Gunnison news-champion., 1915-06-18
ChaPTER SxHtl.
kiasst Engine

day II was the wnim of that arch-man-
ager of theatricals whom men cali
Fate 10 stage an aBticlimax in the
midst of vast and billy expanse of
desolate middle western country-a
rude and ruaeed disk of earth which
boasted no human tenancy within a
circle OF its tar-fang horizon and was
bisected. not neatly. rather irregular
iy by the flowing double line of steel
ribbons which marked the railroads
right OF way over the old Santa Fe
trail
So much for the stage the light ef
fects we're provided exclusively by the
crimson and purple and gold Of por-
tentous sunset; the properties EN-
ployed we're simply a special train and
what is known as a light engine fmean-
ing a locomotive unhandica ped by
cars) audience there was none. If one
except the actors-who were one aud
all far too deeply preoccupied with the
Interpretation of their several roles
to be aware of the show
They were not many in number:
perhaps nan dO-tfi dbodiu tine eDt-
cial train-which was making away as
fast as it could run toward the glory
of the sunset. as many more aboard
the light engine.
II was the engineer who started the
trouble. After bringing his monster
to a full pause, he turned upon his
passengers and-not without plausible
Law for abuse of his and his fire
mans trustfulness This the said fire.
man climbing forward over the ten
DER vigorously applauded.
They had been engaged, both gentle.
men asserted vigorously, for nothing
more dangerous than a quick run
across the prairies, in furtherance OF
the unspecified plans of Mr.. Alan Law
and his companion, Miss Judith Trine
After starting out. they had wickedly
and malieiously been bribed by the
said Law to put on speed and catch ur
with the special. in order that he might
rescue from the latter young woman
his bride-to-be and the sister of Miss
Urine
But-and here was the grievance
they hadn't bargained to be shot al
with pistols. And precisely that out
rage had been put upon them durins
and subsequent to the moment of res
cue.
1t was unhappy Mr.. Barcus who pre-
cipitated the affair. This gentleman
was suffering Som a severe sprain tc
his sense of decent pride. In the serv
ice of Miss Rose Urine and her be
trothed. Mr.. Law, Barcus had black
ened his face and hands to the hue o
ebony and had garmented himself il
the garb of a Pullman porter. surren
dering himself to humiliating service
to those aboard the special, suffering
their insolence and scorn without /;
murmur, but with the tides of wrati
mounting ever higher in his bosom.
And now. when at length he hat
won his freedom from that ienomini
Gus servitude. it was only to be sworr
at and vilified. as a common Niger, b.
railroad hands,
II was the fireman Ito be JUST who
brought the row to focus by a slight
ing reference to that "shiftless ant
misbegotten dinge."
He repented quite promptly. Mr.
Barcus jumped for his throat with {
below Of rage. The brakeman leaped
for his shovel and brandished it threat
eningly. Mr. Barcus made nothing OF
that: he closed in without hesitation
and got the fireman by the throat, pro
ceeding to shake the breath out of his
body with the greatest good will and
dispatch. In the course of this enter,
tsinment the fireman slipped on the
cab platform, trod on nothing, and
went over backwards, taking Mr.. Bar.
Gus with him to the ballast.
AT almost the same moment Mr..
Law, attempting to restrain the engi-
neer from going to the assistance of
his fellow-worker, ducked in under a
vicious swing sor his chin. grappled
with his foe. tripged him up-and went
with his to the ground on the oppo-
site side of the locomotive from that
occupied by Mr.. Barcus and the fire
man.
For the next several seconds he was
very busy indeed keeping his face ont
OF the ballast. The engineer was a
heavy man. but active and iufuriatea
he fought Ike a demon unclaimed II,
was all very exciting. Mr. Law xa.