Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-07-21

After an absence of four years from
Radnor. James Casey had returned as
superintendent of the eastern division
of the railroad and had married Lib
bic Nelson The wedding was only
yesterday. and now that it was over
and they had started for the east the
villagers had time 10 revert TO the
story. The Nelson's were so proud OF
their new son-in-law that they could
not restrain themselves from telling.
despite the protestations of Libbie and
Jim.
Shortly after the night of the church
concert when Casey heard Libbie Mel
son sing that song which had some
thing in it about angels in charge"
he commenced 10 think things about
angels. and one day his Imagination
evolved an angel, or something as near
like one as he could picture. When
Casey's mental vision beheld 1t he
broke into a satisfied grin. If brought
forth to visual observation IL would
have appeared strikingly like Libbie
Nelson.
Things went along quietly for two
months and then something hap
pened.
While Casey was on his way to the
yards at Buffalo 10 board 300 for
the return trip an ambulance went
galloping past him Ambulances pass
people frequently in a big city. and
there was nothing about this one In
particular TO apprise Casey that Nat
Taylor. fireman for Bill Whalen. who
was running 500 was inside. 1t was
a nasty night. and Taylor had slipped
on the icy tracks and broken a leg.
When Casey. with few extra min
utes on hand. sauntered into the train
dispatcher's office he found that insti-
tuition in vOluble ferment. OF course
everybody was sorry for Taylor, but
a fireman with a broken leg was of
small concern in comparison with the
awkward situation in which he had
left them.
A special. carrying the president of
the road from New York to Chicago
on business Of vital import. was at
that moment only ten miles from the
station and coming at the rate Of a
mile minute.
Bill Whalen. one of the best en-
gineers Oh the road. and 800. the
pick and pride of the roundhouses.
were out in the depot yards waiting to
relieve the incoming and already over
heated locomotive. Whalen and 500
were ready to couple on at moments
notice. but no substitute had yet been
found for Taylor. and there were pre-
cious few minutes to spare.
Casey was not given long to ponder
on the excitement of the Office. He
had no more than crossed the threshold
when Thompson. the train dispatcher.
literally leaped across the room and
grasped him by the arm.
Get out to 800 rs quick as you can"'
he shouted. Hurry. For Gods sake
hurry! Don't stop for anything! Run!
Whalen II tell you!"
Casey peeled Off his coat as he was
climbing into the cab, and he had
scarcely grabbed shovel and COM
menced to throw coal when the special.
straining and wheeling. crunched on
the track alongside.
Switching and coupling were matters
of seconds only, and. although the
night was intensely cold. two men
stood on the platform of the single
coach anxiously watching proceedings.
One was large. stern visaged person.
he was restless. He chewed at his
short white mustache. buttoned and
unbuttoned his fur coat and never took
his eyes Off the engine until they were
getting under Roadway.
do your best, boys" he shouted
across the tender to the men in the en-
CINE as they shunted on the main track
and set of. The determined mods he
received in reply were assuring.
Wakeful farmers and belated vii
layers were puzzled by the unusual
traveller as 800 with her single con-
sort momentarily flashed on their view
like a monster one eyed demon wrath.
sliding. cleaning. screeching across
country.
The special had left murky Cleve-
land and bad climbed the long west
grade TO the bluff land bordering the
lake. The snow had turned to sleet.
and everything indicated that It had
been sleeting for some time in that To-
cality. The landscape glistened. tele-
graph poles and fences shone like crys-
- -->>aAASa- --<iAAa lz0sA thick Nth JIM