Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1911-11-30


under the stress of responsibility which
suddenly presented itself In fash
he realized his position. He recalled
afterward how he was planning what
TO do even as he stepped across VIVA
lens PROSTATE form and grasped the
throttle lever
The FIRE bed would last to Putnam.
and there he would coerce some one
from the sidetracked local to finish
the run. Yes ne could do it-that is.
if the track was clear
Casey was leaning half out the cab
window in his eagerneSs 10 watch the
track and catch the signal His dark
| ewes pierced INTO the great invisible:
his head was bare aud his black hair
. was IA disheveled mass: bis neck
which was bare also. despite the sleet
and cold seemed to spring out twice
its usual size from his muSterful shout
ders His face was tense He bad
called into command every bit of hu-
| man vitality he had in him TO battle
with the horrible possibilities he was
facing aud was facing alone.
/ Finally the signal came 10 view-very
family. wayefngly and lndistinctly at
first. then rifle palmer until he
caught its full Significance.
Clear track" it Indicated
He reached toward the lever to
throw on more speed. but instead. out
! in the black night and just ahead
of the cab window. glided the spirit
form of Libbie Nelson She was peer
ing intently ahead.
Take the siding" 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
sidetrack
Casey felt as if a kind of insanity
had seized him. yet he slowed down
and then found himself watching for
the switch signal and watching eager
ly, impatiently
He brought 500 to a full stop. He
waited
Why didn't they send the signal?
Would the siding never be opened:
Was it ice locked? What was wrong
anyway? He asked himself a thou
sand questions as he grew more and
more frantic with apprehension
II seemed that he had waited there
a hundred years when he finally caught
the flash of the waving lantern.
Then he had to get 500 into action
again II took only II few seconds. but
/ those seconds seemed hours.
When the locomotive moved forward
/ Casey pressing forward also as if to.
carry the great. throbbiug engine with
him, looked half mad with dread of
the imminenr-the immineuce OF me
thing terrible and near
But 800 didn't fail him She obeyed
the commanding touch which he ap-
piled 10 the levers.
And Casey was obeying the COM
mands of the recognized supernatural,
yet for the life Of him he couldn't un-
derstaud.
The special shot on the siding with
not a second 70 spare from colliding
with the local.
Then he understood. and his gray,
trembling lips murmured one word.
That word was "Libbier
When Casey staggered down from
the cab he was weak. so weak that it
was all be could do to stand. At first
he seemed 10 forget VINO or where he
was. Then gradually his mind cleared
and ne looked about him
I "Whalens come to-" some one tod
him. Had some kind Of a spell"
They had taken Whalen into the sta
ton
Stamping up and down in the snow
and the sush was the president of the
road, clustering with mingled graft
tude and severity and firing questions
at the dazed Casey.
When Casey fully regHined his senses
1t was wonderful what things be re-
membered. things hat be had scarcely
noticed when they happened. even de-
tails after he gave way TO 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.
1T was a premonition." he insisted.
Young man. said the president
gripping Casey's rough hand when
they We're parting at Chicago. those
who were responsible for that affair
back yonder will be dealt with sum
marily.
CAS- for yourself. the rules of this
company compel employees to run
trains by orders and signals instead
Of by premonitions As you have dis
regarded a signal even though il
would have proved disastrous if vou
had obeyed IT, It would be the duty OF
your boss 20 dismiss You. + shall how
ever. take it upon myself to do that
This is your last trip. Consider your
self discharged"
Casey was weary and faded almost
to the limit of human endurance. He
was the picture Of woe and would .
have turned away. bur the president
stiH gripped his hand
But" be continued with a (which
ing around his mouth. there's some
thing In YOU TINT calls for better things
than firing on locomotive. have
your name and address-bere are
mine handing Casey 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 goodby."
Two weeks later CHsey called on the
president and received his reward.
MEAN MAN.