The Ordway new era., 1916-06-23

which threatened every moment TO
pive vay under tho fierce assaults
got Spike to the cutoff track. Heie"
had reached the engine cab ana was
ready to pull out the cars logethef
the two men threw Spike pod'iy i".o
the open door of the last car. ohHo-
ing aboard after Rhinelander, stor"
siynaled to Helen in the CAP. She
opened the throttle, and just as
Seagrues angry men reached the car
Storm slammed the door shut anu
Helen moved the string hastily DOWN
the track.
The incident would have peeh
closed, with the hind outfit car max
ing rapidly towards safety. had not
the wholly unexpected happened 10
upset Storms plan. That very DAY
Rhinelander's linemen had set in hait
dozen telegraph poles and the an
chor wire OF one of these placed rear
the track. caught, as the second last
car sped past, on the step. The pole
swayed violently. For n moment
Rhinelander's men. watching. hoped II
might clear. But crashing suddenly
tpTWiIu, II ltll ptNNNNh s'N -sNN
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 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
running wild and down long
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 it open /
to see what Helen was doing in the |
cab 4 glance told him the story.
We're running away" he cried to
who Joined him. Storm
sprang for 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
han now seemed imminent. The main
inc passenger train was almost due
II Baird and the thought of this fact
vas first in Helen's mind. Near where
The stood was Seagrue's motor car.
be one her abductors had used only
| few days before. She ran to this
md springing into the seat. turned
,ver the engine, accelerated as fast as
he dare, and was of in pursuit OF the
She was sure she must pass Arden
tation before she possibly could
'atch the wild car and pulling the
.ushion from the seat beside her.
cribbed hastily across it with a piece
II chalk:
Runaway car from cutoff on
main line. Stop passenger at
Baird.
With this in her hands as she tore
1ast Arden station, she rose to her
.eet, balanced herself with an effort
and flung the cushion with all the
force she could summon through the
operators window.
a n rfrv
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 not |
the chain, weakened by rust, snapped |
under the tremendous strain put on it. |
The deck became impossible and to
avoid being shot off it, Storm climbed 1
down the swaying ladder again into |
the car. Alone, Storm would not have |
given his peril thought. He could |
drop of car step or from a cab gang |
way with either moving twice as fast. |
with entire safety to himself But |
Spike, though conscious. was desper-
ately grcggy; in fact, helpless. He |
had proved his reckless skill more |
than once and unhurt could have fol- |
lowed 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.
Al Arden station the astonished op-
orator had Just time to dodge Helen's 8 |
Iying motor car cushion as I,
suo oshed through the window. II land