Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1914-10-23

OF the station at IAttell. He was pale.
and his hands shook as be spelled the
words out slowly.
He didn't have any need to tell Ms
the danger. Nor did be call for volun-
teens. To try to get to Yardsley was
like buying a through ticket for death
and be done with t.
We stood around aud discussed the
terrible new aud did nothing-except
Lanulgan.
He appeared at Pug Donaldson's
window and. leaning his arms on the
sill. looked In with the same humorous
twist to bis lean features.
Them three boxes there emptyl" he
asked. jerking bis head backward to-
ward the sidetrack.
Donaldson nodded.
I'm going to hitch my engine on to
'em. Jimmy and NELL see II we a
git down there and beat that barbecue.
Gimme a clear switchT'
The roundhouse foreman only stared;
but. after Lannigan had disappeared
from the window. he rushed TO the
door and yelled after him:
Hey. you. Grandfather Longlegsl
You'll be fried like a pancake OF a
griddlelA 2
But Lannigan only grinned and lenp-
ed aboard the old engine. We didn't
know what he was up to until he'd
coupled on the three empty box cars
and ratified away Ove the switches
and out OF the yard.
Hes making a blur" some Of us
said.
Others who respected the pluck It
took to approach the fire thought he'd
never get through. but would waste his
steam for nothing.
"Well. Jimmy. it's going to be a hot
run" the long legged Yankee told bis
stoker as they neared the first belt Of
1re. You oil up the furnace. and I'll
slow down so you car jump. ] don't
want to take another man to perdidon
with me-"
"Oh. l guess I'll stop" says slssson.
kind OF shamefaced.
Then they shook hands on It. and
from that moment neither questioned
the others intention Of sticking to his
Job.
But Jimmy had loaded the old en-
CINE for bear all right before they
reached the IRE line. She wal whirl-
ing miles under her drivers at a rate
to beat even our one fast train. and
the empty boxes behind were dancing
like mad over the rough roadway.
We're getting there. Jimmy" sings
ont Lannigan at last. shin over into
the water tank and ding a pail or so
ove me when you get a chance"
He stood out on the running board
with a hand on the lever. his cap visor
shielding his eyes from the smoke and
dying sparks. peering ahead as best he
could at the rails. Jimmy. up to his
neck in the tank. Hung pail after pail
OF water I'VE his long figure.
Suddenly the engine seemed TO u
into 4 veritable wall Of fame. II ex-
tended far across the rondbed. and it
wrapped the train about In a living.
seething mantle as she rushed on.
1t seemed as though no man could
go through that sea Of Gre alive, but
when the old engine staggered out Of
the FIRE belt Lannlgan sdll stood up
right at the lever.
His sparse mustache. his eyebrows,
hts shock OF sandy hair were gone. BE
was as bald as a parrot. and his cloth
ing was ahre In a dozen spots. But he
turned a horrible grin upon Jimmy and
waved his hand.
"Give US another bucket!' he croak-
ed. And the stoker climbed out Of the
tank. more dead than alive himself.
and put out the burning garments.
Then they reached YardSley.
! guess II any two men were ever
welcomed as angels straight from
heaven It was LannIgan and his stOker.
though they must have looked a deal
more like devils from the pit.
Two hundred and ninety people. who
had given up their last hope Of con-
tlnued existence. piled into those three
box cars like cattle. The doors were
closed, and then II was up to Lannigan
and Jimmy to run them back to Lat
tell.
The old engine was reversed. and
back through the awful belt OF fiame
and smoke she went with the three
boxes.
Lannignn certainly showed that day
what he could do when he had the
right OF way.
scorched almost to a cinder one in
slant and saturated the next. ~LAnnigan
stood at his pOAt and brought the res
cue train through 10 Lattell. The box
cars were Ahre and the passengers
half sufOcated when they arrived.
Jimmy vas pretty nearly drowned in.
the tank. and we picked LAnnigan Oh
the engine just as he caved completely.
Daddy Longlegs" was some time IN
the hospital and came piaguy near los
ing his sight. and ali because OF that
run. But II q nan was ever popular
along the line Of the old n. and s. P.
bis name was LannlGan.
The hrst day he got down TO the yard
the super happened to be there him
self. The Line wa8 open again and
everything running smoothly BY hal