The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-06-01

pult; and the tough-connected, smut
faced, blear-eyed yard engine coughed
and snorted and spit shower of sparks
and SCOT and cinders up into the Christ
mas air, She darted and lodged and
jerked, and backed up and down and
across the lead, and never for frac-
tion of a second took her eye off Shock
ley's lamp. Shivering and changing
and bucking with steam and bell and
air. but always with one smoky eye
on Shockley's lamp. until Twenty
three was wrecked clean to the ca
boose, and at last the switch engine
shot down the main line with the
battered way-car in her claws like a
hawk with prairie dog.
Then there was only the west bound
freight, Fifty-fve, to make up with
the Fort Rawlins stuff and the Cherry
Creek steel, which was 'Erush,' and
few cars of ties flung on behind on
general principles.
moving the bridge steel-half an hour
for an hours work with the north wind
waking at the clatter and sweeping a
bank OF cloud and sand across the valley
Shockley and Chris and the goat crew
put al 1t like black ants There was re-
leasing and setting and kicking and split
ting. and once in while e flying switch.
which was against the rubrics; and at
last the whole train OF steel was in line.
clean as the links OF a sprocket and
ready TO run In on the house-trac ok for
the caboose,
For that run Chris set the east house
track switch, crossed the track. and
swung great circle with his lamp for
the back. To get over TO the switch again,
he started to recross the track. In the
dark his ankle turned on lump of
coal; he recovered lightly but the mis-
step sent his other foot wide. and with
a bit oil jolt Rubedo's shoe slipped into
the frog.
Up the track he heard roll OF stormy
TO shove the string OF flats down. They
were coming towards him, over the spot
quietly tried TO loosen his heel
The engines drivers let go. and she
rroared steaming oath and Chris could
would not work quietly out Of the frog
II stuck. Then the engineer, unruffed,
pulled at his sand lever and her driver
tires bit, and slowly she sent the, long
train OF steel down on Chris's switch; he
heard the frosty fianges grinding or the
face OF the rails as be tried 10 loosen his
foot
quicksand; soon. with ALARM running into
fright. But there was time enough; the
head car was three lengths above the
switch and coming very. very slowly
harder but HIS foot stuck. Then he
yelled for Shockley. Shockley had gone
over TO open the caboose switch Shock |
ley couldn't hear, and he knew II. And
he yelled again.
The sweat broke over him as he turned
and twisted The grip OF the frog seemed
the near truck wheels screeched a car
length Off and the switchman played his
last card. Time and time again Shockley |
came In the night; had told him to throw
his lamp in the air like rocket. But
Chris had forgotten all that TIL the dat
dropped heavily on the tongue In front OF
rocket high the night,
frantlcally above his head and his cries
himself fiat TO lie outside the rail, 10
save all but foot, but the frog held
him, and crying horribly he struggled
to the ground. AS his senses left him
he was hardly aware of a stinging pain
In his foot, Of a wrench at his deg. an
instant arm round his back, and his yard
masters voice in his ear.
Jump" screamed Shockley.
Chris. scrambllng frantioally on the
deadly rails, unable 70 jump. felt HIM
self. picked from the grounds, heard
Was flung like q drawear through the
dark. Shockley had passed a knife blade
from vamp 70 sole; SIT the s RUSSIANS
thrown him bodily into the clear,
Chris staggered painting TO his feet. AL
ready tho steel was moving slowly over
The switch: he heard the sullen pound
ng Of the trucks on the contact, a Ian
tern. burning yet. lay on its side near
the stand-!t was Shockley's lamp. Chris
looked wildly around for his yardmaster;
called out. called Shockleys name;
listened. No scream, no groan, no cry.
no answer: no sound. but Just the steady
OF the wheels over the con-
act. The little switchman screamed again
S-.p M IN n aA III ify7evl
lp the track to the cab. He swung into
[. and by signs made the engineer shut
,ff. He tried TO talk, and only stam-
nersd a lingo OF switch pidgin. and the
name OF Shockley. They couldn't under
stand IL all. but they shut off with faces
oinched and sallow, threw open the fur
'srns ran back 10 the switch. The Are
mn on his knaes held his lamp out un- ]