Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1914-09-10

doned box car and
board" And to add to the Kids
chagrin, he was only the night man.
That he was to take the night mans
place he knew when he accepted the
position, but ambition to plunge into
the whirling world Of the railroad had
been irresistibly urgent, and he ac-
cepted.
The Kid was without companions
during the dull, dreary hours of the
neighbours to which the mourning
wailing of the coyotes lent no cheer.
Watson came on at and left at the
same hour in the evening. Occasion
ally he would pause to exchange a
few commonplaces with the Kid-usu-
ally, he hurried to the camp where he
lived. The nights we're long and lone
some; part of the day was spent in
repose.
He became wearied of the monotony
after few weeks and began to spend
a few hours of the daylight in hunting
the rabbits which abounded In the sur
rounding country. Il was his only d.
version, and it gradually grew upon
him until he was filling the days with
1t and losing the sleep which was
absolutely indispensable if he was to
remain vigilantly on guard during his
shift.
The Kid sat looking out of the win
dow In the side of the box car and
Vynpdnrnd hnvtr ICnunr hn oOttl6
endure the oppressive humdrum.
No. 6S went by at midnight carrying
a green. He reported her passage and
turned to his reading. The long mel
ancholy blast of the whistle echoed in
his ears long after the train had
flashed by with its golden squares Of
light. 1t diverted him from his book
for a moment, but his eyes slowly re-
turned to the page. and he read on.
Suddenly he was gripped by the
dread that something unusual had &C.
Cured. 1t seemed to him that he had
been doing. He started as second IS
roared by. ..-.
'Ill wait and then put her down."
he muttered drowsily
Again he was overwhelmed by a
subtle consciousness that all was not
as it should be.
He listened as the sounder abruptly
broke out in harsh staccato.
"V-V-V-S-V-V-V-S-31." licked the in.
strument.
He stirred
where have you benin the
hay?" came the query. "OS."
He hastily "OS'd" second IS and
closed the key.
Third 6S by YETI" the souDder
asked.
The Kid opened his key.
mot yet" he replied.
"OK, put her in the siding for sec
ond 49,"
Loaded with fast freight, second 70
was waiting at Hawk, about twenty.
five miles east of Scovers, for the right
of way. The Kid clicked the order to
Hawk. and shortly afterward the wire
told him that second 73 had started
Again the fear of error and disaster
assailed the Kid. He could not resist
it. He picked up the train-sheet and
scrutinized it. He rose unsteady to
his feet, horror graved in every line Of
his pale, drawn face.
Third 6S went by and l didn't put
her down." he gasped.
1t meant wreck, death, and disgrace.
He had slept, he knew 1t now, and the
truth Of 1t was scared into his mind.
The trains would collide about ten
miles west of Hawk. No stations in
tervened-it could not possibly be
averted. In neglectful moment the
tide of circumstances had swept aside
the placid current Of his life and
turned it into dizzying turmoil.
Should he report her? For a mo-
ment he vacillated. They would know
why It had happened. He need not
admit the horrible truth now.
Third 6s YETI" the key broke in ter
rifyingly.
With the vacillation had come weak
ness
mot yet" the Kid answered.
He. sank into his chair and buried
his face in his hands. Often, before
he became a telegrapher. he had won
dered how feels the man who makes
the fatal blunder and hurls a train.
load of passengers into the infinite.
il had seemed to him that it must be
crushing, meddening-the end of all
peace. Now he knew how really dire
Il was
He reached for the key. He would
do what small human thing he could
confess.
Suddenly there was a roaring in, bic
ears. His form Strengthened in the
chair and his head went back as b,
razed with staring, unbelieving eyeg
rs third IS rumbled by with a, CLEAN 0
light.
He rubbed his eyes and looked stu,
pidly at her tail-lights as they svep;
rom his vision.
He sat down and thought long anC