The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1915-02-18
Somewhere far back along the line .


Somewhere far back along the line
locomotive booted m%ournfully.
ITS got tot" Alan replied. helping
Rose aboard. 81 We can only get Out
OF sight before they get here
Don't worry" Barcus advised
that's a freight whistle"
Maybe you can distinguish the
whistle OF a freight from that OF a pas
senger traln-I don't say you can't
but I'll take no chances on your )udg.
ment being good. Hop aboard here IL
you're coming with u.s."
Slowly the hand car stirred on us
grease.hungry and complaining axies,
slowly Il gathered momentum ana
surged noisily up the track as Alan
and Barcus, on opposite sides OF the
handlebar. alternately rose n feii
back; slowly Il mounted the siignt
grade to the bend In the track. rounded
It. lost sight OF the stalled Pullman
on the siding and began TO move more
swiftly on n moderate down grade.
Behind II the thunder OF an ap-
PiooNhthk Ntuih EtN"
volume. lending color 10 the theory OF
Mr.. Barcus that what they had heard
had been the whistle Of a freighter
rather than OF the light engine. But
Just as Alan was about TO advocate
leaving the tracks and taking the hand
a with them, to clear the way for the
train. lis rumble began TO diminish,
grew less and beautifully less. and was
stIlled.
what do you make OF that7" Alan
painted across the racking bar.
The obvious" Barcus returned.
The freight has taken the siding TO
wait for some other through train TO
pass, Wen have to look sharp and be
ready TO jump"
The grade became q trace more
steep: the car I'M. wed with less reluc.
lance.
Let 60" Alan advised: It'll coast
down the balance OF this incline-and
we'd better ave our strength"
But they had barely regained their
breath and mopped the streaming
sweat away frDn their eyes when n
second whistle. OF a different tone,
startled both back 10 their task.
Catching the eye OF Barcus Alan
nodded despairingly.
Afraid It's all up with us now" he
%groaned; that sounded precisely like
the whistle Of the light engine"
Sure II did," Barcus agreed. 1T
wouldn't be us II we had any better
luck. Tho saints be praised for this
grade!"
For all Its age and ~decrepitude the
hand car made a very fair pace at the
urge OF he two who rose and sagged
again without respite on either side
the handlebar: and the grade was hap.
PLY long. turning and twisting like a
snake through the hills.
A little grace was granted them.
moreover. through the circumstance
Gas they afterward d%iscovered) that
the light engine had stopped nj the
siding long enough TO couple up Trine's
Pullman-thus automatically c~easing
to be n light engine. and becoming a
special.
- 's'g - iuuiNtI VI hU uOuT Uf'
fore the growing rumble Of the latter
warned the trio on the hand car. lust
as II gained the end OF the grade and
addressed itself TO n level though tor.
tuous stretch OF track.
And at this point discovery OF the
switch OF a spur line that shot OF
southwark into the hills furnished Alan
with his independent inspiration.
Stopping the hand car after II had
jolted over the frogs, he jumped down.
set the switch 10 shunt the pursuit on
to the spur. and leaped back upon
the car.
Hardly had they succeeded In work
Ing the hand car up round the shoulder
OF the next bend when the special toob
the switch without pause and the roa,
OF It's progress. shut OF by an inter
vening mountain. was suddenly stilled
10 q murmur.
But even 80, there was neither res,
for the weary nor much excuse 10,
INSTRUMENTATION: the rumble OF the
special was not altogether lost to hear
Ing when the thunder OF the freight
replaced and drowned II out.
or a sudden. releasing the handle
bar, Alan stood up and signed TO Bar
Gus to initiate his example.
WELL" this last painted. when h,
=, had obeyed.
Jump off-leave the hand car wher,
II is-they1l have to stop to clear II of
!, , the track"
, And them"
"r1l buy a lift from them n II take,
my last dollar in the world" Ala,
promised. IT'S our only hope. w,
can't keep up this heartbreaking bust
ness forever-and II cant be long be
' fore Urine and Marrophat discove
. their mistake!"
CHAPTER xxxv,