The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-02-21
diff ent.

different.
Feeling pretty fine, l See" some
one remarked to him as he hooked
his engine to the Meteor, southwest
from st. Louis.
No name for it," he g%rinned in re
ply. Well fly today. Might be some
one waiting fo9 me at the other end
And they did fly. Chalmers opened
UP and took the whole run at record
speed. But this vas in that same
evil period of 1907, and there was a
compound curve al Rollo, Mo, that
lay ia wait for him. When he lett
the rails his speed was so great tnat
the engine was flung right over back.
ward and rested close beside the bag
baec car, setting it afire. All IN d
minute, from whistling a love SONG 10
the girl he expected to greet at the
end of the run. he found himself rae
ing a slow roasting.
lie felt as if he had the whole
train across his knees. and, twisting
himself, he could see that the broken
door OF the baggage car held him
pinned down to the o o OF the CAB.
The flames were breaking out close
to him, and his chances looked slim.
Harry Prescott, the dining-car con
ductor, was first to see his danger,
but the door was damned fast.
Get an ak, Harry he groaned.
Cut my legs Off at the knees. It's
my only hope"
Prescott made a jump for the first
car. which lay Oh the side in the ditch,
but could not get at the AK IN its
rack on account If a girl who had
her knees pinched between the last
two seats. He took in the situation
IL an instant, showed his shoulder un-
der the broken scat-end. released the
gtrl seized the AK with one hand, took
her by the arm with the other, and
pulled her into the open.
He did it incidentally, not even
looking at the girl, but. as people Will
Go in a state of great excitement, hs
called 20 hear as he ran:
Sorry | can't help you, but | got
10 cut Fred Chalmers legs off
She had fallen in a heap, toe
bruised to stand. but at his words
she jumped to her feet and hobbled
OF excitedly after him toward the en-
CINE. And, as she ran, she began to
sob.
Don't cut his legs off. Don't do it.
please. He's my Harry; I'm going to
meet him today, and he can't walk
without legs"
Prescott neither heard nor saw her.
but az he reached the engine he found
Chalners leaning back full length to
avoid the flames. His trousers were
halt burned, and even his coat was
catching fire. There was no time tc
waste. Prescott raised the AK and
Chalmers closed his eyes.
Put the ak did not fall. The girl
had seized it. Prescott swung around
as much to avoid the flames as to
face her, and she, pointing to the
blazing door, cried
Lift it off, can't you? Lift it off,
teil ycu, Didn't you lift it off me-"
1t was no time to argue, and she
held the AK with all her strength.
Lift it OFF," she cried again. It's
loose
Chalmers heard the voice just as he
vas sinking into unconsciousness.
and ~instinctively raised himself up
He was too much astonished at see,
ing the girl to realize what happened
thel,; but, i~nvoluntarily raising his
legs, the weight gave way, a charred
end OF board fell across his feet. and
Prescott. quick to see the chance,
seized him by the arm and pulled him
free from the cab.
Il wanted to ride with you, Harry
without you knowing it the cir
whispered to him. providence must
have made me take this train. =
Kansas City Star.