Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1921-10-20

broken on all railroads. the different
sections OF a train are supposed TO
keep at least five minutes apart. and
our first" wasn't much more than a
minute away from us at any time.
Another thing that struck me as be
ing funny was the way Chandler was
running. 1t was only sixty mountain
miles up the branch to the big gold
camp. and we ought to have been
able to make II by n o'clock. taking
II dead easy. But the way Buck was
niggling along II looked as II 1t might
be going TO take us all night.
Just the same, nothing happened.
The first ten miles was across a desert
stretch with only a slightly rising
grade, and twas pretty much all
tangent-straight line. Beyond the
ten-miIe station OF hippo we hit the
mountain proper, climbing II through
a dry canyon. with curves that blocked
of everything fifty feet ahead Of the
engine, and grades that would have
made pretty good toboggan slides. The
night was fine and starlit. but there
was no moon and the canyon shadows
doomed like huge walls TO shut us In.
On the reverse curves / could oc-
c%asionally get a glimpse of the red
tail lights of the engine which ought,
by rights, TO have been five full min
utes ahead of US. 1t was still hold
Ing Its short lead. jogging along as
le~isurely as we were.
With nothing to do and not much
TO see. I got sleepy after a while.
and about the time when / was think
ing that / might as well climb back
over the tender and turn in, I dozed
of right there on the fireman's box
was safe enough, at the snai1's
pace we were running. When | awoke
II was nearly one o'clock In the MORN
ing, and we had worried through the
thirty-miles of canyon run and were
climbing the steep talus of Slide noun
While I was rubbing my eyes. the
elght-wheeler gave another little jerk
and l saw that Chandler was slowing
for a stop; saw this and got a glimpse
Of somebody on the track ahead, aag-
ging US down with a lantern.
A minute later the brakes had been
ser and Buck and / were of. As we
swung down from the engine step,
Joined us. and we went TO
meet the man with the lantern. He
was the fireman OF the engine ahead,
and when we got around on the track
saw that our first section" was
just a little way farther on.
what is IL. Barty?' said Maclise,
When ws-eamezHRto hezhreman@
ats them h-i-6red wreckers again.
the gritting reply. Rail joint
disconnected and sprung out SOS TO
ct us of down the mountain"
I thought IL was up TO me TO go
Jack and tell the boss. but there
any need of II. The stop or
he slow running or something had
oused him. and he was up and dressed
nd coming along beside the engine.
When he came up. Maclise told him
yhy we we're stopping. He didn't say
nything about the rail break, but he
Id ask. sort of sharp and quick, what
ngine that was up ahead.
/ don't know what Maclise told him.
turned TO go back TO his en-
inc, and the rest of Us were moving
long the other way. the boss setting
ae pace with Maciise at bis elbow.
frree ~raii-iengths ahead of the stopped
ght engine we came TO the break.
he head engineer and another man
ere down on their hands and knees
ramining II, and when they stood up
/ our coming. ! saw that the other
AN was Mr.. Van Britt.
~whatr' said the boss -yon hereT'
Our only millionaire nodded. II
de the line once In a whfe-just to
se hos things are going he re
Irned crispiy.
The boss didn't ssy snythIpg more, I
IT be kneit TO look at the break II I
tran all r0hf @@f Aaxonf ali 4