Omaha daily bee., 1914-10-04

mopped the streaming sweat away from tner eyes
when second whistle, of different tone, startled
both back to their task.
Catching the eve of Barcus Alan nodded despair
ingly.
Afraid it's all up with us now," he groaned;
that sounded precisely like the whistle Of the light
engine"
little grace was granted them, however,
through the circumstance (as they afterward dis
covered) that the light engine had stopped at the
siding long enough to couple up Trines Pullman.
II was fully a quarter of hour before the
growing rumble Of the latter warned the trio
the hand car just 1t gained the end of the grade
and addressed itself to level though tortuous
stretch Of track.
And at this point discovery Of the switch Of
spur line that shot of southwark into the hills fur
nished Alan with his independent inspiration.
Stopping the hand after 1t had jolted over the
frogs he jumped down, set the switch to shunt the
pursuit off the spur, and leaped back upon the car
Hardly had they succeeded in working the hand
car up round the shoulder Of the next bend when
the special took the switch without pause and tn
roar Of its progress, shut off by an intervening
mountain, was suddenly stiled to murmur.
But even So there was neither rest for the wear.
nor much excuse for selfcongratulation: the rum
BILE of the special not altogether lost to hearing
when the thunder of the freight replaced and
drowned 1t out
OF sudden, releasing the handlebar Alan stool
up and signed to Barcus to initiate his example.
we'll" this last painted, when he had obeyed.
have to stop to clear It of the track"
"And them"
I'll buy lift from them II It takes my last dol.
lar in the world" Alan promised. TITS our onE
hope. We can't keep up this heartbreaking bust
ness forever-and it can't be long before Trine aru
Marrophat discover their mistake!"
Iv-CABoosE.
For once, in a way, it fell out precisely as Mr.
Law had planned and prayed.
Constrained 10 nm in Order to
obstruction from the track the train crew of tn
freight choked down its collective wrath on benI
presented with a sum of money. In the hopes of
further largesse it lent it's common ear to Alan's
wellworn tale, which had so frequently proved use
full in similar emergencies, of an clipping couple pur
sued by an unreasoningly vindictve parent and
had its hopes rewarded by the price Alan bargained
TO in exchange for exclusive use of the caboose
as far as the next town
So that it was not more than ten minutes befora
Rose settled to rest in such comfort as the
caboose afforded, while Alan and Barcus sat within
its doorway and smoked
Neither he nor any other aboard the freight sus.
pected for instant that in the box car next for.
ward of the caboose, woman in mans clothing
lay purdu, now and again chuckling impishly "a
herself in anticipation of the time and the event
she was biding with such patience as she could
muster.
freight sounded the signal for her to take action or
her cherished plan.
Rising, she glanced out Of the open door A
curve in the track below the freight laboring uI
steep grade, enabled her to catch a glimpse of Q
headlight, followed by string Of lighted windows
indicating single car: the special, beyond doubt
Without hesitation, since the train was not run.
ming at speed, she dropped out to the ballast,
wheeled smartly about caught The handbar at the
end Of the box as It passed and swung herself
up between 1t and the caboose.
Climbing to the top OF the box car she peered
Keenly through the cleaning, which not yet
SO dense that she might not discern two heads pro-
truding from the window of the specials engine.
She turned and peered ahead. The freight was
approaching trestle that spanned wide and shal.
low gully.
SO much the better!
Dropping down again between the cars, she set
herself to solve the problem OF uncoupling the
caboose,
In this she was successful tust as the last car
rolled out the trestle.
Its own impetus carried the caboose to the mid.
die OF the trestle before 1t stopped.
AS this happened, Alan and Barcus, already
warned Of an emergency by the slowing down of
the car, and for some time alive to the fact that
the special was again in pursuit, leaped out upon
the ties and helped Rose to alight.
There was time to execute their plan of the
first desperate instant-to run along the ties to
safety on the solid earth: the distance was too
great they could not possibly make It.
With common impulse the two men glanced down
TO the bottom Of the gully, then looked at each
other with eyes informed by common inspiration.
Barcus announced in breath: Thirty feet
not more"
Alan replied Can you hold the weight Of the
two OF us for half a minute"
Barcus shrugged II can try We might "a
well-even II l can't"
While speaking, he was lowering himself between
the ties.
"Al right" he announced briefly.
With word to Rose, Alan slipped down beside
Barcus, shifted his hold to the body OF the latter
and climbed down over him until he supported
solely by the grasp OF his two hands on Barcus'
ankles.
Instantly Rose followed him, slipping like snake
down over the two men till she in turn hung by
her grasp Alan's ankles. then released her hold
and dropped the balance OF the distance to the
ground, scsnt ten feet. landing without injury
thought later Alan dropped lightly to her side
followed by Barcus,
Overhead the special engine, hurtling onward
like titanic bolt. struck the caboose with a
crash like the explosion OF a cannon It collapsed
upon itself like a thing OF pasteboard.
That II had been constructed OF more solid stuY
was abundantly proved by the showed OF timbers
splinters and broken iron that rained about the
heads OF the