The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-09
CHAPTER LxlI.-THE rnAIN.

And what real porter would have
been 30 assiduously on the watch as
Ito have picked out the biplane In the
skles-%far soaring dot In the blue that
ii must have seemed from the special?
Tho man I'm tho white coat. Alan az
surcd himself. was positively Barcus.
And hardly had he comforted himself
with this assurance when his sardonic
destiny struck tho motor dumb.
In response to his look of dashed In
quiry tho aviator merely shook q
weary head and muttercd the words:
"EnKine trouble"
Swiftly the earth rose to receive the
volplaning mechanism. Under coast' q
admirable handling II settled down al
. most without "a Jar. on the outskirts
OF city whose name Alan never
learned.
For the biplene was barely at q
standstill before he was GU. and. reel
ing with the giddiness that Affects mon
after long flights. making hig way as
best he might toward the manager 8
office connected with trainyard i'm
Inediately adjacent to the spot where
they had come to earth.
Judith followed him like a. shadow.
silent pertinacious, grim of eye.
Layish disbursement OF money won
him his way against oflcial protests
that what he demanded was an i'm
possibility. Within twenty minutes.
and as best he might. Alan and Judith
were spinning through open country
In tho cab OF an engine running light.
with only clear track between It and
the special.
The several hours that enaued before
the roar lights OF tho special were
brought to view were none too many
for the task imposed upon Alan OF
overcoming tho scrupIes of the engi-
neer and fireman. Only tho famo OF his
fathers name as a railroad builder and
owner served in the end. backed up by
absolute proofs OF his identity, to per.
Huadc them to his wishes. Convinced
tat least outwardly) that they were
not dealing with lunnt!c, they at
length accepted his money and his
promise OF "A life pension equivalent to
(. their wages, should they lose their
Jobs. and disregardlng signals brought
tho light engine rapidly up toward the
rear Of the special.
Certainty that they were pursuing
the right train was accorded Alan only
when, within few hundred feet OF the
special. he saw first one figure hurtle
over the rear rail. fall to the tracks.
and scramble of just In time TO escape
humiliation. then. o moment later. n
second shoot OF to the right, escaping
the tracks and rolling like a whiriigig
down steep embankmcnt. A vague
blur OF white remained on the back
platform: and Alan Understood that
Harcus had merely been clearing the
nay OF Trines guards.
Another minute and less than nfty
fect separated the two-the specinl
train and the light engine. both hurt
ling throuRh'the night at top speed
with word to the engineer. Alan
orept out along tho aide OF the boiler,
with only greasy handrail and n mar
row foothold between himself and what
meant death. or something closely re-
scmbling II, should he be shaken or by
the tearing wind and the swayIng Of
tho locomotive. sos
1t seemed an hour before he worked
himself up TO the cowcatcher-now,
within four feet OF the rear platform OF
the special
On this Inst no could see a woman's
hgure indistinctly silhouetted against
tho light through the door. and beside
her main in white coat, clineinr for
dear life to the knob OF the door
holding 1t against the frantic efforts Of
some persons Inside to tear It open.
Another hour OF suspense dragged
out--or such was the effect-while the
light engine with intolerablo slowness
bridgcd those four iscant feet.
Al length It was feasible to attempt
tho thing. Rose Che could see her
strained white face quite plainly now
was half over the rail OF the car ahead
ready to jump. ~
Ills heart tailed him. IT was too
hazardous risk. He dared not let her
lake It.
Something very like a shot sounded
from tho train and something very like
bullet whistled past his cheek. and
proved the signal for several more.
Some ono had opened one of the side
windows and was emptying a revolver
at him.
Strangely, that knowledge steadied
his nerves. straining forward and
holding on to bar SO hot that II
scorched his palm, he offered hand
TO the girl on the rail.
Her hand fell confidently into it. She
jumped. His arm wound round her as
she landed on the platform of the cow
catcher. He heard her breathe hts
name, then hurriedly passed her be-
tween himself and the boiler to the
footway at the side. The fireman was
waiting there to help her. Alan turned
his attention to Barcus.