The Carlisle independent., 1917-03-01
NoVELIZED FROM THE NOV. ING PICTURE PLAY OF THE
 SAME NAME. PRODUCED BY : THE SIGNAL FILM CORPORA. TON. COPYRIGHT. 1918. BY FRANK H. spsAn4AA

On the spot where the last rail joint awaited it's completion at her hands. Rhinelander handed to Helen the ing the golden emblem into position, struck the spike the first blow.
 "You know" she said, looking up after she had given it a few more taps, that part of the agreement is, George must finish this.'
 Storm took hold of the maui with a smile. For a man that's driven a mogul as many miles as I have, this ought to be easy"
 Friends crowded up as the spike went home and congratulations fell thick and fast on the winners of the long-drawn struggle. Rhinelander still had something to propose. While we are all here together" he sa;d, well complete the celebration by starting the first train. 1 want to see whether Miss Holmes and Mir Storm can drive a spike that will hold a rail joint for an engine to run ever it. If it fails, it shows them both up. Throw the switch for the main line, George, and let Helen start the first train over the cutoff"
 Storm walked toward the switch, some distance away, followed by Spike. Standing together they threw it and signaled that all was right.
 Helen, quite at home inside an en- zine cab. pulled the throttle slightly and the drivers began to reyolve; the engineer then handed her carefully down from the gangway and the train started
 At the switch, Spike and Storm en- gagged thus intently, failed to notice two men creeping up behind them, ropes in hand. Taken unawares, nooses were thrown suddenly over their heads and before they could make the least defense, they were throttled, felled and dragged back from the switch So swiftly and ex- pertly was the attack made that Spike and Storm were choked almost at once and dragged down out of sight before anyone noticed their disappear ance.
 Tying their hands expeditiously, Ward speculated for a moment on what to do with them. Adams pro- posal to throw them from the bridge he negatived. They would find them too quick. We'll put them into the ore cars" he said cunningly. When the cars are located at the mine the ore will do the rest"
 The two picked Storm up, uncon- scious, and carried him along the track, laying him beside it to await the coming of the freight train. Returning to bring Spike in like fashion, they were surprised and upset to find he had disappeared.
 Spike had, in fact-overhearing the fate in store for him-rolled, gagged and bound as he was. along the track to the bridge below. Gaining this, he continued to roll over and tried to drop out of sight underneath. But in get ting down, helpless as he was. his hands caught by the rope with which he was fastened on the head of pro- jecting spike and instead of dropping to where he speedily could have hid den himself, he hung quite helpless in the air suspended by his wrists.
 The ore train, meantime, had come along the mine spur and Ward and Adams, watching their opportunity, flung Storm into a gondola.
 We've got to get after Spike" de- clared Ward, now alarmed for the safety of himself and his companion
 Indeed, Spike was having a close call for his life in more than one di- rection. A single slender chance gave him hope of escape. The cord with which his hands had been bound, he thought, might be sawed in two on the spike against which it had caught Act ing on this thought, he threw himself from side to side to saw the cord against the iron. In spite of the in- tense pain suffered in sustaining the entire weight of his body on the thongs that bound his wrists, he kept desper- ately busy in the hope of releasing himself before his captors should re- turn. For he had no doubt that Ward, as dSolStdul ulicClOl, Wculu uOL n6Sl- tate to kill him on sight With a re- source and cunning developed through a long career of doubtful enterprises and close squeaks-Spike struggled wildly fer freedom and life, and thus engaged he heard the footsteps of men running along the track.
 This might mean help; it might mean knock on the head. There was but moment left to effect his escape. Jerking himself convulsively, arms, legs and body-the cord cutting and saving every moment into the quick around his wrists-he threw such a force on the rope that the strands finally parted on the sharp iron face and Spike dropped exhausted to the ground. But he had hardly struck it before he rolled, bounced and scram- bled away into hiding.
 It was none too soon. Ward and Adams. searching with sharp eyes