Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-03-18

Down the lire at the deserted shack
labeled "Moatrada.- Hernandez came
out from within, with complete salts.
faction written on his face.
Hernandez sauntered out and
glanced up the track The track was
straight and downhilI all the way. II
was like a canyon cut through a mass
Ct underground and heavy trees. There
was nothing 10 distract the attention
1T was a clean cut avenue as far as
the eye could reacl, He watched.
Up the track somewhere the troop
train was shooting curves with spright
~ iuTches. Getting a bit too lively, Sc
said Neal: better apply the brakes. a"
! The order was obeyed so far as the
will was concerned But the man at
! the brakes shook his head. Brakes
won't work he said. Il.
mo matter. said Neal. we reach
the bottom of this hill three miles
out OF Chantillo. Then We go up.
We're bound to slacken up some
time
One OF his men plucked him by the
sleeve. What's that?" he cried, point,
ing down through the canyon, Ranked
by trees. Look ahead"
BY George said Neal, "A train.
The brakes-eyery man jack OF YOU
the braLes,"
The brakes wouldn't work Funny"
said Neal: we tried before we started.
Funny they won't work" IL may or
may not have been funny--but it was
the fact. The brakes would not work.
We're in for IL" said Neal Boys,
every man jack of you--you've got 10
face this. That Jungle is soft stuff
it's velvet lining. We may get
scratched. but we can't get hurt Every
man OF you get ready and when say
the word slide off-as easy as you
can-but slide, Guns and equipment
first-tlren yourselves-when say the
word. -
Squatted on the edge of the Jungle
was the Brute. He looked up the track,
idly following Hernandez's gaze. Sud-
denly he rose-quiyering with excite.
meRt
Look -see," he said His glance
turned dumb)y from the onrushing
troop train To- the stati mary one An
other man might have rushed to the
latter and warned its occupants or car
ried them out. But not the Brute. He
had a glimmering. He startled on.
Come back" said Hernandez. you
beast"
The Brute never heard him. He
only heard the onrushing train. He
seized a loose rail lying by the track.
He thrust il under the stationary rail
the nearest him-he thrust IL into
the roadbed. He jerked and stroye
at it like demon.
Within, Joe Welcher heard it com.
ing. He looked now. He gave one gasp,
made one dive, and plunged into the
safety of the jungle.
Hernandez dared not move. Safety |
lay in his remaining up traek-out of |
the danger zone below. He felt that |
the Brute was doing fruitless work
that no man, no human agency with !
a minutes time could raise that rail. |
He didn't know-there was something |
superhuman within the Brute He was |
more than a man = he was a man.
driven beast-perhaps God-driyen.
He piled his giant lever like gi.
ant. -.
Neal realized at last what was meant.
He knew now that the train was An.
nette's train. His men were off-all
of them. He alone remained, rooted
to the spot. He was powerless to do
anything. MISUNDERSTANDING the in.
stinct of safety-for he could do moth
ing else--trasning had taught him
that a foolish risk of life was suicide
-obeying the instinct of self-preserva.
ton, he leaped, leaped safely.
At that instant with one final grunt
one final heave-the Brute bent his
mighty shoulders in one last desper.
ate thrust-and sent the rail spinning,
Dose, detached, uprooted, to one side.
The next instant the troop train
empty as it was--reached the broken
rack and left it. WITH the roar of
thunder it plunged, plowed through
he soft earth and plunged pell nell
through the deserted shed, missing |.
he train by a mere hairsbreadth.
An instant later Hernandez plunged
INTO the jungle. The Brute followed
lin, as guilty dog follows its master
-whimpering with fear.
- -.