Adventure, February 1917 — page 132: what you’re looking at

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

130 saw a man suddenly step into the bushes that skirt the right-of-way on both sides for a considerable distance along that section. At least I thought I saw a man, but when I passed the spot where he had- apparently disappeared I could see no sign of him and, it still being pretty dark, I thought perhaps I had been deceived by some shadow in the shifting, uncertain light. Even if I had been positive I had seen the man I would not have been disturbed any for, as you know, there are many strange characters follow the railroad; and without investigation I hurried to the stream. “T fished for about two hours and caught some six or seven nice bass. Then at half- past six I unjointed my rod, and with my catch, started back; for I went on duty at seven A.M. “T returned by the same route I had gone and upon coming back to the right-of-way was just about to step out from the screen of bushes and weeds when I suddenly per- ceived something that brought me up, motionless. “Tt was, of course, quite light by that time. And, working busily on the track, I saw a man, a man whose figure some way looked vaguely familiar. Very obviously he had not heard me and I remained silently watching him, an uneasy feeling stealing over me, although uncertain at first what he was doing. “From his pocket the man took a small coil of thin, insulated wire and, laying one end of the double strand beneath the rail, he uncoiled it, backing down into the bushes some thirty feet from me. Next he picked up a small, square, wooden box with a kind of handle at one end and took it into the bushes. “In a moment he came out and carefully proceeded to remove the wrapper from a package which had been lying between the rails. My heart almost stopped beating when I beheld the contents of that package —round, cylindrical-shaped things with the coloring of heavy wrapping paper— dynamite! “After removing the covering he looked around cautiously, giving me the first full” view of his face; and then I knew why his figure had looked vaguely familiar. was Tom Brady! And Tom Brady had long been a friend of mine!”’ McNeal shot a swift glance from the For it~ Adventure. superintendent to the general manager and with scarcely a pause continued: “I was stunned at first by the shock of the discovery and the horror of the thing that he was so evidently planning to do— to wreck, probably blow up, a train! And knowing Tom Brady as I did I believed the man must be out of his head, must be mad. . “And even while I watched, crouching down in the thicket, he quickly excavated beneath a tie, using a sharp stick to scrape away the cinders; under the tie he carefully laid the explosive and, picking up the wire, he fumbled swiftly over the excavation for a little bit. In an instant he had finished, apparently, for after a searching, quick survey he arose and stepped back, a queer, ghastly smile upon his face. It was then I leaped upon him. ““*Tom!’ I cried as I seized him. ‘Tom Brady! Are you mad?’ “He struggled fiercely, cursing me. His face was covered with an unkempt growth of beard, his clothing torn and dirty. His eyes gleamed wildly as he twisted his snarling face to me. “Tom! I cried again. ‘What are you » doing, man?’ ‘But he did not recognize me and I knew then that he was filled with some obsession of the mind, was mad. “He was strong, fearfully strong, as people in that state are apt to be; and I doubt if I could have overcome him if good fortune had not favored me as we fought over the tracks, I always trying to keep away from the death beneath the tie, my breath beginning to come in gasps. “But when, from probably a mile away, I suddenly heard an engine whistle, a pass- enger engine as I could tell from the sound, I made a final, despairing effort and pressed back upon him with all my strength. He yielded a step, his heel caught on the end of a tie, and we fell together, his head striking heavily upon the rail; and we went rolling down the embankment into the thicket. “T could feel Tom’s body grow limp when his head-hit the rail so sickeningly ~ hard, and when we brought up at the bottom he lay limp and inert, his head half- fallen across his outflung arm, as one who sleeps. “T lay but a second, panting from my exertion; then in feverish haste scrambled up, disconnecting the wire and taking the (€@) NOKOLKS =) AAG