The spectator., 1921-07-05
CHAPTER XIX
Under the Wide and Starry Sky


 NorcrOsS'. Kirgan had jerked the throttle open the minute the word was given. l missed the forward end of the car, and when the other end came along my grab at the hand-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 a blue streak, and I could hardly keep my balance on the back platform of the day-cOach.
 You can guess that I didn't stay out there very long. The night was clear as bell and pretty coolish, with the stars burning like white diamonds in the black inverted bowl of the sky. It was mighty pretty scenery, but just the same, after Kirgan had fairly struck his gait on the long western tangent, I clawcd my way inside. It was lot too blustery and unsafe on that back platform.
 The major and Mrs. Sheila were sit
 
 car. l staggered up and took the seat just ahead of them, and the rajor asked me if Mr. Norcross was on the engine. I told him he was, and that ended it. What with the rattle and bang of the coach, the bowling of the speed-made wind in the ventilators, and the shrill scream of the spinning N4I f.ar talk during the whole of that breath taking race to the old "l" in the hills beyond Banta.
 Knowing, from what Mir Norcross had said, the point at which we were going to Sde-track and wait for the special and the wild engine, I grew sort of nervous and worked-up after We had crashed through the Banta yard and the day-coach began to sway and lurch around the hill curves What if the special had been making bet ter time than the boss hs'' counted upon? In that case, we'd probably hit her in a head-ender somewhere on one of those very curves. And with the 1 time we were making and the time she'd be making, there wouldn't be 1 enough left for either train to be 1 worth picking up.
 A mile or so short of the ''1" sid 1 ing I went up ahead and handed my self out to the forward platform to see if l couldn't get squint past tie storming engine. got it now and then, on the swing of the curves, but there was nothing in sight. Just the same it was mighty scary, and 1 took a relief breath so deep that it nearly made me sick at my stomach wae: l finally realized that Kirgan had shut off and was slowing for the stop at ,ha farther switch of the old ~
 What was done at the switch was done swiftly, as men work when they have the fear of death gripping at them. If the special should come up while we were making the back-in, tie result would be just about the same as it would have been if we had met 1t on the curves.
 With our own engine silent, I could hear faint sound like the far-away futtering of Safety-valve. We were not ten seconds too soon The special was coming.
 AIr. NorCr0sS. who was still in the engine cab, shot an order at Krgan.
 Fling your coat over the headlight. and then be ready to snatch t and get off :" he shouted. If they see t as they come up, 1t may stop thcnl :" Then, catching glimpse of me on tic ground: Break the coupling on the coach, Jimmie-quick ''
 As I jumped to obey understood what was to be done. The fireman at the switch was to let the special go by, and then the bOss-iust the boss alone on the engine--was to be let out on the main track to put himself between the chaser and the chased it was a hair-raising proposition, but per haps-just perhaps-not quite so sui. cidal as 1t looked. With skilful haE ding the interposed engine might pos. slbly be kept out of the way by back ing, and its warning headlight shin ing full into the eyes of the men in the 416's cab would surely be enough to stop them-if anything would.
 had just finished unco"pling the day-coach and the boss was easing our engine ahead a bit to make sure that she was loose when the car door opened behind me and the majo- and Mrs. Sheila came out in the front vestibule. It was Mrs. Sheila who spoke to me, and her voice had bor- rowed some of the big terror lhat had seen in her eyes while she was sitting in the office at Porsal City.
 (TO BE CONTINUEDD