The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1916-04-19

steam up, and without loss of time
Helen climbed into the cab, and, open.
ing the throttle, gave Sal steam.
A'venerable mare, struck, II, the midst
of her lunch. with 4 whip, could not
have been more startled than the old
engine at Helen's summons. Soda
Water Sal started and tfembled.
Helen touched her heels again.
No such sight s,she made was ever
before seen on the main line Of the
Copper Rsnsss z Tidewater. If Soda
Water Sal had been dancing a two
step on the rails, she could not have
plunged and cavorted more wildly
than she did as Helen, pushing her
to q pace undreamed Of in her long
and peaceful yard career, achieved .
miracle Of speed with her.
Y Up tho line, Rhinelander. the dep.
uties. the train crew and the engineer
and fireman Of the stolen engine bur-
rounding the marooned coach.
searched the horizon vainly for q sign
of assistance. The conductor. the mo.
ment after he had raised Helen on
the wire and told Of their plight out
between stations on the main line,
had not been able to get another word
from Las Vegas Office. In his impa-
thence and excitement, Rhinelander
had taken over the telephone and
used his best endeavors to make him.
self heard by Helen. The suspicion
came to him that seagrue, with some
unsuspected deyiltry, had succeeded
in cutting of even wire communities.
ton from the helpless rescue party.
But as he dropped the receiver In de-
SPAR. q shout arose among the dep.
uties, and, looking down the far per-
spective Of the long tangent that sep.
arated them from Las Vegas, Rhine
lander's men saw Z faint line of smoke
on the horizon: 1t grew rapidly more
distinct and spread blacker and
heavier. An engine was bearing down
on them. The railroad men were non
plused. None of them could n recognize
in the distance the shambling gait Of
the queer flyer, and Soda Water Sal
was we'll upon them before they real
lied it was she. None the less hearty.
however, was her welcome, and when
the expectant throng made out Heiens
face at the cab window chorus Of
shouts went up to greet her.
With her hair in the wind and her
eyes burning with excitement, the
whitesfaced girl brought the aston
ished o!d machine to stop close to
the coach. Rhinelander and the con-
dnctor ran to greet her. Few words
were needed in explanation, few we're
lost, Coupling the coach ahead Of the
switch engine and hustling the dep.
uties aboard, the conductor from the
rear platform gave Helen her signal.
Helen opened the throttle again and
away went Soda Water Sal, pushing
the loaded coach up the line ahead.
70 Soda Water Sal 2 coach was
mere toy-a playthins; indeed. she
felt as II She were only now coming
into her own when she had something
in her hands to push. And without
showing the slightest appearance OF
strain, Soda Water Sal ate up the
miles ahead OF her like city blocks and
got within sight Of seagrue's two stall
.waft tools, who were trying to run
away with the engine Of the special.
Indeed, the pair in the stolen cab felt
quite secure In their quick getaway
until Bill. acting as driver. looking
back, saw a train behind and an omt
nous cloud of smoke pouring from the
stack OF Soda Water sai-the conduc.
tor was firing for Helen and he un.
'derstood his job
N spite IF everything the two out.
laws could do. Helen closed UP the
gap that separated the coach from
them, and on the front end 81 the lat
ter the fleeing Eascals could make out
the armed deputies. Had there been
any doubt III their minds al to the
temper Of the men pursuing them, lit.
tic plffs OF white; smoke rising from
the coach front. and the whine Of rife
bullets about their eArs would have
convinced Lug and Bill Of the danger
threatening them, Safety first was 9
household word with the two. Moth:
ing Of the disposition. 81 martyrs Had
place in their makeup, and, abandon.
ing the engine, Lug, with word 70
Bill to case the pace, descended the
steps Of the tender and tumbied down
a soft bank to the right OF way; his
companion followed: few minutes
later Soda Water Sal. rounding the
curve behind. shot past them with her
Keeling coach.
Overtakins the abandoned engine on
! grade, . few miles ahead. the coach
was again coupled to 1t by the Rhine
lander party, and when the queer
looking combination reached the first
passing track. tho engine Of the spe.
cial. almost dead, was vigorously
Kicked by Soda Water Sal, together
with the car. out into the clear. And
Helen. with the more verfturous Of her
legal lights clinging to the footboardi
and running boards OF Soda Water
Sal and others swarming in her ten
der and crowding the cab, again
rushed tho po3se on to the scene OF
the trouble.
At the camp Rhinelander's forces
we're in trouble. Seagrue's strategy
had completely blocked hem-every-'
body was stumDed by Seagrue'S audac-