Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-03

the Northern Central Railway, pulled
- I'M sharply on the threshold of the Ii
ls&gE8l brary at Magnus Hall.
"Wire Hanley." said the great man
addressing his secretary in pistolshot tones that
the model four-cylindcr compound Atlantic must
be here at Magnus Hall, by seven o'clock tomor
row morning at all costs-must be! Failing this
the contract is void
1t was said OF Sir Jordan that if, like Mahomet,
he were to command mountain to come to him,
the mountain would have to come-would be
brought to him by contract 1t was impossible
to conceive the railway Napoleon compromising
matters by going to the mountain.
He had only two known weaknesses; one was
his pretty daughter, Fay and the other the little.
fatheress grandson, for whom he had ordered
working model of the Atlantic type of locomotive,
the latest type running the Northern Central
"Aso.' added the great man, peremptorlly
"wire Mr.. Winter, general manager, to send Han
lev and locomotive by special"
The disorganization of Christmas traffic on this
Christmas Eve mattered nothing to Sir Jordan.
His grandson should wake up to find the model
beside his bed, or Sir Jordan, like Trelawneys
men, would know the reason why!
The great mans secretary worded the two tel9-
grams, signing them with the magic name of
MAgnus II was an overworked teegraphist OF
He misread "Hanley" in both messages, and
flashed STANLEY" along the wire.
The 1arng lights of the engine shed illumned
Mammoth No 2, as she stood on the rails be-
meath the travelling crane and over the engine pit
Mammoth No 2, monster locomotive of the
Atlantic type gray and unpanted, compound
cyndered, domeless, high-boilered, thing OF
grim strength and massive beauty
It was Christmas Eve and eight o'clock, but
work was not yet knocked off in the shed, ten
miles out of London. Grimy men in overalls
crawled over and under Mammoth No. 2.
The young man who crawled out from the pit
was indstingushable from the other toilers. He
was overalled, grimy and the sweat of labor
beaded on the broad brows and the determined,
clean-shaven face
He feasted his eyes on Mammoth No. 9. 1t was
his brain that had given birth to the innovations
and patents pent up in the monsters bowels
His hands had helped to fashion her. His money
and the money of those who had faith in him,
despite past failure, had been transmitted into
this gray grmly y-beautiful thing--one hundred and
ten tons of metal and mechanism as carefully and
cunningly put together a watch.
Mammoth No 2 a private speculation.
though she stood in a shed rented from the
Northern Central Railway She had risen on
foundation of failure and humiliation.
When, three years previously, Stanley had sub
mltte0 MS original ueSlRus 10 JHe NOIlHeTH zen
trail authorities they had been acclaimed with
enthusiasm, and Mammoth No. l was built in
the companys works. But she proved dismal
failure Her coal consumption was appalling, and
instead of pulling extra tonnage, she skidded badly
under light load. She had been broken up IN
disgrace.
Sir Jordan Magnus abhorred waste only lit
tie less than failure, and Jack Stanley, on the
top of failure had presumed to fall in love with
the almighty chairman's daughter. Sir Jordan
had sent him about his business. Stanley set his
teeth, and began all over again.
Now Mammoth No. was practically ready for
the road and trial run-a monster that would
either make or break her creator.
Stanley's heart pulsed under food of emo
tions as the men, who had toed for him Loyalty. |
crowded round and wrung his grimy hand with
grimy hands, wishing him luck-and an order for
a hundred mammoths. A mist blurred his eyes,
and in the mist, somehow, Fay Magnus dainty |
and beautiful, took phantom and tantalizng
shape.
When the mist lifted, snow-coated telegraph
boy was hurrying through the she'd
STANLEY he cried.
Stanley tore open the envelope, and read the
message:
"Your four-cylinder compound, Atlantic type, |
must be at Magnus Hall by seven o'clock to-
morrow morning, at all costs, or lose contract. |
Wired Winter to send you and locomotive
through special-Magnus."
Stanley's brain reeled, and his heart leaped to