The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-10-08

but I1eT6 was no QispUtluk 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
deri" 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 mumbIing 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.
81 don't see a beastIy thing ahead"
said Wedgewood, except the heads
of other fools"
We're slowing down though" said
Ashton, "she stopsi 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:
ut would have been such good
shansh to shave my life's 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 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 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"
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
Well" he beloved, (which one OF
you guys pulled that roper"
"It was nobody here, sir" DR.. Tenn
pie meekly explained. The conductor
transfixed him with a balefuI glare:
Il wouldn't believe a gambler on oath.
/ bet you did it."
Il assure you, sir" Wedgewood in
terposed, ''he 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 a young queen: Il
pulled the old rope. Whom did you
suppose?"
The conductor almost dropped with
apoplexy at finding himself with 10
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
a penitentiary offense to stop train
this way?"
Marjorie tossed her head a little
higher, grew little calmer: What
The conductor was reduced to
wet rag, feeble echo: Back up
the train up?"
Eyes, back the train up" Marjorie
answered, resolutely, land go slowly
till tell you to STOP"
The conductor stared at her a mo-
ment, and the vain effort to foresee
her next blow. But you can't name
a woman that way" he pleaded, for
just being nice to me before / ever
met you"
That's the worst kind of unfaith-
fulness," she reiterated. You should
have known that some day you would
meet me. You should have saved
your first love for me-"
But last love is best" Mallory in
terposed, weakly.
"Oh, no, it isn't, and If it is, how do
I know I'm to be your last love? No,
sir, when I've divorced you, you can
go back to your first love and go
round the world with her till you get
dizzy"
But / don't want her for a wife,"
Mallory urged, Il want YOU
You'll get me-but not for long.
And one other thing, / want you to
get that bracelet away from that
creature. Do you promise?"
How can l get it away?"
Take it away! Do you promise?"
Mallory surrendered completely.