Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-03-15

an extra minute - I've - While the
brakeman STRUGGLED witA the recall
citrant lock on the switch. the air
had leaked away thru the worn
valves and rubber tubing. and the
brakes HAD been reiessed--so that the
train, without warning. had quietly
and almost noiselessly slid out Of the
log-landinG and started on II mad ca
rser. There was nothing TO do now
save watch the wild runaway and
pray, for Of al the mad runaways in
a mad world. . loaded logging train
Ii BY far tho worst.
For an instant after realizing his
predicament, Bryce Cardigan was
tempted to jump and take his chance
on a few broken bones, befoIe the
train could reach greater speed
than twenty miles an hour. His next
impulse was to run forward and set
the mandrake on the leading truck,
but O glance showed him that even
with the train standing still he could
not hope to leap from truck to truck
and land on the round. freshly peeled
surface OF the logs without slipping.
for he had no calks In HI, boots. And
to slip now meant swift and horrible
death.
Then he remembered. In the wildly
rolling calboose Shirley Sumner rode
with her uncle, while less than two
miles ahead, tho track swung in n
sharp curve high up along the hill
side above Mad river. Bryce knew the
leading truck would never take that
curve at high speed. even II the an
cient rolling stock should hold to-
gether until the curve was reached,
but would shoot>off at a tangent into
the canyon, carrying trucks. logs, and
caboose with It, rolling over and over
down the hillside to the river.
'"The caboose must be cut out Of
this runaway" Bryce soliloquized.
''and il must be cut out in devil Of
a hurry. Here goes nothing in par
ticular, and may God be good to my
dear old man."
He jerked his axe out of the log,
drove 1t deep into the top log to-,
ward the end, and by using the haft
to- cling to, crawled toward the rear
OF the load and looked down at the
coupling. The top log was
butt; the two bottom
logs were eighteen Hooters. With
silent prayer Of thanks to Providence,
Bryce slid down to the landing thus
formed. He was still five feet shove
the coupling, however; but BY lean
ing over the swaying. humping edge
and swinging the axe with one hand,
he managed to cut thru the rubber
hose on ihe air connection.
After accomplishing this, axe in
hand. he leaped down to the narrow
ledge formed by the bumper in front
Of the caboose-driving his face into
the front Of the caboose; and he only
srasped the steel rod leading from
tho brake-chains to the wheel on the
roof in time to avoid falling half
stunned between the front Of the ca
boose and the rest Of the logging
truck. The caboose had once been
box car; hence there was no raNeo
front platform to which Bryce might
have leaped In safety. Clinging peril
ously on the bumper, he reached with
his foot, got his toe under the lever
on the side. jerked 1t upward, and
threw tho pin out Of the coupling;
then with his free hand he swung
the axe and drove tho great steel
Jaws Of the coupling apart
The caboose was cut outl But al
ready the deadly curve was In sight;
in two minutes the first truck would
reach It; and the caboose, tho cut
loose. had to be stepped. else with
the Roadway It had gathered, it, too.
would follow the logging trucks to
glory.
For a moment Bryce chung to the
brake-red, weak and dizzy from the
effects of tho blow whom, lsaIing
Down from tho loaded truck to the
cabosss bumper. his face had smashed
into the front Of the caboese. His
chin J was bruised, skinned, and
bloody; his nose had been broken.
and twin rivulets of blood ran from
his nostrils. He wiped 1t away, swung
his axe, drove the blade deep into
the bumper and left 1t there with the
hiatt quivering; turning. he climbed
swiftly up the narrow iron ladder
beside the brake rod until he reached
the roof; then. still standing on the
ladder, he reached the brake-wheel
and drew it promptly but gradually
around until the wheel blocks began
to bite, when he exerted his tremen-
dous strength to the utmost and with
his knees braced dosgedly against the
front Of the cabosse, held the wheel.
The brake screamed. but the spesd
OF the caboose was not aprreciably
slackened. TT ral toe coed . start :"
Bryce moaned. 1.-THE momentum 10
moro than can overcome. oh, Shsr-
ley my love! Ged help yeu!"
He cast a sudden Departing look
oyer his shoulder downward at tho
coupling. He was Winning. after all
for a space Of six feet new yawnsA
between the end Of the lsgsins truck
and the bumper Of the cabssse. II
he could but had that tremendo II
strain on the wheel fer quarter OF
a mile, he might rot the demon CO
boose under control!
After what seemed an con Of wal
ing, he ventured another look ahead
The rear logging-truck was HUME
red yards in front Of him now. and
from the wheels of the caboose an
odor Of something burning drifted UP
to him. i've got your wheels
locked" he half sobbed. I'll hole
you yet. you brute. Slide! That's
It! Slide and flatten ysur Internal
wheels. Hah! You're quitting
quitting. Til have yea in control be-
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