The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-11-17
struck tho caboose with Crash Like the Explosion

across the aisle. It'll take her some
time to get out, now, without assist
anee."
Ten minutes more had passed before
the two grimy and perspiring gentle
men succeeded in placing the hand car
upon the tracks.
ITS swell little hand car" Bar
Gus observed grimly: mo wonder they
threw 1t away"
What's the difference how 1t looks,
as long as It will got"
But will it?" Barcus doubted.
Somewhere far back along the line
locomotive hooted mournfully.
TITS got tot" Alan replied, helping
Rose aboard. "If We can only get out
of sight before they get here"
Don't worry" Barcus advised:
that's freight whistle"
Maybe you can distinguish the
whistle OF a freight from that OF pas
senger train-I don't say you can't;
but I'll take no chances on your 5udg-
ment being good. Hop aboard here If
you're coming with us!"
Slowly the hand car stirred on Its
grease-hungry and complaining axles;
slowly it gathered momentum and
surged noisily up the track as Alan
and Barcus, on opposite sides Of the
handlebar. alternately rose and fell
back; slowly 1t mounted the slight
grade to the bend in the track, rounded
it, lost sight Of the stalled Pullman
on the siding and began to move more
swiftly on a moderate down grade.
Behind 1t the thunder of an ap-
proaehing train grew momentarily in
volume, lending color to the theory OF
Mr.. Barcus that what they had heard
had been the whistle Of freiGhter
rather than Of the light engine. But
just as Alan was about to advocate
leaving the tracks and taking the hand
car with them, to clear the way for the
train, its rumble began to diminish,
grew less and beautifully less, and was
stilled.
"what do you make Of that?" Alan
painted across the racking bar
"The obvious" Barcus returned.
1.-THE freight has taken the siding to
wait for some other through train to
pass. Well have to look sharp and be
ready to jump"
The grade became a trace more
steep; the car moved with less reluc-
lance.
"Let CO." Alan advised: It'll coast
down the balance of this incline-and
| we'd better save our strength"
But they had barely regained their
breath and mopped the streaming
sweat away from their eyes when
second whistle, of a different tone,
startled both back to their task.
Catching the eye Of Barcus Alan
nodded despairingly.
Afraid it's all up with us now" he
groaned; "that sounded precisely like
the whistle of. the light engine"
"sure 1t did," Barcus agreed. ut
wouldn't be US II we had any better
luck. The saints be praised for this
grade!"
For all its age and decrepitude the
hand car made very fair pace at the
urge Of the two who rose and sagged
again without respite on either side
the handlebar; and the grade was hap
PLY long, turning and twisting like q
snake through the hills.
| A,llttle grace was granted them,
moreover, through the circumstance
Gas they afterward discovered) that
the light engine had stopped at the
siding long enough to couple up Trine's
I pu1lman-thus automatically ceasing
to be a light engine, and becoming a
special.
It was fully quarter Of an hour be.
fore the growing rumble of the latter
warned the trio on the hand car, Just
as 1t gained the end otthe grade and
addressed itself to level though tor
tuous stretch Of track.
And at this point discovery of the
switch OF spur line that shot off
southwark into the hills furnished Alan
with his independent Inspiration.
Stopping the hand cal; after 1t had
l jolted over the frogs, he jumped down,
set the switch to shunt the pursuit OF
to the spur, and leaped back upon
the car. rs
Hardly had they succeeded in work
| ing the hand carlup;rounds the shoulder
Of the next bend when the special took
4 the switch without pause and the roar
of! it's progress, shut ottaby an Eintet-
iSTening lmountai I'm was sud denis sttlledI
to- aimurmurs
i ButeYen 50. there vas neither rest
Tor the weary nor much excuse for