Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1910-09-16

done what has bafiled the logic of
centuries-it had broken the granite
barriers of social caste aud captured
the citadel Of the common human
heart.
The snow blockade was raised, and
the train moved on. And Pacifica rul.
ed her moving autocracy with her
scepter of love as they passed Ogden,
crossed the sagebrush deserts of Ne
vada and climbed the Sierras. She
wanted for nothing that her loyal sub
jects could supply. AS each successive
crew took charge of the train the train
baby was duly and cheerfully accepted
as a part thereof. These blunt, rough
men OF the iron rails were as gentle
and tender with the orphaned child
whom chance had thrown in their way
as though she had been Of their own
flesh and blood. If she was fretful at
q siding or desert watering tank she
would be taken out Of her car and
passed about among the trainmen,
train dispatcher. conductor. engineer,
fireman. brakemen. porters, baggage
men and hotel runners, all taking
awkwark turns at holding her or 9TH
erwise contributing to her entertain.
ment. Pacif1ca owned the train and
the whole works.
The Sierras were crossed, Sacramen-
to was reached and passed. and the
train headed south toward the San
Joaquin and Los Angeles.
A few miles south of Sacramento q
storm. suddenly blowing in from the
ocean. was encountered, which in.
creased in violence as they neared
Bakersfield and the Tehachepi noun
tains.
At Bakersfield the wind was blowing
fifty mile clip. and the rain was com.
Ing down like cloudburst.
'"Ticklish business I'D there. Rogersr.
yelled the conductor to the engineer as
he waved his hand toward the storm
swept heights of the Tehachepi. Rog-
ers had no need to be told Of the dan
ger of landslides in this the first Sc
we're storm Of the season.
1t was IL o'clock that night when the
engineer stopped for water a short dis
lance below tunnel No. s. The night
was very black, and the storm beat and
roared about the train like an army
OF demons. The trainmen, incased in
their long ra1ncoats. flashed their Ian
terms about. examining bookings. test
Ing air brakes and otherwise making
ready for the next run. when suddenly
Pacifica's baby wall from her car lust
back Of the mail car arose above the
noise of the storm.
1t reached the ears Of the engineer
walking back by the tender, and
straightway, instead of the screaming
wind and pelting rain. he heard the
voice of his own child calling to him
from new made grave in Los Ange-
les, and instead Of the two glistening
rails stretching away from the head
light into the gloom he saw the plead
ing eyes and outstretched arms of his
dead boy. And the heart of the brave
man came up in his throat, and he felt
coming over him the weakness that for
days had incapacitated him after his
loss.
"Oh. my God!" he muttered to him
self as the plaintive cry again smote
his ears. ''rhat sounded like little
Bob"
And then Engineer Rogers did an un-
precedented thing. Telling his fireman
ne would return in minute, he start
ed back through the storm to where
Paciffca lay crying and refusing to be
comforted.
Dripping with storm water, be edged
his way through the circle Of attend
ants and bent over the train baby's
crib
The crying instantly ceased. Wheth-
er 1t was the play Of the car lights on
his wet raincoat or the hypnotism of
love IN bis presence there was no tell
ing. But the plant stopped and was
not resumed until he had toyed with
her for a momen: and turned to go.
Then the wailing began again, nor
did 1t cease until the engineer turned
and again smiled down into the big
blue eyes.
The moments followed each other
unnoted. and the Southern Pacific
Overland limited was being held while
her engineer played with an orphaned
emigrant child. Again and again he
turned to go. and again and again the
baby arms were held out in Irresistible
appeal.
Suddenly the roar Of the storm out
side was interrupted by a deeper and
more significant roar. mingled with
rending. crashing sounds, followed by
conclusion which shook the whole
mountain side.
A landslide: Not a trainman but
recognized these ominous sounds. In
stantly a handcar was manned and
went forward to reconnoiter.
A mile up the track they found the
mouth Of tunnel No. 5 completely bar
ricaded by vast mass Of huge bowl
ders and earth and tree trunks. swept
hot