Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-01-13
She Hrgus Daily Short Story
"On the Coaster Speciality Taylor White.
Copyright, 1907, n. Dale

by \. e. Daley.)
Her position and the thick ropes had
saved her from worse than a shaking
up, and she had regained the seat.
Poor old King she cried as she
saw with relief that Dick was unhurt
Il could kill that little Edwards boy"
Never mind the Edwards boy" said
Dick brusquely What we have to
think about is the train. We never can
walk that hill in time to make the
, train. Have you nerve enough to coast
it in the cutter?"
I'D risk anything rather than return
home" cried Joyce. Il never will let
father catch u.s.
''Then here goes" cried Dick gayIy
as he pulled the cutter back into the
shafts. IT'S been long time since
went bobbing, but l think can make
it,"
| He gave Joyce the shaft to hold and
| pushed the cutter over the brow of the
; hill. climbing in over the back when
he had it started.
Once back in the cutter he took the
shaft and improvised steering rud-
der. The body work afforded him lever
age, and Dick laughed as the sleigh
began to gain speed.
For the first half mile the road was
/ straight. and little steering was neces-
! sary. Then ahead doomed the turn. and
Dicks face turned grave as he dug the
shaft into the road.
Slowly the sleigh responded to the
pressure. and in another instant they
had swung around the curve as neatly
as a champion coaster on his low
pointer. and they were again on the
straight and headed for the station.
j., Hank Carew had just backed his en-
CINE down from the house, and white
plume of steam rose from the dome as
the engineer waited for the minute
:, hand of tue clock to touch the bottom
OF the dial.
The runaways were still quarter of
}, mile from the station when the cut
ter slowed up, but they had gained
more than Il minute in their swift de-
scent, and they did not have to run.
AS they came up to the station plat
form the little knots of loungers gath
cred about them. Rapidly Dick, ex-
| planned the reason for the coast. and
the listeners cheered as they heard the
tale. For years they had grum bled
at the way Warning treated Joyce, and
they We're glad that at last she was
to be released from her fathers hard
reign.
Here comes your dad now" piped q
shrill voice. And with one accord
they turned to see the familiar War
ing team tearing over the brow of the
hill.
Carew glanced at the steam gauge
and the clock Then he leaned out OF
the window.
''AIl aboard that's goingr' he called
in stentoran voice. Were chang
ing the schedule today. The $50 is go
ing out at 9:2S"'
Another instant and the train was
rafting down the road toward th'
state line. and Hiram WarinS cam,
dashing up to the platform to be greet
ed by ironical cheers.
1.-THE train went ahead of time"' HI
sputtered 81 shall report this to thu
officialS!'
You're wrong. squire" drawled Nee
Burns, who posed as wag. ''Tha
amt the regular train. That's til,
Coaster special. Makes close connec
ton with the Cutter express, from III
your way" g.
The laugh which followed showed
Waring that the sympathy was al
with the runaways. He was to be
candidate for county treasurer in TIL
Il fall. 1t would not do to turn hi
Il townspeople against him. AS he head
e ed the horses for home he half turnet
n in his seat
}. when that Coaster special com
e pletes the round trip" he shouted out
e you might tell Dick TorrinGton t
S come out to my place. amt going t
II kill the fatted calf, but there's a tut
a key l was saving up for Christmas
IL l guess thatll do as we'll"