The Adair County news., 1921-02-23
Continued from Page p


The reason for the runaway dawned
on Bryce Instantly. The road, being
privately owned, was, like most log
ging roads, neglected as TO roadbed
and rolling stock; also 1t was under
manned, and the brakeman. who also
acted as switchman, had failed to sci
the hand-brakes on the leading truck
after the engineer had locked the air
bsakes. As result, during the five or
six minutes required to spot in" the
Saboose. and an extra minute or two
tnSt 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-
ieased-so that the train. without
warning, had quietly and almost noise
iessIy slid out of the log-Ianding and
started on its mad career. There was
nothing to do now save watch the wild
runaway and pray, for of all the mad
Funaways In a mad world a loaded
Rigging train is by far the worst.
For an instant after realizing his
hredlcament, Bryce Cardigan was
tempted to jump and take his chance
on a few broken bones. before the
train could reach a greater speed than
twehiy miles an hour. His next inn
pulse was to run forward and SET the
hand brake on the leading truck, but
q glance showed him that even with
the train standing still he could not
h'pe to leap from truck to truck and
lahd on the round, freshly peeled sur
face Of the logs without slipping, for
he had no calks in his boots. And to
slip now meant swift and horrible
death.
Zen he remembered. In the wildly
rolling caboose Shirley Sumner rode
with her uncle, while less than two
miles ahead, the track swung in a
Sharp curve high up along the hillside
ai,ove Mad river. Bryce knew the
leading truck would never take that
curve at high speed, even if the an
Gent rolling stock should hold togeth-
or until the curve was reached, but
would shoot of at a tangent into the
canyon, carrying trucks, logs, and ca
bOose with 1t, rolling over and over
down the hillside to the river.
THE caboose must be cut out of
this runaway" Bryce soliloquized.
land it must be cut out in devil of
g 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 II deep into the top log toward
the end, and by using the haft to cling
10. crawied toward the rear of the
had and looked down at the caboose
coupling. The top log was a sixteen
foot butt; the two bottom logs were
eigiteen-foOters. With a silent prayer
OF thanks to Providence, Bryce slid
down to the landing thus formed. He
WAS still five feet above the coupling,
however; but by leaning over the
sUayiRg. humping edge and swinging
the axe with one hand, he managed to
cut through the rubber hose on the
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
grasped the steel rod leading from
the 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 a
box car; hence there was no rallied
front platform to which Bryce might
have leaned in safety. Clinging peril
eusly on the bumper, he reached with
his foot. got his toe under the lever
on the side. jerked it upward, and
threw the pin out Of the coupling;
then with his free hand he swung the
axe and drove the great steel jaws Of
the coupling apart.
The caboose was cut out! But al
ready the deadly curve was in sight;
in two minutes the first truck would
reach it; and the caboose, though cut
loose, had to be stopped, else with the
headway il had gathered, it, too, would
follow the logging trucks to glory.
For a moment Bryce chung to the
brake-rod. weak and dizzy from the
effects of the blow when, leaping down
from the loaded truck to the caboose
bumper, his face-had smashed into
the front of the caboose. His chin
was bruised, skinned, and bloody; his |
nose had been broken, and twin rivu-
lets of blood ran from his nostrfls. He |
wiped ii away, swung his axe, drove |
the blade deep into the bumper and |
left it there with the haft 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 hrake-wheel and drew |
il promptly but gradually around
until the wheefblocks began to
bite, when he eXerted his ire
mendous strength to the utmost /
and with his knees braced doggedly
against the front of the caboose, held |
the wheel.
The brake screamed, but the speed
Of the caboose was not apprecfably
"Tt's had foo good a start ~