New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-29

ec'o~N'
deed heat and cold, nosed aside rain and snow steed
upon whose haunch man weighed light as thstledown
and vet to whose closing hand or exing arm She Welded
instant obedience.
HIS heart ouickened the blood flew to his face and be
heard himself saving IN remote, unfamiliar voice Major
Maxim | can pull this train through 70 Tehachapi7
THE general superintendent whirled about and trans
L fixed the speaker upon humorous, half-contemptu
Gus glance. -, .-.....-
ayes; but I'm also locomotive engineer
Maxim studied the young man a moment incredu.
ouslv but with the CLEAN Of hope that q drowning
man casts at straw. what were you discharged
for?" he asked.
81 wasn't discharged. l resigned.
"Nav | ask why!'
RIand hesitated But in that exalted moment lie
would have been pollution 81 lost my nerve, he an.
swcred steadily.
Won, volunteer to pull one Of the fastest train, in Amer
lea across stretch Of the devil own country and that
without knowing the track
81 know the track. | fired freight over ta, division
fora wear and II pull this train into Tehachapi IN time
if vou'll give me the chance
Again Maxim's fancy was caught this time by the
Young mans lips, set tight as the Jaws Of ,ee trap.
and metallic hardness Of eye. BY heavens Bland
III accept your challenge. But, mark you, ride in
the cab. where can keep eye on you. Yes. and III
fire tool" he added exubcranty, stripping of s coat
"Firings mans job, suggested Bland
"And I'm a man" retortcd the official Besides,
don't suppose there's anyone else on ,h rain who
knows how to steam an engine.
He recalled the brakeman who was shining up
nearby telegraph pole He stepped 20 the ggage car
door and asked for the caps and blouses ~ injured
men He slipped on one set and handed De other 10
Bland Then he started for the boulder. " - solid
as a chunk Of iron ore was successfully re ing The at
a0nc minute. Major" ntcrposcd B'aut 81 don't
object 10 your firing. I'm glad 10 have for that
matter But an engineer Is supreme IN I ... It's no
chlds play TO haul this tram through or liter than
schedule time II anything happens the w will hold
me- not YOU. responsible. Is that undcr.'..t,
Maxim eyed him searchngly, half su-r. usly, for
an instant; then smiling, he answered "" his first
show Of cordality, "Now know you're engineer.
! accept your stipulation
THE boulder was finally ~huntcd down emtank-
mcnt and the passengers warned Il. -t Jesse,
followed by Maxim. Clamberel up the gang ladder
and spent half a minute tamiliarZlng nr with the
intricate system Of controls the hcrCule iX-drver
icing a type he had never driven. Then. wing the
reversing lever forward and easing of 1 -ases, he
laid a steady hand upon the throttle The .I g.sen-
ing line Of Pulmans began 10 move as gen HIS pro-
relied by the breath Of a zephyr
Inching out the throttle and nptchng ur e reverse
a. shorten the valve motion IN the steam .'-"cut-
ting of for speed, in the vcrnacular,-. reed the
Pathfinder into faster and faster pace, ur .roppng
over the rim Of the great Barren Basin ST sped down
the straight gentle gradient ike proeo" fred IRON
a colossal gun.
The telegraph poles, stretching cna.. a1ead,
veaved and rcclcd wcirdly in their swift r threaten.
ing advance. and fitted past thc cab wind. ike spec.
tril exclamation points Of Brobdnguagar .a while
tie -aggng webs Of wire between rose and III. with the
regular stroke of a wing.
Behind the red, impapabc du-, was -a mp in
vertical. wr'hng cloud, forming q come. -e head
Was chained 20 the observation platform .. whose
o.nc-shapcl tail rose higher and higher r -'1 until
i, proclaimed the passing Of the PahHni.- Ire desc
late mining camps in the Lesser Ma-i.... thirty
miles % the north
The locomotive. scarcely pressing the -. literally
on this ,trlightawav stretch, ran a- -t.. 3. spin
Ming top. with slow, gradual ie'ua'i.r recover,
real or arrar,nt now % one side u.H '. '.. other