Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1912-03-14
BEN'S
COURTSHIP
By LEONARD w. CROSSMAN

make a very good vice-president
Meanwhile l suppose that it's switch
ing or something like that. don't
want a clerkship."
Cover sprang up with beaming
face. my dear boy" he said warm.
ly, 81 have had hundred sons OF old
friends ask me for chances. Every
one wanted to start at the top. You're
the first one to want to begin at the
right end. Come to dinner tonight
and III have letter for you to give
the division superintendent"
Meade made acknowledgment and
slipped out of the office. He had just
completed his college course and the
trip to Europe that had followed 1t.
He had preference for railroading
and his father had sent him to Cow
er, president of the B. Y. & A. Mabel
Cover was waiting in the passenger
room to hear the result OF the inter-
view. She was a little worried for
she knew how her father felt toward
those who came to him with letters.
What luck?" she asked as he came
toward her.
Bully" he answered briefly. Il
can come to dinner this evening and
he'll put me on somewhere
The dinner was his first appearance
at the Cover home and Mabel
beamed as she saw what good i'm
preston he made upon her father.
She was moved to seek to take ad.
vantage of it when he had left.
You are sending Mr.. Meade out
to the Carson division?" she asked.
"I should think you could use him
here in the Office"
II could" said her father. II could
use him in the Office and he'd be an
office boy to the end of his days.
Leave him alone, daughter. He's un.
der hard master in Danvers, but If
there's anything in the lad old Charley
Danvers will bring it out. The boy
has started in right. Don't hinder
him."
Ben soon found for himself that
Danvers was a hard master. He de-
manded the best that was in man
and somehow he managed to get It
out of them.
He was prejudiced against Ben be-
cause he had come with letter and
for the first three months his work
as wiper in the Carson roundhouse
was that of an inferno. Ben bore 1t
patiently, there was no complaint and
presently Danvers found himself rath'
er liking the boy. He promoted him
to fire yard engine and before the
end of his first year Ben had freight
run.
He was firing for Pete Mabee and
under his training rapidly qualified as
engineer For some reason Pete hated
Cover more than anyone else. All
OF his venom was directed against the
man for whom he worked.
Ben was glad when Pete was taken
on an express run and he was given
763 for himself. He was sitting on
the steps of the cab one afternoon
eating his lunch while waiting for
special to 60 by. A party OF eastern
capitalists were visiting the president
of the B. Y. & G. and 1t was reported
that the line was to become a part
of a great transcontinental system.
Mabee had been talking about 1t in
the roundhouse the night before and
predicting all sorts Of disaster when
the road should pass into alien hands.
The others had shut him up in short
order, but the words fingered in Ben's
memory and he was talking over the
probabilities with his fireman when
the station agent came to the door
and beckoned wildly to him.
Ben went down the track on dead
run and dashed into the office. The
agent was back at the telegraph In
strument. Its Danvers, down at
Carson" he explained. "He wants to
know If you can find some way OF
stopping the special. Mabee's rum
ming away with it."
why not use the derail?" suggest
ed Ben. wondering why 1t had not
been thought of before. The derail-
ing switch was one leading into a
sandbank and used for runaway en-
gines.
THE trains going too FAST" was
the answer. "Mabee's killed his fire.
man and Is firing himself. There's q
blind baggage on the front end and
they can't get at him"
How close Is he?" asked Ben.
Just passed Lewis"
Tell 'em I'll make It," he an
nounced. He dashed out of the office
and up the track to where 763 stood
painting her impatience over the delay.
"Uncouple the engine" Ben called
to his fireman.
Coughing loudly 1853 slipped up the
track, past the switch and onto the
main line.
He looked anxiously back. The spe-
cial was tearing up grade. On curve
he could count the cars. There was
the baggage and three special coach
es. On board were the eastern men
and their wives. The chances were
that Mabel formed one of the party
and she and they we're at the mercy
of a maniac. A few miles beyond
the road made the famous figure
eight curve to drop down a grade.
At the speed the special was going
they would jump the track and tum-
BILE into the gorge.
Ben smiled and slowed up a little.
He could see Mabee in the cab dano-
ing and geaticulating. Presently With