Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1921-06-17


/ Just about the time when the sus.
pense had grown SO keen that Il
seemed as II It couldn't be borne q
second longer, Morris, who was sit
ting in at the Office phone, called out
sharply: "Long-dlstanee says she has
Grow Gulch lumber eampl"
Mr.. Van Britt jumped to take the
Phone, and we got one side of the
talk-our side--in shot-like sentences
tThat you. Bertrand All right; this
is Van Britt, at Portal City. Take one
Of the mules and ride for your life
down the gulch to the station Get
that7 Stop Number Five and make
her take siding quick. Report over
your own wire what you do. Hurry p
BY the time Mr.. Van Britt got back
to the train desk, the boss had his
pencil out and was figuring on Ber-
trans time margin. It was now ten
twelve, and Elves time at Grow Gulch
was ten-eighteen. The Grow Gulch
operator had just six minutes IN which
to get his mule and cover the rough
mile down the gulch.
There was nothing to do but walt,
and the waiting was savage. Tarbell
had nerve Of iron, but / could see
his hand shake as 1t lay on the glass
topped table. The boss was cool
enough outwardly, but / knew that in
his brain there was heart-breaklng
picture Of those two fast passenger
trains rushing together in the night
among the hills with no hint Of warn
ing to help them save themselves. Mr..
Van Britt couldn't keep still. He had
his hands jammed ip the side pockets
of his coat and was pacing back and
forth In the little space between the
train desk and the counter railing.
At~the different tables Ia the room
the saunders were clicking away as
If nothing were happening or due to
happen, and above the scattering din
and clatter you could hear the escape
ment of the big standard-tlme clock
on the wall, hammerlng out the sec
onds that might mean life or death
to two or three hundred innocent peo-
pie.
In horrible suspense the six minutes
pulled themselves out to an eternity
for that little bunch OF us in the dis
patcher's office who could do nothing
but wait. On the stroke of ten-elgh-
teen, the time when Five was due at
Grow Gulch on her schedule, Tarbell
tuned his relay to catch the frst faint
tappings from the distant dly-station.
Another sounder was silent. There
was hope in the delay, and Morris
voiced 1t.
Hes there, and he's too busy to
talk to us" he suggested, In hushed |
voice; and Disbrow, the car-record
man, added: ''That's 1t; it'd take a
minute or two to get them In on the
siding"
The second minute passed, and then
a third, and yet there was no word
from Bertram. "CaIl him." snapped |
the boss to Tarbell, but before the ex-
cowboys hand could reach the key,
the sounder began to rattle out a
string Of dots and dashes; ragged
Morse 1t was, but we could all read 1t
only too plainly.
'"Too late-mule threw me and /
had to crawl and drag a game leg
Five passed full speed at ten-nine-
teen--I couldn't make it"
| saw the boss hands shut up as
though the finger nails would cut into
he palms.
That ends It," he said, with sort
If swearing groan In his voice; and
hen to Tarbell: "You may as well
all Kirgan and tell him to order out
he wrecking train. Then have Per-
gins make up a relief train while
vou're calling the doctors. Van Britt,
You go and notify the hospital over
rour own office wire. Have my
,rivate ear put into the relief, and
zee to 1t that 1t has all the necessary
upplies. And you'd better notify the
too"
Great Joashl but 1t was horrible
or us to be hustling around and maxi
ne arrangements for the funeral while
he people who were to be gathered
ID and buried were still swinging
long live and well, half Of them In
he cr0okings among the Timber Noun
ain foothills and the other half ]
Id the desert stretches be- {
DIV Sand Greek
Tarbell had sent Disbrow to the
hone to call KirgaH, and Mr.. Van
iritt was turning away to go to his
wn Office, when the chair in the cor
er by the car-record table fell over |
ackwards with a crash and DurgIn (
anne staggering across the room. He {
as staring straight ahead of him as I
he had gone blind, and the sweat |
as running down his face to lose IT.
eli In the struggling beard.
When he spoke his voice seemed
, come from away of somewhere, c
Dc he was still staring at the blank '
all beyond the cOunter-railing. d
did Ibid hear somebody say
pure sending for the undertakersT !
E choked. with a dry rattle In his p
lroGt; and then, without waiting for '
D answer: "WhiIe you're at it you'd