Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1932-11-18
The
Bridge
By RAYMOND OTIS
g by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service

| SnOulu speak TO me; she didn't look
like the aggressive kind But she had
spoken and l liked her looks, so |
stood up in the aisle of the pullman.
"A bridge?" said. There must be
many of them between here and the
coast, especially where we cross the
mountains"
"Well, this must be an unusual
bridge-not over rivera great span
over an abyss. And deep-deeper
than anything"
II don't know of any,"
"Are you going through this time,
all the way?''
Yes, am.-What about the bridget
Why does it bother your"
TN tell you" she said. Listen.
Last night had a dream. l dreamt
that this train came to a great bridge.
And the bridge was broken. The train
ran into the gap, and. :" She
paused to shudder plunged a
thousand feet to the rocks below"
We'll" said, that was a dream.
Anybody killed."
Everybody. My dream was pro-
pheticw
l shifted uneasily.
"What do you mean by prophetic,
exactlyT
"Well-I don't know. saw the
things so clearly-every detail as If a
great searchlight were playing on the
scene. If there is such a bridge l
wouldn't go over it for fortune"
IF you'll excuse me, I'll go back for
a smoke" l said. She simply nodded
and l went to the smoking room. To
save my life l couldn't get the pic
ture of train running off a bridge
out Of my mind Then l spotted a
! timetable on the window-sill.
turned page and there was a span
exactly as she had described. read
the legend under the picture. zone
of the highest railroad bridges in the
world" it said, ION the main line to
California. Canyon Fiero."
! l looked up on the map, which was
!; also in the folder. the town nearest
/ the bridge and then searched the time
table for the hour at which we were
due at that town. Eight the next eve
I ming. So We did go over the bridge
I at night. OF course, all the time l
was telling myself not to be a fool.
slipped the folder into my pocket
! and went back into the car.
pardon me-" said to the dreamer,
shut I've looked up your bridge :"
and at that l handed her the folder,
opened to the picture. And watched
her face infinitely.
MY God" she said in a throaty
voice, cts the bridge-It's the very
bridge! When do we cross it?'
Tomorrow night, between eight
/Snd nine"
"Im going to get off this train" she
said, starting to rise.
Not now" l objected. 1--WE don't
get there until tomorrow night"
i She settled back in the seat Her
hands twitched nervously. She de-
clared that unless the conductor
would consent to stop the train at
thC sic MOulu get Oll at Tie
first station before it.
By morning. a strange thing had
happened. The whole train was talk
I ing about the Canyon Fiero bridge.
! Nobody, thought. had yet consult
ed the conductor about stopping the
train at the bridgehead, so I accosted
him myself when he came through the
)! car Had he heard about the dream?
Eyes. I've heard about It, We don't
make custom Of stopping these
trains because of dreams. But |
wired ahead and got notification to
:, proceed. There's nothing wrong with
the bridge
Nothing could he more convincing
than that. But the Russian, who had
overheard the talk, suddenly flew out
Of her seat and came up to us.
I Don't you see what it is?" she said.
"Of course they're not going to break
the bridge until it's too late for tele-
grams. 1t may be plot. Sabotage"
4, Very well, madam. I'll step the
train"
"Thank you" she said, and turned
away.
At eight o'clock we came to the last
town before Canyon Fiero.
No reports on the bridge" said the
! conductor and we started on.
The Russian woman nibbled the cor
ner Of her handkerchief. All through
the train there was remarkable at
mosphere of tension The train slowed
! down. came to an effortless stop
silence. got out and walked up
toward the engine. thought saw
the Russian ahead Of me. There was
cluster OF people around the engine.
When l reached the coal tender I
noticed that everybody had suddenly
lined up along the wheels and I heard
voice barking crisp commands. It
was on the mOonlit side Of the train
and the visibility was good. felt a
iab in the ribs.
"Get a move on" somebody said in
my ear. Zine up with the rest" It
was the Russian woman, with a re-
vOlver.
They ransncked the banoape cars