Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1910-09-30

Casey was turning away from coal
ing when he noticed Whalen lean
against the window post.
"Come, take the lever for a min
ute," he called. I'm feeling bad
Before he could finish he slid to the
floor of the cab.
Casey, bending over him, saw he
was unconscious, but whether dead or
In faint 1t was impossible for him to
determine In the cramped space and
under the stress of responsibility which
suddenly presented itself In flash
he realized bis position, He recalled
afterward how he was planning what
to do even as he stepped across Wha-
lens PROSTATE form and grasped the
throttle lever e
The FIRE bed would last to Putnam,
and there he would coerce some one
from the sidetracked local to finish
the run. Yes, he could do it-that Is.
II the track was clear.
Casey was leaning half out the cab
window in his eagerness to watch the
track and catch the signal. His dark
eyes pierced into the great invisible;
his head was bare and his black hair
was disheveled mass, his neck,
which was bare also, despite the sleet
and cold, seemed to spring out twice
its usual size from his masterful shout
ders. His face was tense. He had
called into command every bit of hui
man vitality he had In him to battle
with the horrible possibilities he was
facing and was facing alone.
Finally the signal came to view--very
family, waverlngly and indistinetly at
first, then trine palmer until he
caught Its full significance
Clear trackl' 1t indicated
He reached toward the lever to
throw ON more speed, but instead, out
In tho black night and just ahead
Of the cab window. glided the spirit
form of Libbie Nelson She was peer
Ing intently ahead.
Take the sidingW she motioned to
Casey, and instantly his hand was I'm
PEELED to the whistle and 800 was
shrieking for the switch to the Radnor
sldetrack.
Casey felt as IL kind OF insanity
had seized him, yet he slowed down
and then found himself watching for
the switch signal. and watching eager
ly, lmpatiently.
He brought 800 to full stop. He
waited
Why didn't they send the signal1
Would the siding never be openedY
Was 1t ice locked2 What was wrong
anyway He asked himself thou.
sand questions as he grew more and
more frantic with apprehension.
1t seemed that he had waited there
hundred years when no finally caught
the flash of the waving lantern.
Then he had to get 800 into action
again. It took only few seconds, but
those seconds seemed hours.
When the locomotive moved forward
Casey, pressing forward also as II to
carry the great, throbbing engine with
him, looked half mad with dread OF
the imminent-the immlnence OF some.
thing terrible and near.
But 800 didn't fail him. She obeyed
the commanding touch which he ap-
piled to the levers.
And Casey was obeylng the com
mands of the recognized supernatural.
yet for the life of him he couldn't un.
derstand.
The special shot on the siding with
not second to spare from colliding
with the local.
Then he understood, and his gray,
tram Itno mn xuOrf
That word was "LibbleF'
When Casey staggered down from
the cab he was weak, so weak that II
was all he could do TO stand. At first
no seemed TO forget who or where he
was. Then gradually his mind cleared
and he looked about him
"Whalens come to-" some one told
him. Had some kind Of spell"
They had taken Whnlen into the sta
ton.
Stamping up and down In the snow
and the slush was the president OF the
road. clustering with mingled graft
tude and severity aud firing questions
at the dazed Casey
When Casey fully regained his senses
II was wonderful what things he ro
membered. things that no had scarcely
noticed when they Unopened. even de-
tails after he gave way 10 the super
natural. One thing, however. he failed
to mention when telling OF the pc
culiar influence that had controlled
him, and that was the name OF LibbIe
Nelson.
ut was a premonitlon," he insisted.
young man." said the president.
gripping Casey's rough hand when
they were parting at Chicago. those
who were responsible for that affair
back yonder will be dealt with sum.
marily
AS for yourself, the rules OF this
company compel employees TO run
trains by orders and signals instead
OF by premonltlOns As you have dis
regarded signal. even though II
would have proved disastrous II you
had obeyed 1t, It would be the duty Of
your boss to dismiss you | shall, how
ever, take 1t upon myself to do that.
This is your last trip. Consider your
self discharged"
Casey was weary and jaded almost
TO the limit Of human endurance. He
was the picture Of woe and would
have turned away. but the president
still gripped his hand
But" he continued. with witch
ing around his mouth, there's some
thing In you that calls for better things
than firing on a locomotive. have
your name and address here are
mine" handing Casey Il card BE at
my Office In New York two weeks from
today. I'm IN a tremendous hurry
now. Thank you for your splendid
run. and goodbyw