Year: 1870

many rods distant, and with a triumphant
yell urged my steed to put forth his


utmost effort. Sixty seconds more and


would be saved and the danger to the train


avoided. The seconds seemed hours In


the feVerish excitement of the moment, but


they were over at last, and I sprang off my


horse on the instant that he reached the


opening, and rushed, with the rein in my


hand, through the aperture. Old Jerky


snorted and sprang backward. throwing


me down and pulling the rein from my


hand. I saw the trouble at once. The


opening was not of sufficient height to ad-


NIT of horse going through it erect, and
a heavy timber to which the planks were
nailed ran across the top. l sprang inside
and took q survey of the situation in an
instant. The beam would have borne ten
times the strain that could have brought
to bear upon it, as it was foot thick,
sound, and firmly placed. I threw all my
strength and weight against the plank ing
a little beyond the beam, and fell back up-
on tie icy ground; the planks were imbed-
ded Ia the frozen ground at their lower ends,
and [ could not start them in the slightest
degree. sprang up and ran to the other
side of the shed, to try if the planking on
that side was less firmly secured. Through
the crevice [ saw precipice running hun
dreds of feet, sheer down from the side of
the shed. I could not escape that way,
and if the train went off there no person
on 1T would survive to tell the tale.


fell on my knees to pray, but before |
had uttered word the thought passed
through my brain that might throw the
horse down and pull him through the open
ing by main strength. had the ropefrom
the saddle in my hands in an instant, and
throwing it around his forelegs I sprang to
one side, and with my whole strength
1 attempted to trip him. The brute jumped
backward, and refused TO fall, while the rope
ran through my hand, tearing the skin and
soaring the flesh as if l had grasped red
hot iron. [ remembered, at that moment,
having seen Mexican Uaquero showing off
his skill in horsemanship, at San Jose, enid
an admiring throng, and making the sleer.
ing remark to friend. 'tAnd he is nothing
but bull driver, after all p In that time
of supreme agony | would have sacrificed
every advantage of birth, education, talent,
and professional skill, and changed places
with that uneducated, despised, bull driving
Greaser, merely to have received in turn
the gift of the ability to perform the trick
of throwing down horse. My foot struck
a stick of wood, such as is used for burning
on the locomotives, which was lying on the
| IL,
determined to beat the brains out of the
brute with it, or at least stun him into in.
sensibility, and then pull him into the
| opening. 1t was frozen fast in the ice, and
L could not tear it loose, though put forth
| strength which seemed herculean in the
| frenzy OF my excitement 1t occurred to
me that | had pocket-knife, and I might
| cut his throat; but the train was almost
| upon me, and there was no time for him to
bleed to death; this reflection did not con-
sumo a second and half In nv despair
gave one long-drawn yell-Help! No an
SWer came.


The train came on, as it seemed to me,
with lightning speed, upon the down-grade
and the light of the IL eomotiVe head lamp
already fell upon me. Ten seconds more
and there would be terrific crash and a
pile of broken cars, ana crushed, bleeding.
and dying men would burst through the
side of tho shed and go rolling down the
mountain side. Deadly faint, and con-
Vlnced that all was nearly over, stagger-
ed against the side of the she'd closed nv
eyes, and sank half down to the ground. I
heard Jerky give sudden snort of terror,
and opened my eyes, He had discovered
the danger at last, and comprehended it all
in an instant. The train could not have
been more than thirty feet from him, when
he made one tremendous jump and went
| through the opening. The beam caught
the high Mexican saddle. tore it into frag-
ments, and frightfully lacerated his back,
but his weight and the strength which
mortal terror gave him carried him through
and he fell in the snow outside. I sprang
after him just as the locomotive came
abreast of me, and fell, trembling, exhaus-
| ted, and fainting, beside him.


| [ don't think the en- pinaer saw I1a at all
L did not see him, so far as / could remem-
| Der afterward. 1t was half an hour before
l could gather strength enough to regain
my feet. When I did so, I got my exhaust
ed and bleeding horse upon his legs and
replaced the wreck of saddle upon his
locerated back, securing it as we'll as 1
could with some thongs cut from the edge
of the rein, and my pocket handkerchief,
torn into strips, and prepared to resume
my journey. In cannon, filled with the
black shadow of the mountain, [ saw what
appeared to be the outlines of several cab
ms. That must be Camp No. ! Pulling
my hmping steed after me by the bride. [
made my way slowly and painfully down to
the nearest cabin and knocked at the door.
"Git y was the response which came
| to the third or fourth knock 1
repeated the knocking. ssGit you
drunken son Of gun! You have been
yelling around here long enough Leave
or I'll put bullet through you |" came in
decided and most emphatic tones from
within. | called out that / was the doctor
! from Camp -, not the man they mistook
me for, and wanted to know if that was
Camp -, and if John Smith was there
John Smith, who was dying, and wanted
| the doctor so bad. There was a moments
debate, in whispers, between two or more
persons inside; then I heard the scratching
of matches, and the shuffiing of heavy
/ slippers over the floor, and at that the
door was opened. ''Be you the doctor
Well, you are powerful weak-looking
young chicken for doctor r said John
| Smith--for it proved to be he-after he had
held the candle to my face and deliberately
scrutinized my person for some seconds.


"Well, yes, did send for you; but I'm
kinder sorry now that did, for have con-
cluded to go over thar tomorrow on bust
ness, anyhow"


"But the messenger said you were dying,
or the next thing to it-al,nost dead, I
think"


"Well, yes, l was pretty considerable
| scared at the time. You see, 1 had an
eruption come out right bad on my leg, and
l was afraid that it might be pleurisy, or
new-amonia. or erysitilus, or suthin O that
sort, and If l come over IN The snow and
catched cold in it might q gone in"


He sat down on the side of his bunk and
pulled up the drawer from his right shin:
there was patch of ringworm there about
the size OF silver dollar and that was ALL
[ made use of some strong expressions. 1
don't often swear, but felt aggravated I'M
der all the circumstances, and considered
myself justified. / still so consider. Mr.
Smith heard me through. Then he arose
malesticaily to his feet and thus spoke.


Young man 1 inst put you up for a
derned fool, on first sight-an' Iwan't sold
much! Eff you hain't got no more sense
nor ter git mad bout trifes, you'll have
many long day ter wait fore you'll be
called on agin to visit this camp-an' its