Evening journal., 1914-10-12
Light ENGINE.


Toward the close Of that summers day 1t was
he whim OF that arch-manager OF theatricals whom
men call Fate TO stage anticlimax In the MIDST
o. a vast and hilly expanse OF desolate middle wes.
arm country rude and rugged disk OF earth winch
boasted no human tenancy within the circle OF i.'
araung horizon and was biseoted not neatly, ratn-
,r irregularly by the flowing double line OF steer
ibbons which marked the railroads right OF way
,ver the old Santa Fe trail
So much for the stage; the light effects were
provided exclusively by the crimson and purple ana
sold Of portentous sunset; the properties EN-.
,oyed we're simply a special train and what IS
nown a light engine.
II was the engineer of the light engine who start
I'd the trouble After bringing his monster to a
ull pause he turned upon his passengers and
,ot without plausible excuse-vioently indicted MT
Alan law for abuse Of his and his ireman's trust
illness This the said fireman climbing forward
,ver the tender) vigorously applauded
They had been engaged both gentlemen assert
ID vigorously for nothing more dangerous than
,uck run across the praires in furtherance OF the
inspecined plans of Mr.. Alan Law and his compan
on Miss Judith Urine After starting out they
rad wckedly and maliciously been bribed by the
aid Law TO put on speed and catch up with the
special In order that he might rescue from the
after a young woman, his brideto-be and the sis
OF Miss Urine
But-and here was the grievance-they hadn't
bareained to be shot at with pistols And pre-
eisely that outrage had been put upon them during
and subsequent to the moment OF rescue.
II was unhappy Mr.. Barcus who precipitated the
AFFAIR This gentleman was suffering from a severe
sprain to his OF decent pride In the service
of Miss Rose Urine and her betrothed, Mr.. Law
Barcus had blackened his face and hands to the
hue of ebony and had garmented himself In the
earb OF a Pullman porter, surrendertng himself to
humiliatng service to those aboard the special.
suffering their insolence and scorn without muir
muir but with the tides OF wrath mounting ever
higher in his bosom.
And now, when at length he had won his free
~ tpnominiOue e0rVitudo. IL only
10 be sworn at and vilihed as a common niger, by
railroad handsl
II was the fireman Ito be JUST who brought the
row to a focus by sighting reference to that
"shiftless and misbegotten dinge.'
He repented quite promptly. Mr.. Barcus Jumped
for his throat with below OF rage The fireman
slpped on the cab platform, trod on nothing, and
went over backwards taking MT Barcus with him
70 the ballast. .....
Al almost the same moment Mr. Law. attempt
ing to restrain the engineer from going to the as
sistance or his fellow-worker, ducked In under
vicious swing for his chin, grappled with his zoe
trpped him up-and went with him TO the groun'
on the opposite side OF the locomotive from tina
occupied by Mr. Barcus and the fireman
For the next several seconds he was very bus
indeed keeping his face out Of the ballast. The Ell
oineer was a heavy man. but active and infuriate'
ne fought like demon unclaimed II was all yer
exciting Mr. Law was even beginning to enjoy
when he heard a woman shrek AZ the same II
slant revoIvers began 70 pop.
Mr. law released his foe almost as quickly as \
as relaased Both rose as one man, to find Judit
Urine beside them, little smile or excitemei
niovipg round her lips as she looked up the trae
and watched the special slow down to stop
several persons on the back platform plying ou'
trsgger-hngers all the while.
4s these last threw open the platform gates az
dropped to the ballast still perforatng the ar va
MANY bullets Mr. Law, Miss Judith Urine, ana Tn
late bellieerent the engineer turned simultnneou
" and sought the rear Of the tender.
an the opposite side they found Rose Urine al
Mr. Barcus standing uncertainty above the oooy
the fireman. who, it appeared had stunned nims'
IN falling and remained insensible.
The appearance Of Law and judith from penn
the tender closely pursued by the engineer w
was in turn closely pursued by gentlemen WI
revolvers stirred Barcus and Rose to action. AL
passed him at round pace, pausing only To-
enough to seize Rose and drag her with him iowa
the special. Judith flung him phrase OF We
meant advice in passing:
Come along, you simpleton-unless you want
be shot down where you stand!"
Mr. Barcus acted on that advice as immediate
as resentfully. Judith Trine little before h
at the steps OF the Pullman: Mr. Law had aires
assisted Rose aboard. Mr. Barcus ungracou
gave place to the lady: his ingrained chivalry sc
~ strained by bullets that kicked among the
last round his feet
Mr. Barcus heaved a heartfelt sigh sat dc
heavily on a camp chair and mopped HIS hea
brow watching the lights OF the locomotive
swiftly back into the cleaning.
IF any OF those guys" he assured Mr.. Law p
emily could NIT a barn door with a gatng gur
twenty paces-well, wouldn't be proving my
the giddy ass | am by sticking to your ill-star
fortunes. There wouldn't be any 10 stick to.
esure you'd have been snufred ont long lone