The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1921-09-15
TRAIN LEAVES TRACK.
Engineer McCallister KILLED

Carter buried his face in his hands.
1t seemed as if his overstralned mind
would snap.
81 am a murderer" he groaned--"a
murderer; and Friday is my wedding
day. Oh, my God, what shall do?"
He thought of the revolver in his
desk. With trembling fingers he took
the weapon from the drawer.
MAY God forgive me-" he whis-
pered hoarsely as he filed the cylin-
der. He wet his parched lips with his
tongue and pressed the little muzZle
to his temple; then he paused. 81
must write letter to Ellen" he NUT
tered.
He picked up his pen and had be-
gun to write when the door opened
and Keene entered with uncertain
step. Carter turned in his chair and
saw the senior partners face, white
and CHASTITY. In his hand he carried
revolver
Carter motioned him to chair.
"Keene," he said unsteadily, 81 am
going to confess. | am murderer
a murderer!" he shrieked.
Garter, my boy, IT," stammered
Keene, the same Mortified look in his
face.
Let me finish" cried Carter hoarse-
ly. 81 never thought of committing
crime. Oh, my God, mol" and Carter
pressed his hands to his throbbine
temples. yesterday" he continued,
81 read of discharged employee de-
railing train and stopping traffic
for several hours. The tiendish idea
occurred to me that l could derail the
Southern's cotton train, and that we
could get the cOntract-but 7 am a
murderer"
Keene was gripping the arms of his
chair. "You-you did that!' he cried.
"Yes," replied Carter miserably, 81
did, and l will not live to face the law.
,Tell-tell Ellen, Keene,' and he picked
up the revolver.
"Stop," cried Keene, his eyes star
ing from their sockets. eve both can't
be guilty of the same crime"
Both guilty of the same crime?"
Garter repeated in bewilderment.
Garter" Keene cried, 81, too, de
rallied that train!'
"What!" demanded Carter numbly.
'"You derailed the train?"
eyes, l went to the switch, turned
it and reversed the light. Now, which
of us is guilty?"
= 81 went to the yards about fifteen
minutes before nine" said Carter.
sand there was a lock on the switch"
'And l about fifteen minutes after.
There was no lock on the switch"
,groaned Keene. 81 am the murderer"
and the senior partners nervous fin
gers gripped the handle of his re-
,vOlver.
; Carter grasped his arm. 'Keene,"
he yelled, 1--WE are the biggest asses
Neither of us is guilty."
I'll don't understand" stammered
Keene. wiping the beads of perspira-
ton from his brow.
Don't you see," Carter laughed. II
turned the switch to derail the train,
land in half an hour you went and
turned it back. Neither you nor
derailed that train"
! "Can it-can it be true?' gasped
Keene, staggering to his feet. "But
no." he continued despondently, "the
paper says there was a wreck"
Carter picked up the paper and
read:
Train leaves track-Engineer Nc
iCallister killed-Fireman Duncan ia
tally injured-The Southern Cotton
company's train of cotton en- route for
New York left the track two miles
Enorth of Bennington"
Carter dropped the paper. 'Thank
!God!" he cried. "The wreck occurred
at Bennington, one hundred miles
from here
The senior partner looked at the
pistol on Carriers desk, then at his
own.
Garter" he cried weakly, think
what nearly happened"
Forget it, commanded Garter
with shudder. "Keene, don't whis-
per word of this to anyone"
Then, laughing nervously, he con,
5nued:
by the way, Keene, do you know
here to get hair dye. l fancy l shall
want to use bottle or So"