Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1912-08-22
tackled with AM epfTettio 1it =.

| tackled with an epilettic fit"
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 sash and kneIt
down to thrust their heads out.
II don't see 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, I 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 mum.
bling:
1T would have been such good
shansh to shave my lifes wife,
mean MY don't know what / mean"
He sank into a chair and ordered a
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
a fearsome intuition that Marjorie
had somehow done the deed. He hur.
ried back to the observation room,
where he found herTcharging up and
down, still distraught He paused at
safe distance and said:
The train has stopped, my dear.
Somebody rang the bell" .s'
II guess somebody did," Marjorie
answered, with a proud toss of the
head. where's the conductor"
Hes looking for the fellow that
pulled the rope"
You go tell him to back up--and
slowly, too" .. ..--. F.. -
mo, thank you'll" said Mallory. He
was 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 q Rashan hull
WELL" he beloved, which one OF
you guys pulled that roper"
1T was nobody here, sir" DR.. Tenn
pie meekly explained. The conductor
transfixed him with baleful glare:
Il wouldn't believe a gambler on oath.
l bet you did it."
Il assure you, sir" Wedgewood in
terposed, "he didn't touch 1t. ! 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 thundered: 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
suppose?!
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!"
he gulped, well, what in Say, in
the name of-why, don't you know it's
. penitentiary offense to stop a train
this way?"
Marjorie tossed her head a little
higher, grew a little calmer: What
do care? l want you to back up"
The conductor was reduced to a
wet rag, a feeble echo: Back up
the train up?"
yves, back the train up" Marjorie
answered, resolutely, land go slowly
till l tell you to STOP"
The conductor stared at her a mo-
ment, then whirled on Mallory: Say.
what In hell's the matter with your
wife?'
Mallory was saved from the prob
lem of answering by Marjories abrupt
change from young Tsarina rebuk-
ing serf, to terrified mother. She
flung out imploring palms and with a
gush of tears pleaded: Wont you
please back up? My darling child fell
off the train"
The conductors rage fell away in
an instant. Your child fell off the
trainl' he gasped. Good Lord! How
old was he?"
With one hand he was cropping for
the bell cord to give the signal, with
the other he opened the door to look
back along the track.