The Colonel's Wife — page 183: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

176 A GENTLE NURSE. and gathering headway, while a rumber of men shouted all manner of threats in their rear. Although one of John’s companions was the engi- neer, and ran the old-fashioned machine, the colonel managed the job, and at his order, when they had gone a couple of miles, a halt was called. Upatelegraph pole went the third man witha tool from the box on the engine, his mission being to destroy the wires and thus prevent communication with the North. Again they rushed on. ‘There was a wild exhilaration in the ride;-a novel uncertainty concerning what was coming next, for should a switch be turned, or any obstruction be met, a terrible catastrophe must follow. All the while they were putting miles between themselves and the scene of the capture; with each — is ‘passing minute they drew nearer the Federal lines. Around curves and past hamlets where lights gleamed from cabin windows, the runaway en: ine sped, rocking wildly under its impetus. 7 Bold men in the start, they had now grown reck- less of consequences. It was in the air—it thrilled their nerves, just as men usually get the battle fever ie are ready to lead a forlorn hope into the jaws of death. Just when they were congratulating themselves on the progress made, in rounding a cuve and dashing into a cut their ears were saluted by a shrill whistle, while at the same time they saw the flash of a head- light down the track. A collision was inevitable, for on a single track two engines have never yet succeeded in passing, and approaching at full speed was the south-bound train. comicbooks.c olan) es 5 od ar as re