Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1920-09-10


In which Shirley and Colonel Penning
ton had ridden to the woods. out onto
the main line again-where. owing TO
a slight downhil grade. the caboose
controlled by The brakeman could
coast gently Toward and be hooked
onto the end u che log train for the
return journey to Sequoia.
Throughout the afternoon Shirley.
following the battIe royal between
Bryce and the Pennington retainers,
had sat disinally in the eaboose. She
was prey TO many conflicting emo.
lions; but having had what her sex
term "a good cry" she had TO a great
extent recovered her customary poise
land was busily specializing on the.
rapidly with which she could leave
Sequoia and forget she had ever met
: Bryce Cardigan-when the log train
rumbled into the landing and the last
| Of the long string of trucks came to a
stop directly opposite the eaboose.
Shirley happened to he looking
through the grimy caboose window AZ
that moment. on the top log Of the
load the object Of her unhappy specn-
lafions was seated, apparently quite
ohlivious of the fact that he was back
once more in the haunt of his enemies.
/ although knowledge that the double
| bitted AK he had SO unceremoniously
borrowed of Colonel Pennington was
driven deep into the Jog beside him.
with the haft convenient to his hand
| probably had much to do with Bryces
air of detached indifference.
Shirley told herself that should he
move, should he show the slightest
disposition TO raise his head and bring
his eyes on a level with hers, she
would dodge away from the Nmdow
! in time TO escape his serv tiny.
She reckoned without the engine
With a smart bump 1t struck the ca
boose and shunted ii briskly up the
siding; at the sound of the impact
Bryce raised his troubled glance just
in time to see Shirley's body. yield
ing to the shock, sway into full view
at the window.
With difficulty he suppressed a grin
EN- bet my Immortal soul she was
peeking at me-" he soliloquzed. "Con-
found the luck Another meeting this
/ afternoon would be embarrassing.
TacSfully he resumed his study Of his
feet, not even looking up when the
caboose. after gaining the main track.
| slid gently down the slight grade and
was coupled to the rear logging truck.
He heard the engineer shout to the
INTERCHANGEABLE had ridden down from
the head OF the train to unlock the
siding switch and couple the caboose
Ito hurry up, lock the switch, and
| get back aboard the engine
"Can't get this DANCED key to turn
In the lock" the brakeman shouted
presently. Locks rusty, and some
things gone bust inside"
Minutes passed. BryCe's assumed
abstraction became real, For he had
many matters to occupy his busy
brain. and 1t was impossible for him to
sit idle without adverting to some of
them. Presently he was subconscious-
~ aware that the train was moving
gently forward; almost Immediately,
II seemed to him, the long string Of
| trucks had gathered their customary
| snaed and then suddenly 1t dawned
upon Bryce that the train had started
off without a single jerk-and that il
was gathering Roadway rapidly.
! He looked ahead--and his hair grew
creepy at the roots There was no lo-
connective attached to the train It
] was running away down a two per
| cent grade, and because of the ire.
mendous weight of the train, it was
gathering momentum at fearful rate.
The reason for the runaway dawned
on Bryce instantly. The road being
| privately Owned, was, like most log
| cling roads, neglected as to rOadbed
4 and rolling stock also it was under
manned. and the brakeman. who also
acted as switchman, had failed to set
the hand-brakes on the leading truck
after the engineer had locked the air
brakes. AS a result, during the five or
six minutes required to spot in" the
caboose. and an extra minute or two
lost while the brakeman struggled
with the recalcirant lock on the
switch. the air had leaked away
through the worn valves and rubber
tubing. and the brakes had been re-
leased-so that the train. without
warning. had quietly and almost noise
lesslv slid out Of the log-landing and
started on its mad career. There was
nothing to do now save watch the Wild
runaway and pray, for OF all the mad
runaways IN a mad world, loaded
logging train is by far the worst.
For an instant after realizing his
predicament Bryce Cardigan was
tempted to Jump and take his chance
cs a few broken bones. before the
train could reach greater speed than
twenty miles an hour. His next I'M
pulse was TO rl5 forward and set the
mandrake on the Leaning truck. but
glance showed HIN that even WIN
the train standing stiil he could not
hone to leap from truck to truck and
t,vt,t an 4fea sound r-etf.I., rvoct.g -tYr-