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Show HMaSUaSSMSMMBSMSHv side, lie wn, easily excited and could not bear to bo "contradicted. Still thero was not a driver on the line better bet-ter aeipiaiuted with his business. And. iy the way. I have forgotten to say a word ns to his appearance. Well, then, ho was a big. powerful fellow, fel-low, with a broad, led face, and a bushy beard. It was hard to deal with such a man. If he once put his foot down there was no getting In in to budge until his humor changed. We were now coming close upon Waterford station, and had already done about tive-and-twenty miles of tho journey. Hen's eyes were still upon up-on the track. It was" all clear ahead, yet I expected to see him close the throttle and slow down while passing through the station. But I was mistaken. With a rnar and a rush wo dashed right through, and the next minute wo were tearing along a level stretch on the other side. 'More coal!" Not only tho words themselves, but the manner in which they were uttered caused me serious alarm. I began to suspect that something some-thing was wrong. Still, if I hesitated it might only aggravate him, so I flung in a small quantity. ' io on go on!" What was I to do? I didn't dare to refuse. The wild look in Norris' eyes frightened m, and I went on shoveling shovel-ing iu the fuel. I glanced at the (range. Great heavens! it marked 130! The pressure of steam, where no cars were attached lo the engine, meant a fearful rate of speed. The engineer's manner was strangely altered, instead of being silent and morose ho wa3 now excited aud talkative. "rappling with tho engineer. Come what might. I would spring uixu id iu and try to wrench the revolver from his hand. The case would then bedes-perate; bedes-perate; and it was as well to die in a light for life as to wait patieutly and be mangled in a collision. When I arranged all this in my mind I endeavored to resign myself to fate. I could do no more at present. Hut the agonies I suffered during tiiat short run from Weston to lied Fork I can never describe. Tho terrible strain of siispeuse, tho wild rush, the awaving from side to side, made mo feel 'ick and faint. I clung on without with-out faring to look on cither hand; if I had done so I think I could not have withstood tho temptation to fling myself my-self from tho engine. It was getting dusk. I was dimly conscious of hedges, telegraph poles and bridges skimming past me like so many Hashes. Tho hoarse shouts of the mailman made my blood rua cold. He secaied to bo working himself him-self into a regular frenzy. Hed Fork oue mile ahead! One minute more would decide tho question of life ordeafli. I drew my breath hard; I trembled like a child. Wo had reached the incline. in-cline. Tho engine went at it with a dash. I glanced out to seo if any friendly figures were on the track. Not a soul was insight! I groaned and almost fell on the floor of the cab. Tho surrounding objects seemod to fade from my view, and in their place rase up a picture of the old home away in England. I saw tho littlo cottage; I looked into mv mother's face Oh, thank God!" Never before nor since did such a cry of Joy escape mo, for at that moment mo-ment I fe.lt tho wheels of tho eugiuo A TEKIlHiLE HIDE. I began life on one of tho big railways rail-ways of tlie states us a "cleaner" in uu engine shed. I had been employed in the shed at Louisville lor about, fifteen or sixteen mouths when I went Mi my lirst trip as fireman. It was very near being my last. 1 firmly believe all the years of flying fly-ing about' iu an express since I was made an engineer have not taken as much out of me as that single turn f an hour and a half. It occurred iu this way: One evening tho superintendent nt Louisville received a wire from Weston Wes-ton a station about seventy miles down the line to send un engine to replace one which had broken down, lie came lo the shed nnd selected tho Gen. Grant, one of the finest locomotives locomo-tives on the road. Then ho sent word to the engineer and fireman to come on duty and start on their journey at 7 o'clock. The driver, Ben Norris. was thero in pood time, and busied himself with his oil can. But Jim West, tho fireman, did not turn up punctually. At last, when it was near the hour for starling, he camo into the shed. One glance at his bloodshot eyes nnd unsteady walk showed mo that ho was the worse for drink. Poor fellow! 1 knew the cause of this, and from tho bottom of my heart I pitied him. The weuk before he had lost , his little That's it!" ho cried, and I eoulil barely catch the words abovo the roaring roar-ing of the engine. "Now we're traveling! travel-ing! Ila! ha! Tho President faster than the Grant? Not likely! I'll catch up to her yet. seo if I don'i!" Shall I ever forget those terrible words! They aetsallv seemed to paralyze par-alyze me. As 1 stood there, clinging for support to tiie tide of thecal), tho awful truth flashed through my mind. Tiio engineer was mad! And. worse still, he was under the delusion that tho President was on iu front. With this insane idea in his head he determined deter-mined to try the speed of tho two engines. en-gines. My first impulse, when I had partly recovered from the shock, wi9 to spring forward and grasp tho reversing revers-ing rod. But a moment's reflection showed me that this might instantly seal my doom. Norm would have grappled with me, nnd if it came to & struggle I was lost. Ho would fling mo headlong from the engine. Then another thought occurred to me. Heaven forgive me! but I must slriko him from behind in order to save my life. I looked around for a weapon. As I did so he seemed to guess what I was at, and turning found thrust his hand into his breast. The next moment ho held a revolver toward mo, while his blazitig eyes threatened iustant death if I did uot desist. After that T gavo mysolf np for lost. Unless providence interposed on my slip. Gradually the furious speed declined. Norris dashed about the cab storming aud swearing. Very soon we were almost at a standstill. Tho next second sec-ond I had jumped to tho ground. Only just in lime. The madman had turned savagely upon me, 1 suppose sup-pose suspecting that I had something to do with the stoppage. I saw his purpose and ducked my head as a bullet bul-let from his revolver whi.zed over it. Then I ran for dear life down the track. When I was out of range I sat upon the hank, completely overcome. Tho reaction was too much for me, nnd I believe for a minute or two I was quite unconscious. But before I became in-sensihlo in-sensihlo I heard another report from thi pistol. I knew what had happened. I was aroused by a confused hum of voices. Upon opening my eyes I saw four men standing around me. I got up at onco and wo hurried back to the engine. , Tlicro stood tho Grant upon the track with full speed up, tho wheels revolving with frightful rapidity, but without making the least headway. Ono of mv companions sprang on board nnd shut oil steam. Then he camo to the side, looked down, aud exclaimed: "I say, boys, Norris has put a btille , through his brain!" I kuew it. (JIuMiT. laughter Kate, and to drown his griel he had taken to liquor. j I kuew ho was utterly incapable of going on duly, and I also knew that if he was discovered in this state it would--I ttiean instant dismissal. Thero was only ono thing for it another an-other fireman must bo fouud immediately. immedi-ately. If tho mattor was referred to tho superintendent it would be all np with my friend Jim. From that moment mo-ment I'm ado tip my mind to tako his place myself. I gave him in charge of ono of my mates, who promised to tako him home quietly. 1 thought that in a few hours ho would havo slept off the effects of tho liquor, and I left word to havo him como on by the night train to Weston. I had to explain matters to the engineer, engin-eer, but he made no objections to my plan. It struck me at the time that ho took the mattor very coolly; in fact, lie seemed jierfectty indifferent as to who went with him. Time was up. I took my place in tho cab. Norris set to work at onco and wo moved slowly out of tho shed. We wero oil! While in the station I took caro to keep bending down, as if examining tho liro, so that I should not be recognized. recog-nized. But once clear of tlie town I Stood upright and looked around. It was a glorious summer evening. We skimmed rapidly past meadows and corn fields und then dashed along the bridge over tlie river. I began to think I would enjoy the run im-nienselv. behalf a horrible end awaited me. Up to this I had felt tho heat oppressive, but now I shivered. My hainU were cold and clammy. A baud of irou seemed to encircle my head. On we tore. tUo engine swaying fearfully. Every moment I expected to bo blown to "atoms by tho bursting of the boiler. Norris nover ecased to rave about the race with the President. Aud yet, though he was so absorbed iu his work, ho kept his eye on me the whole time. Then it was that an idea flashed across mo. A faint hope sprang up in my mind. I must overcome him by cunning; it was the ouly chance. I advanced toexaniino the indicator; and, though my heart sank when I Haw the hand quivering at 250. I made it appear as if I wero delighted. "Good," 1 cried, "wo'll beat her yet! But wo want moro coal." I made toward the tender, placed my left hand upon a lump of coal and struck it across the back with tho sharp edge of tho shovel. Tho blow left a gash from which tho blood flowed freely. I gave a cry and Norris instantly in-stantly turned round. I held up my right hand that he might seo tho blood dripping from it. Theu I stood with my back toward him aud pretended to bind up tho wound. But I only wrapped a handkerchief hand-kerchief round it, "and quick as lightning light-ning drew out mv pocket-book. I tore awav tho leaves w hich were wrillon on, "and placing the book upon my knee scrawled these words across the lirst page: I next turned my attention to tho engine. As I ran my eyo over the shining machinery I felt gratified to think that its neat order was chiefly owing to my caro. I was proud of tho Grant and wondered if the time would ever como whou I should havo charge of it myself. I was so elated that I thought my companion ought to bo more lively. Ben seemed to think of nothing but his work. He stood with his hand on the throttle, anil his eyes steadily fixed upon the track ahead." I niado ono or two remarks, but ho scarcely answered me. While I was wondering at his silenco ho suddenly appeared to rouse himself. He glanced at tho steam-gauge, steam-gauge, muttered something which I did not understand, then bent down and examined the lire-box. "More coal!" he cried in a voice which almost startled ine. I complied without a word. Instead of throwing in tho coal recklessly, which I knew would ouly deaden tho lire, I piled it up carefully around the sides Very soon the speed of the engine en-gine increased. Wo wero ratnling along at a grand rfito. I examined the gauge and saw that the hand pointed to 175. I could not see the necessity for this rapid traveling. Mv companion's attention was again fixed upon the road before him. Presently Pres-ently he turned toward me and exclaimed ex-claimed excitedly: Who says that the Grant is not the fastest engino on the road?" "Moxly declared that tho President Was faster." I replied. "Then he lied!" cried Norris. "Tho President faster we shall see, we shall see!" I thought his manner very strango, to say the least of it. .But I knew his ways and said nothing. He was always al-ways considered rather eccentric. Be- "Driver mad, who, srreaso rails." Then, holding it in my injured hand, I thrust it under my jacket and returned re-turned to the engineer's side. Wo wese now rapidly approaching Weston, but I knew that Norr'w did not intend to stop. And I was right. Ho blew a long whistle, as if to startle tiio officials, and the engine shot through the station like a rocket. But I had managed to drop my pocket-bonk at tho sido of the track. I did not dare to look back or make the slightest sign to the Weston, officials. If I had done so I certainly would have got a bullet through me. Still I fancied I had caught a glimpse of a man hurrying forward to where the book had fallen. The suspense was terrible. Even if thev noticed tho uocket-book, they might not bo able to understand what was written inside; for it may bo imagined im-agined that under tho circumstances tho scrawl was barely legible. I had made up my miud what to ex- Eect. Tuo next station was Red Fork, ut fifteen miles farther on. I was sure the track would be clear as far as i this place, but once past it we might j encounter an up train nt any moment. If tho Weston people discovered my j message they won d wire at once to Red Fork, nnd there would bo time enough for tho ofl'teials at that etatioU to grease a portion of tho rails before we camo on the scene. Should this be done on anv sort of an incline the w hoots would slip on the track ana the engine soon come to a standstill. It was with a thrill of joy I remembered that there was such a piece ol road just outside Red Fork station. But if it turned out otherwise, and we passed the place without being topped. I resolved to losa ao time in |
