Gilpin observer., 1917-05-24

They were of. Past the water tank
slid Loco SO, past the roundhouse.
past the freight sheds and through the
fringe Of scattered cottages at the edge
Of the town. Like a flash they left
behind farmsteads with neat white
houses and freshly plowed vegetable
patches. Then came the forest and
they tore through long vista in the
pine and spruce-down down :.
down.
Dawson held the throttle wide open.
1t was marvel that they kept the
rails. The engine rocked and swayed
like jitney on jag. There was no
mitigating the chances of death. 1t
was just case of overhauling that
crazy numbering train that plunged
wildly somewhere between ten. and If
teen miles ahead.
Two-thirds Of the distance to El
Captain had been covered before,
swinging round q curve, they caught
sight of the runaway. Slowly they
gained upon 1t. Now only thousand
yards separated pursuer and pursued
=. now five hundred now three
hundred. 1t was the crucial moment.
Helen dropped her shovel. Out she
crawled on the footboards of the sway
ing engine. Sixty miles an hour was
the speed shown by the indicator. Clos
er closer-now a hundred feet
now fifty feet. Helen was on the fender
of the engine. Now only inches sep
arated the rear car and the pilot.
Then Helen jumped.
The first real certainty Dawson had
of her success was when he saw her
swarming over the end of the tail car.
Then he drew long breath and blew
his whistle until he happened to think
he might need every pound of steam.
Over the swaying logs, car by car
the intrepid girl made her perilous
way. One by one she twisted the hand
brakes until the train began to slow
and was finally under control.
There was no time to lose. As soon
as the train came to a stop within fifty
feet of the siding and switch ut Gala
pooia, Helen raced for the lever and
opened the tracks. Without waiting
to make sure there was room for the
long train Tom Dawson kicked the
lumber cars jolting over the frog and
landed them with only a few feet to
spare between them and disaster, just
as the rumble of the Limited became
audible.
Helen had thrown the switch back
and had collapsed in shuddering
heap against the clay embankment
when with shrek and roar the
crack train of the p. 1. & O., went tear
ing past. Attached to its rear was the
private car of Rupert Holmes, presi-
dent of the Amalgamated and sitting
on its brass-bound observation plat
form was Florence Holmes.
There is no need to enter into de-
tails of the great legal battle that was
fought against the Amalgamated under
the interstate commerce act-of the
shipment of a package through two
states by Helen Dawson which gave
the basis for suit against Holmes and
his crowd as common carriers.
Not only were the plaintiffs awarded
heavy damages but the Amalgamated
was adjudged common carrier within
the meaning of the law. Helen Daw-
son was lionized by the independents
and presented with an engraved gold
watch.
There were different manifestations
at the home of Rupert Holmes in Seat
tie.
Its all the doing of that Dawson
girl" remarked Holmes, grimly. when
he heard the courts decision, "that
little devil has cost us cold million"
But she's still working for us, isn't
she." inquired young Stephen. "Why
don't we tie can to herr"
For two good reasons" grinned
Holmes. First she saved your life,
then she saved that of your mother"
Stephen stared from the big window,
reminiscently.
"And one more thing l may men,
tion," concluded Holmes, II love q
fighter"
ITO BE CONTINJJEDN