The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1912-07-24

not reach IL, jumped for II several
times in vain, then seized chair,
swung II into place, stood up In IL,
gripped the rope. and came down on
IL with all her weight, dropping TO the
floor and jumping up and down in a
frenzied dance. In the distance the
engine could be heard family whist
ling, whistling for every pull.
The engineer, far ahead, could not
imagine what unheard-of crisis could
bring about such mad signals. The
fireman yelled:
81 bet that crazy conductor is at
tackled with an epilettic iit."
But there was no disputing the
command. The engine was reversed,
the air brakes set, the sand run out
and every effort made to pull the
iron horse, as 1t were, back on its
launches.
The grinding, squealing. jolting,
shook the train like an earthquake.
The shrieking of the whistle froze the
blood like a woman's cry of Muir
der!" in the night. The women among
the passengers echoed the screams.
The men turned pale and braced
themselves for the shock of collision.
Some of them were mumbling pray
ers. DR.. Temple and Jimmie Yelling
ton, with one idea in their dissimilar
souls, dashed from the smoking room
to go to their wives.
Ashton and Wedgewood, with no
one to care for but themselves, seized
windows and tried to fight them Open
At last they budged a sash and knelt
down to thrust their heads out.
81 don't see a beastly thing ahead"
said Wedgewood, except the heads
of other FOOLS"
We're slowing down though" said
Ashton, "she stops! We're safe.
Thank God!" And he collapsed into
a chair. Wedgewood collapsed into
another, gasping: "Whatevah are We
safe from, / wondah?"
The train-crew and various passen-
gers descended and ran alongside the
train asking questions. Panic gave
way to mystery. Even DR.. Temple
came back into the smoking room to
finish a precious cigar he had been at
work on. He was followed by Little
Jimmie, who had not quite reached
his wife when the stopping of the
train put an end to his excuse for
chivalry. He was regretfully num-
bling:
1T would have been such good
shansh to shave my life's wife-l
mean MY don't know what mean"
He sank into a chair and ordered
drink; then suddenly remembered his
vow, and with great heroism, rescind-
ed the order.
Mallory, finding that the train was
checked just before he reached the
conductor, saw that officials bewil-
dered wrath at the stoppage and had
fearsome intuition that Marjorie
had somehow done the deed. He hur-
ried back to the observation room,
where he found her charging up and
down, still distraught. He paused at
a safe distance and said:
The train has stopped, my dear.
Somebody rang the bell"
81 guess somebody did," Marjorie
answered, with a proud toss of the
head. Where's the CONDUCTOR"
He's looking for the fellow that
pulled the rope"
You go tell him to back up-and
slowly, too"
NO, thank you'll" said Mallory. He
was a brave young man, but he was
not boarding the conductors of stop
ped expresses. Already the conduc-
tors voice was heard in the smoking
room, where he appeared with the
rush and roar of a Bashan bull.
Well" he beloved, which one OF
you guys pulled that rope?"
1T was nobody here, SIR DR.. Tenn
pie meekly explained. The conductor
transfixed him with a baleful glare:
II wouldn't believe a gambler on oath.
bet you did it,"
Il assure you, sir" Wedgewood in
terposed, The didn't touch it. was
heah."
The conductor waved him aside and
charged into the observation room,
followed by all the passengers in an
awe-struck rabble. Here, too, the
conductor Numbered: who pulled
that rope? Speak up somebody"
Mallory was about to sacrifice him
self to save Marjorie, but she met the
conductors black rage with the with
ering contempt of young queen: Il
pulled the old rope. Whom did you
SUPPOSED"
The conductor almost dropped with
apopleXy at finding himself with no.
body to vent his immense rage on,
but this pink and white slip. You'll"
he gulped, well, what in Say, in
the name of-why, don't you know it's
a penitentiary offense to stop train
this way?"
Marjorie tossed her head little
higher, grew a little calmer: What
do care? | want you to back up"
The conductor was reduced to .
,,,.t NOR faahIa adm. onanL nm