Evening journal., 1914-10-12

But they had barely regained their breath and
mopped the streaming sweat away from their eyes
when second whistle Of different tone startled
both back TO their task.
Catching the eye of Barcus Alan nodded despair
ingly.
Afraid it's all up with us now" he groanedI
that sounded precisely like the whistle OF the lghA
engine"
little grace was granted item however
through the circumstance Cas they afterward dis
covered that the light engine had stopped at the
siding long enough to couple up Trines Pullman.
It was fully quarter Of hour before the
growing rumble Of the latter warned the trio
the hand just it gained the end OF the grade
and addressed itself to a level though tortuous
stretch Of track.
And at this point discovery Of the switch OF q
spur line that shot off southwark into the hills fur
nished Alan with his independent inspiration.
Stopping the hand car after IL had joted over the
frogs he Jumped down. set the switch to shunt the
pursuit of the spur. and leaped back upon the
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 the
roar OF its progress, shut of by an intervening
mountain, was suddenly stiled to a murmur.
But even so, there neither rest for the weary
much excuse for INSTRUMENTATION; the rum
bic Of the special not altogether lost TO hearing
when the thunder Of the freight replaced and
drowned It out
OF a sudden, releasing the handlebar Alan stood
up and signed to Barcus TO initiate his example
Jump oh-leave the hand car where II is-theyn
have to stop to clear It of the track"
And them"
IN buy a lift from them II It takes my last DOL
lar In the world" Alan promised. IT'S our only
hope. We can't keep up this heartbreaking bust
ness forever-and it can't be long before Trine and
Marrophat discover their mistakel"
V-cABoosE.
For once. in way, It fell out precisely Mr.
Law had planned and prayed.
Constrained to pull up in order to remove the
obstruction from the track, the train Of the
freight choked down its collective wrath on being
presented with sum of money. In the hopes OF
further largesse It lent it's common ear to Alans
wellworn tale, which had frequently proved use
full in similar emergencies, of an clipping couple pur
sued by an unreasoningly vindictive parent ant
had its hopes rewarded by the price Alan bargainec
to pay in exchange for exclusive use of the cabooss
as far as the next town.
. So that Il not more than ten minutes before
Rose was settled to rest in such comfort the
caboose afforded, while Alan and Barcus sat within
its doorway and smoked.
Neither he nor any other aboard the freight
pected for instant that, in the box car next for
ward of the caboose, woman in mans clothing
lay purdu and again chuckling impishly to
herself in anticipation OF the time and the event
she was bidIng with such patience as she could
muster.
The whistle of a locomotive overtaking the
freight sounded the signal for her to take action
her cherished plan
Rising, she glanced out Of the open door A
curve in the track below the freight, laboring up
a steep grade enabled her to catch glimpse OF a
headlight followed by a string Of lighted windows.
indicating single car: the special, beyond doubt
Without hesitation, since the train not run
ming at speed she dropped out to the ballast.
wheeled smartly about, caught the handbar at the
end OF the box car as II passed and swung herself
up between It and the caboose
Climbing to the top of the box she peered
keenly through the cleaning, which was not yet
so dense that she might not discern two heads pro
a..
She turned and peered ahead The freight was
approaching a trestle that spanned wide and shall
low gully.
So much the betterl
Dropping down again between the cars she sci
herself to solve the problem Of uncoupling tbs
caboose
In this she was successful Just as the last cal
rolled out on the trestle.
It's own impetus carried the caboose 10 the mid
die of the trestle before II stopped.
AS this happened. Alan and Barcus. already
/, warned OF an emergency by the slowing down o
the car and for some time alive TO the fact tina
the special again In pursuit leaped out upoI
the ties and helped Rose to alight
There was no time to execute their plan OF th
first desperate instant-to run along the ties Il
safety the solid earth: the distance was to-
great; they could not possibly make IT,
, With common impulse the two men glanced dow
70 the bottom Of the gully, then looked at eacl
other with eyes informed by common inspiration.
, Barcus announced in breath; Thirty feet
not more
. Alan replied: Can you hold the weight Of tn
! two Of us for half minute"
, Barcus shrugged; Il can try We might a
. well-even II l can't"
While speaking he was lowering himself betwee
j., the ties.
4 "AI right" he announced briefly.
: With word to Rose, Alan slipped down besd
Barcus. shifted his hold to the body of the latte
. and climbed down over him until he was supporte
= solely by the grasp OF his two hands on Barcu'
a ankles.
= Instantly Rose followed him. slipping like a snak
!, down over the two men till she in turn hung b
. her grasp on Alans ankles then released her hol
a and dropped the balance of the DISTANCE to III
ground a scant ten feet landing without injury.
v thought later Alan dropped lightly TO her sid
followed by Barcus-
10 Overhead the special engine hurting onwaI
like some titanic bolt, struck the caboose with
:. crash like the explosion of cannon. II collapse
n upon itself like a thing Of pasteboard.
% That II had been constructed Of more solid stu
was abundantly proved by the showed Of timber
~ splnters and broken iron that rained about q
heads OF the fugitives
II. For all that the gods smiled upon them &