Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-29

Of the air-brake cock at shorter intervals
Ford glanced back at the following car
framed in the red glow from the opened
fire-box door. It was surging and bound
ing alarmingly over the uneven track
Ford was willing to give the president the
ity: but there were others to be consid.
ered-and one above all the others.
Easy. man; easy!" he cautioned. III
you leave the steel on this goat track
there won't be anybody left to tell the
story. It's thousand feet sheer In some
take her to the bottom Of the HILL
The engineer stood aside with a good
tempered grin. He had seen the chief OF
construction walking the one young lady
Of the party to the top Of Plug pass and
back and It was not difficult to account
for his anxiety.
Throughout the ten long miles OF the
mountain descent Ford crouched on the
drivers seat and put his mind into the
business Of getting down the slides and
a wreck. The 1O12's brake equipment. was
modern. and the Nadia's gear was in per-
feet order. Now and then on q tangent
the big engine would straighten herself
for a race or a runaway but always the
steady hand on the air cock brought her
down just before the critical moment be-
yond which neither brakes nor the stead
lest nerve could avail. Thrice In the long
downward rush Ford checked the speed
to a foot pace. This was in the rock
cliffs thrust themselves out into the white
cone of the headlight, scanning the mar
row shelf Of the right Of way to a mere
groove in the rock. He was afraid OF the
MacMorroghs was to keep barely within
the contract limits on clearance widths.
and once the Nadia. sagging mountain
ward on the roughly leveled track at the
wrong moment. touched one OF the out
hanging rocks in passing. Hector heard
the touch. and so did Ford: but 1t was the
engineman who made a grim Jest upon II.
saying: "If she does that moren once or
twice theren be a job for the car paint
ers. don't you reckon. Mr.. Ford? And
for the carpenters"
Just below the doubling bend in the
great loop they came In sight Of the first
OF the MacMorrogh camps. Since the
night was frosty a huge bonfire was burn
ing beside the track. and when Hector
blew his whistle some one tagged the
train with a brand snatched from the fire.
Ford stopped because he dared not do
otherwise.
well. what's wanted?" he snapped
when the train came to q stand and the
made as II he would climb to the cab of
the 1912
Some Of us fellies want to 60 down to
Ten Mile-the liquors out" said the man,
trying to get a fair sight Of the strange
engineman.
Get OFF,. said Ford. and Hector made
the order effective by showing the in
truder from the STEP That was easy.
but before the train had measured twice
its length a pistol barked thrice and the
glass in the cab window on Ford's side
fell in splinters.
Holy smoke!" said Hector. us them
the kind OF plug-uglies you've got over
here. Mr.. Ford?"
Ford nodded. His eyes were on the
track again. and he was hoping ferventiy
that the three shots had all been aimed
at the engine A mile farther on Pen
field came sliding over the coal to say
that the president wanted to know what
the shooting was about.
Ford turned the 1912 over to Hector.
The track hazards Of the mountain grade
were safely passed.
did any Of the shots hit the carp he
asked Of Penfield.
No
well. il you have to say anything b.
fore the ladies 1t might be advisable to
make joke OF Il. Signal torpedoes
sound very much like pistol shots, you
know"
Penneld nodded. But to Mr.. Col
brith?'
ITO Mr.. Colbrith you may say that q
gang Of drunken MacMorrogh surfaeers
tagged US down. and when we wouldn't
let them have the train, made little gun
play
"Heavensr' said the clerk. whose
curiosity stopped short At the farthest
confines Of any battlefield. lis that sort