Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1921-01-14

a mile, he might get the demon ca
bose under CONTROL
After what seemed an con OF wait
ing, he ventured another look ahead
The rear logging-truck was q hundred
yards in front Of him now. and from
the wheels Of the caboose an odor ef
something burning drifted up to him.
I've got your wheels locked :" he half
sobbed. "Tll hold you yet, you brute.
Slidel That's It, Slide, and fatten
your internal wheels. Hahi You're
quitting-Quitting I'll have you in
control before we reach the curve
Burn, curse you, burnt"
With a shrek Of metal scraping
metal, the head Of the Juggernaut
ahead took the curve, chung there an
instant, and was catapulted out into
space. Logs weighing twenty tons
we're flung about Ike kindling; one in
slant, Bryce could see them In the air;
the next they had disappeared down
the hillside. deafening crash, a
splash, a cloud Of dust
With a protesting squeal, the ca
boose came to the point where the log
ging-train had left the right Of way,
carrying rails and ties with il The
wheels on the side nearest the bank
slid into the dirt first and plowed deep
into the soil; the caboose came TO
an abrupt stop, trembled and ratified
overtopped its center OF gravity, and
fell over against the eut-bank, YEARLY,
like a drunken bag.
Bryce, still clinging TO the brake,
was fully braced for the shock and
was not flung Of Calmly he descend
ed the ladder, recovered the axe from
the bumper, climbed back to the roof,
tlptoed of the roof to the top Of the
bank and sat calmly down under a
manzanita bush TO await results, for
he was quite confident that none Of
the occupants Of the COMPOUNDED ca
boose had been treated TO anything
worse than a wild ride and a rare
fright. and he was curious 10 see how
Shirley Sumner would behave in an
emergency.
- Colonel Pennington was first 70
emerge al the rear Of the caboose. He
leaped lightly down the steps, ran TO
the front Of the car, looked down the
track, and swOre feelingly. Then he
darted back TO the rear OF the ca
boose.
"AH clear and snug as a bug under
a chip, my dear" he called to Shirley
Thank God, the caboose become IN
COMPLETENESS that fool brakeman
forgot to drop the pin; it was the last
car. and when It jumped the track
and plowed into the dirt, II just nat
urally quit and toppled over against
the bank. Come out. my dear"
Shirley came out, dry-eyed. but |
white and trembling. The Colonel /
placed his arm around her, and she /
hid her face on his shoulder and shud- |
dered. There, therei' he soothed her
'It's I'll over. ny dear. I
AIS well that ends we'll"
The train" she cried in a choking
voice. where is ft?"
IN little pieces-down IN Mad
river"
Bryce Cardigan she sobbed- 81
saw him-he was riding atop on the
rain. He-ah. God help him."
The Colonel shook her with sudden
'erocity. Young Cardigan" he cried
sharply. Riding the logs? Are you
,ertain7H
She nodded, and her shoulders
hook piteously.
Then Bryce Cardigan is gonel7
pronouncement was sol
mn. deadly with its fiat fnality. mo
nan could have rolled down into Mad
liver with a trainload OF logs and sur
lived The devil himself couldn't"
4e heaved a great sigh. and added
Wen. that clears the atmosphere con
iderably. although for all his faults.
regret. for his fathers sake, that this
readful affair has happened. Well,
can't be helped, Shirley. Poor devil
or all his damnable treatment OF me.
wouldn't have had this happen for a
lilliOn dollars"
Shirley burst into wild weeping.
iryee's heart leaped. for he under
TODD the reason for her grief. She
ad gone TO his death; ergo Il would
g long before Shirley would forgive
erSelf. Bryce had not intended pre-
snting himself before her in his bat
red and bloody condition. but the
ght of her distress now was mere
ian he could bear. He coughed slight
=, and the alert colonel glanced up st +
m instantly. ?
''Well. I'll be hangedl" The words :
II from Pennington's lips with !
sartinesS that was almost touching.
thought you'd gone with the train"
"SOrry TO have disappointed you. old :
p" Bryce replied blithely. but I'm
st naturally stubborn. Too bad about
e atmosphere You thought cleared q
oment ago It's clogged worse than
er now"