Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-07

Eleanor, you must not! You tempt me
past endurance! Go back to Van-to the
others. and, whatever happens, don't let
any one leave the car"
"I'll do anything you say. only you
must tell me where you are going" she
insisted.
Certainly; I am going up to my ONCE
where you found me this afternoon
shall be there from this on. IL you wish
to send any word. I'll see that you have
a messenger. Goodbye
He left her before her sympathetic
mood should unman him. his soul crying
out at the kindness which cut so much
more deeply than her inockery. At the
top Of the corridor stair McCloskey was
waiting for him.
"Judson has told you what's due to
happen?' queried the trainmaster.
HE told me to look for swift trouble;
that somebody had betrayed your strike
breaking scheme"
HE says they'll try to keep the east
bound freights from going out"
That would be small matter. But
we mustn't lose the moral effect Of TAX
ing the first trick in the game. Are the
sections all In line on the long siding?"
yes"
"Good Well start them a little ahead
Of time, and let them kill back to
Send Bogard down with their clearance
orders, and phone Benson at the yard
Office to couple them up into one train.
engine to the caboose in front. and send
the danger limit they can split up and
take the proper time intervals-ten min
utes apart"
Cali 1t done,'' said the trainmaster.
and he went to carry out the order. Two
minutes later Bogard, the night-relief OPP
orator of duty, darted out Of the dis
patcher's room with the clearance cards
for the three sections. Lidgerwood stop
ped him in midhight.
"One second Robert. when you have
done your errand, come back to the
presidents car, ask for Miss Brewster
and say that ] sent you. Then stay
within call and be ready to do whatever
she wants you to do
Bogard did the first part Of his errand
swiftly, and he was taking the duplicate
signatures Of the engineer and conductor
Of the third and last section when Ben
son came up to put the solid-train order
into effect. The couplings were made
deftly and without unnecessary stir. Then
Benson stepped back and gave the start
ing signal, twirling his lantern in rapid
circles. SynchrOntzed as perfectly as If a
single throttle lever controlled them all.
the three heavy freight pullers Missed,
strained, belched fire, and the long train
began to move out.
1t was Lidgerwood's challenge to the
outlaws, and as II the blasts of the three
tearing exhausts had been the gnal 1t
was awaiting. the strike storm broke with
the suddenness and fury of a tropical
hurricane. From b hundred hiding places
in the car-strewn yard men came rum
ming, some to swarm thtckly upon the
moving engines and cabooses, others
swinging by the drawheads to cut the
airbrake hose.
Benson. was swept aside and overpow-
cred before he could strike a blow. Bo-
gard. speeding across to take his post be-
side the Nadia, was struck down before
he could get clear Of the pouring hornet
swarm. Shots were fired; shrill yells
arose. Into the midst Of the clamor the
great siren whistle at the shops doomed
out the fire alarm. and almost at the
same instant q red glow. capped by
rolling nimbue OF sooty oil smoke. rose to
beacon the destruction already begun in
the shop yards. And while the roar OF
the siren was still tarring upon the wind
less night air the eiectrtc-light circuits
were cut out. leaving the yards and the
Crows Nest in darkness. and the frantic
battle for the trains to be lighted only
by the moon and the lurid glow OF de-
struction spreading slowly under its black
canopy Of smoke.
In the Crows Nest the sudden coup OF |
the strikers had the effect which its orig |
inator had doubtless counted upon. 1t
was some minutes after the lights were
cut OF. and the Eruption had swept past |
Tic captured anu uI0AOiC0 ST0ilo " Su0 Il
shops, before Lidgerwood could get his |
small garrison together and send 1t. with |
for its leader. to reinforce the |
shop guard. which was presumably fight |
ing desperately for the control OF the
power plant and the fire pumps.
Only McCloskey's protest and his own |
anxiety for the safety Of the Nadia's |
company kept Lidgerwood from leading 1
the little relief column OF loyal trainmen |
and headquarters clerks in person. The |
lust of battle was in his blood. and for /
the time the shrinking palsy Of physical |
fear held al0of.
When the sally OF the trainmaster and /
his forlorn-hope squad had left the once |
story Of the headquarters building almost /
II was the force OF mere me.
TO his room to close his desk before 90, i
inR down 20 order the Nadia out OF the /
some OF immediate danger. There was q
chair in his way, and In the darkness and
Ia his haste he stumbled over Il. When /
- rec0vered himaelf two men. With hand.