The Meeker herald., 1919-10-11

But nowhere IN the long line was
there 4 sound or sign Of life. although
the little naring wick In the red lamp
at the rear Of the train still burned.
The tramp pulled the lamp from It's
fastening aud walked along the wreck
age. until. from under pile Of boards
at bis feet, he heard q groan.
The hobo kicked the boards and the
groan sounded again. He leaned over.
snd, with . queer. silly feeling at his
weakness. tugged Intellectually At the
planking. His fingers kept letting 60
their hold and he sat back helplessly.
but he knew the man underneath was
conscious now. for the mutterings were
audible, though still incoherent
Number ten. ten II. I.
ten ten damn I.
ten ten {. ten" the
man underneath was saying as the
hobo tugsed over him.
The tramp tore a board free and
the man below shuddered and twisted
his head In the ragged hole.
Number ten. damn you." he Casped
In pain from the weight Of which his
lungs were relieved.
stop ten ten you
damned hobo" he gasped as the pain
gripped him again, stop ten-the e1-
press train behind U.s." he explained
madly. stop 1t stop 1t =. :.
lantern there run run
run!-"
The hobo understood at last, and
Harring sank back again unconscious.
The tramp was running mechanical.
ly, automatically. at the trainman's
bidding. From far away the whistle
Of No. 10 came to him. half startled him
from his automatism. and he raced on
more consciously. His legs wobbletl
queerly as he forced them and he
stumbled between the ties, sometimes
staggering two or three steps buck
ward to save his balance before he
could lunge madly forward again.
The second screech from No. 10
echoed past him. and, as he looked
fearfully ahead and did not see the
engine. he suddenly recalled that he
was on the curve and spurred on more
desperately. throwing himself forward
now MS he stumbled and pressing him
self up again with his free hand when
he fell. 1t was quite two hundred
yards to the beginning Of the straight
stretch which he must reach to signal
the train.
Again No. 10 whIstled. but now the
sound. instead Of coming around the
crescent ahead. seemed to the tramp
to come through the woods at his side.
and, as he glanced aside. 1t seemed to
come directly through the opening
where 4 path ran through the trees.
Spontaneously facing about to the d.
rection of the shrek. the tramp raced
into the CUTOFF.
The pound Of the train now came to
him clearly A. he ran: but the smooth
dirt Of the path spread before him.
Yet he lurched over II with high. strain
ed strides. and. still feeling for the
treacherOus ties when they were no
longer there to trip him. he slipped at
first. But his stride soon adapted It.
self and he reeled on to heat the train.
To beat the train! The exhaust Of
the Transcontinental's great engine al.
ready Missed through the trees about
him. yet he had to beat the train. lie
had to beat 1t, but he could hear II
coming 20 fast that his little steps
seemed nothing. He could feel the
pain Of his muscles and the beat Of his
feet upon the path. but compared with
the tremendous rush Of the train, he
seemed held by q weight.
In the opening ahead ne saw the
track where 1t crossed his little path.
and he had to beat the train to that
track! Madly. thinking only to win
the race. and to tighten himself. he
hurled the signal lnntern from him
and seemed to gain little.
The track showed plainly before him.
almost at his feet, so plnInly that he
knew the headlight Of the engine was
almost over the spot where the path
crossed II. To beat the train thereto
beat the train. He didn't know where
his strength came from or that II came
at all I'LL 1t stiffened his legs and
stcadIed him. He was ten feet from
the track, but the train was almost as
near the crossing.
To heat II now-to win at the finish
The white glare Of the headlight smote
his eyes but he shut them and threw
himself forward blindly. with his arms
thrown out.
II was the end Of the race, and
wildly. madly now. the enRIne-the big.
pounding engine beaten by the little
man-roared to try to brighten him
away and win after all: but the little
man wouldn't be frightened or cheated.
With the blind. reckless burst of his
triumph. he gathered himself. hurtleti
forward-and beat the train to the
track.
The crazy. damned hobo" the en-.
ginetr Of No. 10 sputtered to the group
xNhtch wathop~d oINp,,k tho rl1nt uC,,I