The Ordway new era., 1921-08-12
CHAPTER XIX
Under the Wide and Starry SKY

ing that "get-aboard' order of Mr..
Norcross'. Klrgan had jeried the
throttle open the minute the word was
given. missed the forward end of
the car. and when the other end came
along my grab at the hand-rod
slammed me head ovei heels up the
steps kirgan was holding his whistle
valve open. and the guarding strikers
in the yard gave us room and clear
track by the time we had passed the
"limlt" switches we were going like
blue streak. and | could hardly keep
my balance on the back platform OF
the day-coach.
You can guess that didn't stay out
there very long The night was clear
rs n bell and pretty coolish, with the
stars barning like white diamonds in
the black inverted bowl of the sky. 1t
was mighty pretty scenery. but Just
the same, after Kirgan had fairly
struck his gait on the long western
tangent. I clawt1 my way inside. 1t
was lot too blustery and unsafe on
that back platform.
The major and Mrs. Sheila We're sit
ting together, near the middle of the
car. | staggered up and took the seat
just ahead of them, and the major
asked me If Mr. Norcross was on the
engine told him he was. and that
ended It, What with the rattle and
bang Of the coach. the bowling of the
specd-made wind in the ventilators,
and the shrill scream OF the spinning
wheels, there wasn't any room for
| talk during the whole of that breath
! taking race 10 the old "Y" in the hills
! beyond Banta.
/ knowing. from what Mr.. Norcross
had said. the point Mt which we We're
going to sidetra and wait for the
special and the wild engine, | grew
sort of nervous and worked-up after
we had crashed through the Banta
yard and the dny-coach began to sway
and lurch around the hill curves. What
If the special had been making bet
ter time than the boss HI counted
upon? In that case. we'd probably hit
her in hcad-ender somewhere on one
of those very curves. And with the
time we were making, and the time
she'd he making, there wouldn't be
enough left for either train to be
worth picking up.
A mile or so short of the "Y' sid
ing | went up ahead and handed N.Y.
self out to the forward platform to
see If couldn't get sQuint past the
storming engine. | got it now and
then, on the swing of the curves, but
there was nothing in sight. Just the
same ii was mighty scary, and took
a relief breath so deep that it nearly
made me sick at my stomach when
finally realized that Kirgan had shut
of and was slowing for the stop at the
farther switch of the old "Y."
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-ln, the
result would be just about the same as
1t would have been IL we had met 1t
on the curves.
With our own engine silent, l could
hear faint sound like the far-nway
futtering of safety-valve. We were
not ten seconds too soon. The special
was coming.
engine cab, shot an order at Kirgan.
Filing your coat over the headlight,
and then be ready to snatch 1t and
get on" he shouted. "If they see 1t
as they come up, it may stop them ~
Then. catching . mpse of me on the
ground: Break the coupling on the
coach, Jimmie-Quick -
AS jumped to obey l understood
what was to be done. The fireman at
the switch was to let the special 20
by, and then the boss-just the boss
i. alone on the cngine-was to be let
out on the main track to put himself
between the chaser and the chased. 1t
!, was hnir-raising proposition, but per-
haps-just perhnps-not quite so sui
cidal as 1t looked. With skilful han.
ding the interpOsed engine might pos.
sibly be kept out Of the way by back
= Ing and Its warning headlight shin.
Ing full into the eyes of the men in
the 416s cab would surely be enough
to stop them-if anything would.
l had Just finished uncouplIng the
y day-coach and the boss was easing our
engine ahead bit to make sure that
. she was loose, when the car door
opened behind me and the major and
: Mrs. Sheila came out In the front
vestibule. 1t was Mrs. Sheila who
> spoke to me. and her voice had Dor,
rowed some Of the big terror that
> had seen In her eyes while she wal
sitting In the office at Portal City.
(To BE CoNTINUED.)
Found at Church.
q The .untuAal