Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-11-23

IL he has what We call a faint, or ten
dency that way. A crack on the hea,
has often put a man out, and anothe
has made all straight again. Sucl
things happen. Do you know If Their
has been any insanity in his family
No" said Curtin; and to himself a
he hurried . away" and him NOR
than half loony before"
On his next visit he was not allowed
TO enter the ward. He's asleep" wa:
the excuse. The third attempt like
wise proved fruitless, and then quite
Unexpectedly he was promoted 10 Nay
ley's run on the Emerald" with It's
longer hours, SO that several weeks
passed without his getting 10 the hos
pital. From reports, though, he learned
that the injured man was making q
good recovery.
One afternoon he stumbled upon an
excited group by the ash-pit.
What's up?" he queried.
"Nayley's back. and there was a son
of a gun of a row between him and
I. j. Reilly, here, was in the office. -
The witness glibly interposed. Yes.
| was there gettin' a dressin down for
not reportin' a busted staybold when
Nayley come in. T. j. give him the
glad hand. i want my engine, says
Nayley. wild-like, the 922,' says he.
Old T. j. give a jump. oh, you do?'
he snorts. and what in hell would you
be doin' on a construction train? Men
like you says he, are wanted 10 make
time. and not TO bump dirt cars Then
Nayley lit into him for fair, talkin' so
fast | couldn't catch more'n half. Wild
he was In the middle of il T. j.
shoots him out of the Office" Curtin
did not wait for more.
Five minutes later IT. j." round
house foreman of locomotives. had 4
second explosion. "Confound it," he
beloved. is every man on the division
going TO tell me how 10 run this job?'
Curtin had cooled by this time. Il
want 10 know if that's the right way TO
treat sick man just come from the
ospital-that's all"
They had no business letting him
)ut so soon, unclaimed. When he's got
his wits and can talk sense he can
come round again. His job'll be wait
ing for him. Now you can get IN
Ousy"
Thereafter, although Curtin combed
the city, no trace could be had OF the
convalescent. He was merely non-ex-
istent. as though the earth had yawneG
TO receive him. So matters stood on
a warm night in December-a night
when the whole earth steamed after
the rain, and the mist, delicately
Opaque, wreathed in and out around
the yards until the signal lights grew
halos and the glistening lines of met
ais ran dreamily 10 the land of No
where. Over on spur in the yard
stood the 922. The crew had joined
he little conclave in the yardmaster's
shack where the day-old wreck Of the
.Iail" was under discussion.
And then, because there seemed none
10 see, the 922 came 10 life. Slowly,
inch by inch, gaining imperceptibly in
its snail-like speed, the black mass be-
gan TO move with a delicate hiss OF
steam and faint metallic ring as the
Ranges OF the driving-wheels scraped
the rails. The pace quickened bit as
the pilot took the curve of the spur
and out upon the mainline metals;
and the discreet ahem of the exhaust
became family audible. The 922 was
running away.
The wreck discussion in the shack
became yet more warm. "Iancey ought
tive jumped" expounded the 922's en-
gineer in the face OF adverse opinion.
drawing down upon him the wrath of
the conference The man in the signal
tower was snatching forbidden forty
winks AT the thirtv-ninth the 922
glided into the mouth of the tunnel
that marked the yard limit.
Two minutes from this the operator
at the far end of the tube sat ap with
a start. dashed 10 the window and back
again TO the key, pounding Il fran
tically with the despatcher's call; and
the news sped out over the wires that
an engine. running wild, menaced the
northbound line. There ensued hur-
ried side-tracking Of traffic. The En-
erald Express took the siding at Fraw-
lings, and Curtin. boiling with indig-
nation and curiosity. swung from the
cab and ran up the steps OF the tower.
10. Curtin" The operator peered
greenly from beneath his eyeshade.
Engines wild on the line. headed this
way. It's the 922. Billings at Open
Gap caught the number on the head
light"
Sure the cabs empty?"
No ones seen anybody that | know
o."
Where is she now?"
AT Westcott, due here in-oh. any
minute. She's cutting fearful streak.
They'll ditch her as soon as they can
clear a spot where she won't smash
things up too much"
That's Nayley's old engine" Curtin
kept muttering to himself, "Nayley
old engine"
Suddenly he galvanized.
"Here!" he called-'the second she
passed give me an open switch. I'm
going after her" He darted to the
stairs as a faint but growing whirr
sounded from the south.
where's the orders?"
Damn the orders-mine, II you
like" the engineer threw back as ne
cleared three steps at drop.
The whirr had grown to drumming
roar. and far down the track shone the
expanding glow Of the coming head
light Curtin raced to the couplings
cut loose from the train. and leapec
to the cab. As the 922 rocketed pas