heavy train was well in hand. and
IL rolled down the long grade as gently
as a certain.
Ben Was non. too careful. for half
way down III. h,l they exploded tor
pellocs. Through the driving storm
the tail lights OF 'ie iiier We're pres
entity seen. As they pulled carefully
ahead Ben male his way through the
mud and rain to the head end and
found the passenger train stalled. just
before them was Blackwood creek.
bank full. and the bridge swinging
over the swollen stream like grape
vine.
AT the foot of Beverly hill there IL a
sIding-a long siding. once used rs a
sort OF cutoff to the upper Ianes-
Willie yards This side track parallels
the main track for half a mile, and on
this siding Ben, as soon rs he saw the
situation. drew Ia with his train 50
that II lay beside the passenger train
aud left the main line clear behind.
II then became his duty TO guard the
track TO the rear. where the second
section OF the stock train would soon
be due.
II was pouring rain and rs dark as
pocket He started his hind end
brakeman back on the run with red
lights and tOrpedocS to warn the sec
ond section well MP the hill. Then
walking across from his cahOos", he
got under the lee of the hind Pull.
man sleeper To watch for the expected
headlight.
The storm increased In violence II
was not the rain driving In torrents.
not the lightning blazing nor the deaf
cning crashes of thunder that worried
him. but the wind. II blew gale. In
the glare Of the lightning he could see
the oak. which csDwned the bluus
whip like willows In the storm. II
swept Guartcrins ,iown the Beverly
cut as II II would tear The Ties from
under the steel Suddenly IL. saw far
up In the black sky Il star blazing. II
was the headlight OF Second Seventy
seven.
\ whistle cut the wind. then another.
II was the signal fpr brnkes The sec
ond section WIS coming down the
steep grade. lie wondered how far
back his man had got with iii" bombs.
Even ms he wondered lie saw yellow
fash below the headlight. II was the
first torpedo. The second section was
already well down the top OF the hill.
Could they hold II to the bpttDIaf
Like an answer came shorter and
sharper the whistle FOR brakes Ben
thought he knew who was on that en-
L.. In
for engineers whistle ms differently NJ
they talk. He stlll hoped and believed
knowing who WAS ON the engine
that the brakes would hold the heavy
load. but he feared
a man running up In the rain passed
him. Ben shouted and held up his Ian
tern. 1t was his brakeman.
Who's pulling Second Seycnty-sev-
cni" he cried.
Andy Cameron"
How many air cars has he yotI''
''S!x or eight" shouted Ben. ITS
the wind. Dnly--the winti Andy can
hold her II anybody can. But the
wind; did yon ever see such n blow:"
Even while he spoke the cry FOR
brakes came ~ third time on the storm.
A frightened Pullman porter opered
the rear door Of the sleeper. Fise
hundred people lay In the excursion
train. unconscious OF this avalanche
rolling down upon them.
The conductor of the fiier ran up to
Bcn In n panic.
Buckley. they'll telescope us"
'Can you pull ahead anyT'
THE bridge Is out"
Get ont your passengers, said
2eu's brakeman.
There's NJ time" cried the passcn-
ger conductor wildly, running on. He
was panic stricken. The porter tried
TO speak He took hold OF the brake
mans arm. but his voice died In his
throat Fear paralyzed him. Down