The L'Anse sentinel., 1921-07-22

nuUtinS TOT 1Htcn. ne ieuTneu tndt
Hatch and bunch of his Red Tower
hackers had gone to Strathcona on a
mining deal, and had started to drive
to the gold camp In an auto to get his
man.
Before leaving Portal City he had
written letter to Mrs. Sheia. tell
ing her what he was going to do. and
that when he got through with II,
she would be free. The letter, which
had been left at the hotel. hao veen
delayed In delivery-had, in fact. just
been sent out to the majors house by
the night clerk who had found 1t.
Long before the story could get It.
self fully told. the different gaps in
1t were filling themselves up for me-
and for Mr.. Norcross, as well. guess
When Mrs. Sheila came to the auto
drive part of 1t. the boss whirled and
shot an order at me.
Jimmie, chase into the dispatcher's
office and find out the name Of the
man who chartered that following en-
ginew he snapped; and ! went on the
run. remembering that In the strike
excitement and hustle II hadn't Oc-
Cured to anybody to ask the mans
name or that Of the particular ''mine
owner" who had chartered the special
train.
DOnohue got the Strathcona opera
tor In less than half minute after
l fired my order at him, and the an
N xuif
"Charter of special train was to X.
Hatch. of Portal City, and Of engine
416 to man named Collingwood."
Gosh but this did settle 1t I didn't
run back to the office with the news
l flew. II was like firing gun amongst
the three who were waiting. but 1t
had to he done. The major groaned
and said, "Oh, good Cod" and Mrs.
Sheila sat down aud put her face In
her hands. The boss was the only
one who knew what to do and he did
II: vanished like a shot in the direc-
tion of the dispatcher's office.
In about fifteen of the longest min
utes / ever lived he came back. shak-
Ing his head. / knew what he had
been doing. or trying to do. There
was one night telegraph station on
the branch-at mining-camp half
way down the grade on Slide Noun
tain-and he had been trying to get
word there to stop the wild engine
"He has either bribed or bullied
his engine crew." he told the major
81 wired and had stop signal set
for them at the Antonio mine, but
they overran It, going at full speed
down the hill."
II was plain enough now what Col
lingwoOd was trying to do. The mur-
der mania had got firm hold of its
weapon. COllingwood knew that
Hatch was on the special, and he was
going to chase that one-car train until
It made stop somewhere and then
smash into II for blood. After Mr..
Norcross had talked hurriedly for a
minute or two with the major he went
back to the dispatcher's room and
/ went with him.
The boss grabbed up an official
time-card and began to study 1t hur-
riedly and to jot down figures. won
dered II he wasn't tempted-just the
least little bit in the world. you know.
Here was thing itself up-a thing
for which he wasn't in the least re-
sponsible-and ifit should work out to
the catastrophe that nobody seemed to
be able to prevent, the chief Of the
grafters, and probably a number Of
his nearest hackers, would be wiped
off the books; and Collingwood's death.
which, In all human probability, was
equally certain, would set Mrs. Sheila
free.
He must be thinking Of II, argued !;
he couldn't be a human man and not
be thinking OF Il. But he never
stopped his hasty figuring for single
instant until he broke Off to bark out
at Kirgan. who was standing by:
"Quick. Mart want a light en-
gine, and somebody to run IT. Jump
for II, manw
Kirgan, big and slow-motioned at
most times, was Off like shot. Then
the boss hurried back down the hall
to his own Offices. and again tagged
him. The old major was standing at
a window with his hands behind him.
and Mrs. Shella was sitting just as
we had left her. with the big terror
still In her eyes and her face as white
as a sheet.
"We can't stop him without throw
Ing switch in front Of him, and that
would mean death to him and his two
enginemen," said the boss, talking
straight at the major, and as IL he
were trying to ignore Mrs. Sheila.
"I'm going to take long chance and
run down the line to meet them.
There's bare possibility that l can
contrive to get between the train and
the engine, and II I can"
Mrs. Sheila was on her feet and she
had her hands clasped as II she were
going to make prayer to the boss.
And II was pretty nearly that.
"Take i" she begged; "oh, please
take me. It's my right to gor'
saw that the chief was going to
turn Mrs. Sheila down--which was.
of course. exactly the right thing 20
do. But just then the major showed in.
"Sheila knows what she's talking