Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-06-14

hnlneianOer unemen had set in hair
dozen telegraph poles and the an
Choir wire of one of these placed near
the track, caught as the second last
car sped past, on the step. The pole
swayed violently. For a moment
Rhinelander's men. watching. hoped 1t
might clear. But crashing suddenly
forward. it fell between the last two
cars. struck the coupling heavily and
sprung the knuckle.
Helen, watching from the cab. saw
what happened. She hastily applied
the air and feeling they were now far
enough away to be safe from the an
CRY men, did not worry about the ac-
cident until she perceived as she
brought the train to a stop that the
outfit car. last in the string, had be-
come detached from the train and was
| running away.
Inside this Rhinelander and Storm
were working on Spike. He opened
his eyes after a time and they told
him he was safe, not suspecting them
selves that their car was now
/
grade, to the main line. Indeed,
they felt so relieved at Spikes
| return to consciousness that several
moments passed before signs of the
accident recorded themselves to
Storms experienced ear. The car was
running too far and too fast and
springing to the door he pulled 1t open
to see what Helen was doing in the
cab. A glance told him the story.
Were running away" he cried to
Rhlnelander. who joined him. Storm
sprang for the side of the ladder, but
he had forgotten Spike He ran in
and was about to pick him up.
NO" cried Rhinelander. "the
brakes, George" and with the words
he followed Storm up the side ladder.
Helen was alive TO the new danger
to her friends. But how to help them
taxed, for an instant, her ingenuity.
To chase them with the engine. as
| they were headed for the main line,
might end in a more serious disaster
than now seemed imminent. The main
| line passenger train was almost due
at Baird and the thought of this fact
was first in Helens mind. Near where
she stood was SeagTue's motor car,
the one her abductors had used only
few days before. She ran to this
and springing into the seat, turned
over the engine, accelerated as fast as
she dare, and was off In pursuit of the
runaway.
She was sure she must pass Arden
station before she possibly could
catch the wild car and pulling the
cushion from the seat beside her,
scrubbed hastily across it with piece
of chalk
Runaway car from cutoff on
main line. Stop passenger at
Baird.
With this fin her hands as she tore
past Arden station, she rose to her
feet, balanced herself with an effort
and flung the cushion with all the
force she could summon through the
operators window.
On the deck of the runaway car
Storm had seized the brake With
a violent twist he brought the chain
up taut and mindful of the energy
needed to check the disastrous momen
tum they were attaining. threw his
whole strength against the wheel.
He might have saved his compan
ions and himself even then. had moi
the chain. weakened by rust. snapped
under the tremendous strain put on it
A rotten link gave way under the car
the chain few wild. and Storm with
an impatient oath, flung away from
the useless mechanism-there was
nothing more he could do to check
their headlong flight.
Tearing along wildly. the old car
nodded. jumped and reeled down the
grade like a drunken man; it seemed
to Storm as IL she must leave the stee
at every joint. The deck became i'm
possible and to avoid being shot off IL
Storm climbed down the swaying lad
der again into the car. Alone, Storm
would mot have given his peril 6
thought. He could drop of a car steI
or from q cab gangway with either
moving twice as fast, with entire
safety to himself But Spike, though
conscious, was desperately groggy; in
fact. helpless. He had proved his reck
less skill more than once and unhurt
could have followed Storm in any
leap the railroad man dare venture
He lay now as little able to help himself
as a baby. Casting all this up In his
mind the young railroader decided
there Was but one mans thing for him
to do and that was to stay with his
companions whether all lost their lives
or not.
At Arden station the astonished op
orator had just time TO dodge Helen't
flying motor car cushion as Il
smashed through the window. 1t land
ed on the floor. The chalk scrawl or
the top caught his eye.
In the dispatchers' Office tho chief
was sitting at his deck and a dispatch
or was on his trick at the instrument
He answered Arden instantly, took
the startling message. walked hurried
ly over to the chief and handed II to
him:
II. c. w. Runaway car
from cutoff on main line. Stop
passenger at Baird.--L.
\ The dispatcher sprang tn his train
sheets and back with them to the chief
who dictated the only possible an.
swer: