Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1911-12-16
RACING THE
WILDCAT
And, Also Winning a Position
and a Bride.
BY cLAuplNE slssoN.

ArVerne trolley line was little more
than d nine days wonder In vaudon.
where the Keswicks had lived for'haif
a century. w
Great promises had been made on
Renton Keswick's behalf when he de-
cided to take portion OF his fathers
insurance money and complete his col
iege course. and 1t was confidently pre-
dicted that he would make name for
himself in the city beyond when his
four years should be up. instead he
had quietly returned to his old home
and had applied for and obtained u
place us motorman on the new line
just completed to Arverne
Even Horace GUSTS had been some
what surprised at Ren's request to be
put on ear I'VE could use you here
IN the Office. Rem" he suggested as be
swung around In his office chair.
mo. thank you" was Renton's quiet
rejoinder Il want to know something
about trolleying before sit in front OF
roll top desk. and ! guess the front
platform of a car is as good place as
any from which to study"
So Custis had let him go. and that
evening when Dorothy Custis remon.
strated with him for not doing better
by the son OF his old friend he laid a
hand on her shoulder.
Dot" he said kindly. for your sake
as well as for the sake of poor Tom
Keswick ! would have been glad TO
put the boy to work In the office. Dul
college education has not spoiled
4 ha pIn FOR
which he asked"
Dorothy. blushing TO find that her
secret was known to her father. fed
to her room. and after that the subject
was dropped so far as the Gusts
household was concerned.
Vaudon was more interested. how
ever. and there were many who freely
remarked that II Rem Keswick could
not do better than u motorman's job
after all that schooling it would have
been better had he lost himself in the
city.
Meanwhile Rem stuck to the motor
mans box. and In short time he was
regarded as the best operator on the
road He knew every curve and grade
on the eighteen miles of track. and his
car was never late. because. no matter
what the delay. he knew how TO favor
the work and come up to the Vaudop
station on time.
Once when there had been break
at the power house which shut of the
power from the line for twenty min
utes he had raced the accommodation
from the brook crossing to the station
and had beaten II by three minutes 1t
was an eight mile run from the cross
ing to the station by trolley. but the
railrond took curve to avoid cross.
ing Arverne creek twice and had four
miles farther TO 60
Dorothy was frequent passenger
on the car. and 1t was natural that she
should avail herself of her privilege
as daughter of the president of the
rond to ride on the front seat with the
motorman. If she happened to take
the car on which Rem was the motor
man 1t certainly had the appearance
of an accident. aud not even Vaudon
talked about 1t. which was surprising.
Those rides were precious times to
Renton as he stood at the controller
and nursed the heavy car over the
tracks Once when he had been late
and was hurrying to make up his time
she had looked up with glowing eyes
as he helped her down the step.
I'D just love to be with you some
time when you are making real fast
rum she smiled. and he. smiling back
into the eager eyes. had replied:
'lf | ever have to make real fast
run I'll let you know"
She was talking Of his promise as
they sped toward the town one even
ing In August. There had been a dance
out at Arverne lake, ana Dorothy had
left early to meet her father. A cele-
bration was being held some thirty
miles up the road. and her father was
among the invited guests. They were
coming home on special train. the
governor and his staff ana nalf hun
dred others. The train was due at
vaudon AT about the same time as the
special. and Dorothy mad left the party
early in order to be home to meet her
father.
Once or twice Rem had let out the
Ear on level stretches to see her eyes
flash with excitement and had .crept
along the harder parts to keep his
schedule even
They were taking II easy along the
stretch by the creek when. as they APP
preached the rnilroad. they spied a
headlight up the track.
There was plenty OF time. and rather
than take chances Rem stopped on the
near side of the crossing and rested
on the seat a moment as the light drew
nearer
AS 1t dashed past there was cry
from Dorothy In the moonlight she
saw that there was no one in the cab
did you see?" she demanded excit.
eddy as she grasped Reu's arm.
Runaway" he assented "a
THE train she gasped. Rens face
grew hard N'HA. se''
There was a construction camp up
the rond. and he recognized this as the
engine OF the work train There had
been threats made against the gov.
arnor by some of the foreign iaborers.