The San Francisco call., 1910-02-19

ram ana the uHnEer 10 passenger lUo
increased thereby hundred times, for
unless he received a holdup order at
the preceding station the engineer
would, In all probability run his train
right on the fire riddled trestle
Dave struck a match and looked at
his watch. 1t was 1922 Dave" he
shouted. wen never make cisco In
time to get off the dispatch. The
only thing for us to do is to cut down
this canyon and stop the train our
selves before she reaches the trestle!"
SO they changed their course and
plunged into the canyon, where only
an old sheep walk served them for
trail. on they tore, dashing through
brush, tearing aside branches, squeez-
Ing through chaparral and picking a
hazardous passageway between the
creek, now torrent, and it's bordering
bluffs
The boys threw aside their coats
since they hindered their progress and
unconscious in their excitement of the
bruises and cuts they sustained, the
plueky messengers still pushed on
At last, against the mountainside
Jack made out continuous dark line
The sheds" he gasped. little later
in lull In the storm, he caught a
muffied rumble, which was not thun-
der, but the reverberation from train
travelling through the echoing sheds
He gave shout of triumph and pushed
on as fast as his painting breath would
permit, Dave Keeping doggedly at his
elbow.
Then at last feeling that he was on
home run Jack redoubled his efforts
and, with the sheds clearly In sight,
took "a sudden leap from a rock into a
tangle of manzaneta bushes. Just be-
yond- which lay an open approach to
the sheds But he had miscalculated
and jumped short, landing not among
b1c
ledge of rock. He came to his senses
only when Dave shook him and pulled
him upon his feet, and then it was to
sink down again with moan of pain
He knew that to go on was impossible.
But the train He could hear it
plainly now. He grabbed Dave by the
shoulders and pushed him forward
with all his remaining strength.
Dave understood and, although he
hesitated moment, unwilling to leave
his friend. he grasped the necessity of
the situation and dashed away.
Raising himself his elbow Jack
followed Dawes figure with eyes that
swan with the tensity of his anxiety.
Would Dave never get there? Would
the rumbling of the oncoming train
never stop? Perhaps it was already too
late; maybe the engineer had passed
Dave by now; maybe already No. los
was upon the trestle! Jacks ears were
el
minute his senses failed him, but when
he was himself again the rumbling
of the train was Subsiding, was slow
ing up, was stopped! Lights flickered
back and forth through the openings
in the shed, men shouted and No 10S
let off her suddenly suppressed steam
with an unearthly shrek. Jacks heart
leaped up and then seemed to stand
STILL He gave a feeble little cheer and
then-well, then he just forgot every
thing.
When he came to himself he was ly-
ing on a bed in the division superin-
tendents Office. 1t was a bright, sunny
morning and he felt that he wanted to
laugh, but was afraid he was going to
cry instead He was strangely weak.
Dave came and looked down upon
him. His eyes are open!" he said to
some one in the room. Jack stared
hard at the face bending over him. de-
cided dreamily that he must have been
mistaken In what he heard, and shut
his eyes again. When next he opened
them he saw the superintendent and
asked him family, "How's Dave?"
"All right" was the answer, and so
are ala the people In the train whose
lives you saved, and so are you. my
boy, only we had to put that leg of
yours in splint."
Then Dave came up do you no.
tice anything queer about me. JACKIE
he asked.
You're speaking, or I'm crazy" said
Jack, helplessly staring.
Yes, I'm speaking" said Dave. You
know, Jack when | got up inside the
snow sheds and saw No, 10S swinging
down the track | began jumping up
and down in front Of her, waving my
arms-and shoutlng And the next day
/ began to speak again. The doctor
r. says things like that have happened
before, from one great effort and ex-
element you see"
Jack stretched out cordial, If a
somewhat uncertain, hand from under
the covers. well. 1t was a lucky fire
that made you do that old pal" he
said.