Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-18

lurched over and Scraped along the retain
ing side wall. 1t presently stopped with
one of its wheels touching the hollow of
Doran's back. He twisted round, to find
the car hanging over him, but with passage
out beneath it. BY that way he crawled
from under and struggled to his feet. Ex-
cept for splinters of broken glass sticking
into him, he judged he was unhurt For
the time being the kissing of escaping steam
was the predominant sound. No one as yet
seemed to realize exactly what had happened
those thumped, bumped, and shaken up in
the cars remaining too bewildered to voice
loudly their several emotions. Doran
stumbled down the track a short distance
until he reached telephone locker. He
tore open the door, grasped the receiver,
and called up the chief engineers office.
ave derailed the 1nterocean!' he shouted.
"Send wreckers in hurryi'
"What? Derailed the Interocean!" came
back over the wire. "Great Scott! Hold
on minute!'
Doran could tell by the nervous excite
ment of the telephone clerk that to derai
the Interocean was regarded by him as
nothing short OF railroad high treason, the
very worst a man could do, be the circum-
stances almost what they might. Pres
emily he heard the chief engineers voice in
sharp, staccato accents.
3What's this? You've derailed the Inter
ocean, he spoke as if doubling the news
eyes. There was
@I'll be right up" the chief broke in on
what he thought was the preface of a
worthless excuse. He imagined that Doran
had got into tangle far beyond all antici-
patton and blunderingly wrecked the Inter
ocean. you'd better not let me find you
around!" he hurled his words over the tele-
phone. you've at last proved yourself
utterly inefficient. You're discharged. You
can turn things over to the most competent
man under you. Understands
al understand" responded Doran,
recognizing the tremendous responsibility
he had taken upon himself in derailing the
Interocean. 4You can credit my men with
putting in the switch in accordance with
your ORDERS
@Confound the switch!' fairly swore the
chief. 3What's.that in comparison with de-
railing the Interocean? But I knew you'd
do something like that before long. guess
your career as an engineer is ended
nORAN turned from the telephone locker
- to find someone to whom he could depute
his authority. Excitement was now begin
ming to run high. Passengers were piling
down from the cars, some of the more I'm
nerved in the front section scrambling
through broken windows. The engine had
smashed her nose through the retaining wall
and hung perilously over an embankment
Four of five cars in her rear had heeled over
and stood at different angles. Amid the
general confusion the train crew were striv,
ing to reassure the terrified and maintain
order. From one of these Doran learned
that no one was believed to have beer
killed or fatally injured. At least the derai
with its additional protection of the retain.
ing wall had proved to be efficient. 1t hao
saved disaster of unthinkable magnitude
Presently Doran came across an engineer
of construction hurrying to help.
@Say," he cried, 1T was mighty lucky the
derail worked just then!'
3The chiefs order is that you are to take
charge here until he comes" Doran halted
him an instant. am fred-discharged
3Why-what-holdo on minute!" The con
struction engineer paused, looking puzzled
But Doran was already scrambling down
the embankment. He fastened to a nearby
wayside inn to suggest preparations for re.
ceiving any seriously injured. Then he be.
gan very methodically to pick the splinters
of glass out of himself. From this occupa-
ton he was presently summoned back to the
scene of the derailment by one of his men.
"Mr. Foster wants to see you right away,
announced the man.
@Who's Mr. Foster, and what does he