The Monmouth inquirer., 1926-05-27

there is nothing to do but grin and
bear it."
Suddenly bethought myself OF the
telegram for the conductor. Strange
that had so long forgotten it! un-
folded 1t with cold shudder OF ap-
prehension. There were only few
words. and the import OF these were
dread enough. With q swimming
brain and half blinded sight read
the two sentences:
SLOW the train at Derby Junction
Alder Run Bridge is down"
A cold shudder shook me from
head to foot leaned against the
side of the car for support; while.
| like lightning, thought was busy in
calculating what would be the result.
We were running at a great rate Of
speed. 1t would be difficult to bring
the train to halt suddenly. and here
was 1.-The only person on board who
knew OF the danger which threatened
shut up in this vile car helpless and
powerless to give the alarm
l climbed to the window and looked
out It was dark as Erebus. but
managed to make out the lights OF
Stratford whizzing past, and knew
we were forty-iVe miles from Derby
Junction.
Alder Run was half mile or so be-
yond Derby deep, rocky-bottomed
gulch, through which ran a noisy
stream, and this stream at present
was quite formidable river had
spoken to Axtell about the extraordi-
nary height of the water when we
/ passed the night before. The bridge
was narrow pile, single track, and
! full twenty-five feet from the water.
ran all this over in my mind, and
knew that If we plunged into that
stony gulch, running at our present
rate of speed, there would be very
few OF us left to tell the tale.
drew "a long breath.
What could | do? Nothing with
in my power was left undone shout
ed from the little window until my
voice failed from very exhaustion;
I Numbered against the doors until my
hands were bruised and bleeding, and
the settee-the one instrument had
to work with-lay in fragments at my
feet. And all this time we were dash
ing forward to our fate To my ex-
cited imagination 1t seemed as If our
speed was swiftly increasing we no
longer touched the earth-we flew!
And Helen! my poor darlingI A
great throb of agony swelled in my
throat and almost sufocated me at
thought of her. All-unconscious OF
impending doom sitting quietly her
blue eyes heavy with tears at my
neglect going on to her fate!
Suddenly a thought struck me, and
J was desperate enough to do any
thing. / felt I should go mad if
could not act
l might warn the engineer-war
the train-save the lives Of those on
board-tbough in all probability /
should lose my own.
/ thought of Helen and Of the dis.
NAL shades Of Alder Run, and did not
hesitate moment.
would fire the car! The flames
! would be seen-they would stop the
train, and l would pray to God that
l might retain my life until l could
/ tell them the jeopardy we had been
in-the danger which lay just aheadl
Without scruple l tore open the
mail bag containing the newspapers
and piled them up in corner of the
car. l laid everything combustible
at NY command on the pile and APP
| piled the match. It blazed I'D bravely,
and so excited WAS l that I danced
in front of the fire had kindled like
mailman The car became insurer
ably hot; was obliged to put my
head out OF the window to breathe,
and my clotnes-thank Heaven, they
were woolen--were beginning to crisp
and shrivel in the intense heat AL
| ready my face was blistered, and 1t
seemed as If every drop OF moisture
in my body was dried up.
And still that fire gained SO slowly!
Would it never burst through the roof
Of the carr We were nearly at
Derby; already, by the hollow roar,
knew that we had run through Oar
rell's Cut-only q mile from Derby
Minutes seemed hours, and my i'm
I! patience became 80 unbearable that
seized kerosene lamp and flung 1t
into the midst Of the flames!
The car rocked as If in the breath
of whirlwind. / was hurled Violent
ly against the door, and long spire
OF lurid flame shot through the roof
and seemed to wrap the whole fabric
in its fiery embrace.
And simultaneously heard the
sharp whistle Of the locomotive to
"down brakes" and knew that my
signal had been seen.
The speed slackened; few NOM
ents more and the train was at a
standstill and the roar OF Alder Run
could be distinctly heard
We were within fifteen rods OF de-
struction!