The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1921-09-29
CHAPTER XIX
(cOntinuei)
Under the wide and starry Sky


sure had 20 be quick about obey
Ing that "get-aboard" order of Mr..
Norcross' Kirgan had Jerked the
throttle open the minute the word was
given. missed the forward end of
the car. and when the other end came
along my grab at the band-rod
slammed me head over heels up the
steps Kirgan was holding his whistle
valve open. and the guarding strikers
IN the yard gave us room and a clear
track BY the time We had passed the
-limit" switches we were going like
blue streak. and could hardly keep
my balance on the back platform OF
the day-coach.
You can guess that didn't stay out
there very long The night was clear
as bell and pretty eoolish, with the
stars burning like white diamonds in
the black inverted bowl OF the sky. II
was mighty pretty scenery, but just
the same. after Kirgan had fairly
struck his gait on the long western
tangent. clawed my way inside. II
was a lot too blustery and unsafe on
that back platform.
The major and Mrs Sheila were sit
ding together. near the middle of the
car. | staggered up and took the seat
Just ahead OF them. and the major
asked me II Mr. Norcross was on the
engine told him he was. and that
ended H. What with the rattle and
bang of the coach. the bowling of the
speed.made wind IN the yentilators,
and the shrill scream Of the spinning
wheels, there wasn't any room for
talk during the .wbela Of that breath
taking race to the old "Y" In the hills
beyond BantA.
Knowing. from what Mr.. Norcross
had said, the point at which we were
going 20 side-track and wait for the
special and the wild engine. grew
sort OF nervous and worked-up after
we had crashed through the Banta
yard and the day-coach began 20 sway
and lurch around the hill curves. What
II the special had been making bet
ter time than the boss had counted
uponi In that case. we'd probably hit
her in a head-ender somewhere on one
Of those very curves. And with the
time we were making. and the time
she'd be making. there wouldn't be
enough left for either train TO be
worth picking up.
A mile or 50 short OF the "Y" sid
ting | went up ahead and handed my
self out to the forward platform 20
see II l couldn't get a squint past the
storming engine. / got Il now and
then. on the swing Of the curves, but
there was nothing In sight Just the
same IL was mighty scary, and ! took
q relief breath 10 deep that IL nearly
made me sick at my stomach when
l finally realized that Kirgan had shut
OF and was slowing for the stop at the
farther switch OF the cid ~"
What was done at the switch was
done swiftly. as men work when they
have the fear Of death gripping at
them. II the special should come up
while we were making the back-in. the
result would be Just about the same as
Il would have been II we had met II
on the curves.
With our own engine silent. ! could
hear a faint sound like the far-away
nuttering OF a safety-valve. We were
not ten seconds too soon. The special
was coming
Mr.. SorcrOss. who was still in the
engine cab. shot an order At Kirgan.
"Fling your coat over the headlight.
and then be ready 20 snatch II and
get OF = be shouted. IL they see II
as they come Up. Il may stop them !"
Then. catching glimpse Of me on the
ground Break the coupling on the
coach. ummie-quick =
As Jumped % obey ! understood
what was 10 be done. The fireman al
the switch vas 70 lei the special 90
hy. and then the boss-just the boss
alone on the engine-Was 70 Re let
out on The main track 70 pot himself
between the chaser and the chased u
wss halr-raising proposition, but Ter
hsps-tust perhaps--not quite - sui
e,dal e. Il looked. With skiltul han
ding the tntsrpoeed engine might pos
ssbly D. kept out u the way b. back
tnx ana it. warning headlight shin
ing fun into the eyes q the men In
TIE slgx cab would surely - enough
20 stop thsn-if anything would
I had Just finished uncoupling the
say-coach and the boss vas easing cur
.nr.ne aheae a BIZ 70 make sure that
she -ss lss-e. When The czr door