Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 571 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

a4 a - ? - oe “qe <. e \ - wz 2 .—* - >. > a we : 2" A Air-Line though by no means sad, face. It was some- thing that she had felt must come sooner or later, and she was glad it was over now, though she was pained to think she was the cause of giv- ing pain to another, The cashier had been gone but a few minutes when there came another ring at the bell. ‘‘ Who can it be this time?’ Lucy thought, as she went to the door. Assoon asshe opened the door, however, she uttered a glad cry of welcome to the person who stood there. An that person was Air-Line Luke. ‘‘ Good-morning,” he cried, cheerily, as he caught hold of the girl’s hand. ‘* You are look- ing as fresh as arose. How are you?” he greeting on the part of the girl was hearty, and Luke’s invitation to enter was more cordial than that of the cashier had been only a few minutes before. ‘‘-Your father is out on the road, I suppose,” remarked Luke, after the exchange of a kiss, which we will not mention. ‘Yes. answered Lucy, “‘ he is always on the road, it seems tome. I wish his ship of fortune would come in, so that he could give up work.” ‘‘That is the ship we are all waiting for, Lucy,” said Luke, ‘‘ but I am afraid it will be a long time ay I do not want to wish your father any bad luck, but at the same time [ am heartily glad that his ship has not come as yet.” ‘*Oh! you do not mean that!” ‘Yes, I do, and I will tell you why: I am no longer a fireman, Lucy, for to-night I am to go out as engineer of the Express Freight, and—’ ‘‘Ob! I am glad to hear that.” ‘‘T knew you would be, and_I came here to tell you. And not only that, Lucy, but now I want to ask you to be my wife, I—” Lucy began to ae ‘Tt seem to be in demand this morning,” she resently said, ‘This is the second offer I have ad,’ : ‘“What do you mean ”” asked Luke in sur- prise. ‘Why, Stewart Lyman asked me to marry him not half an hour ago.” ‘‘ Stewart Lyman!” cried Luke, turning pale — thought that perhaps he was too late. es 9 = And—and—you told bim—” Lucy laughed more merrily than ever. ‘What do you think JT told him?’ she asked teasingly. “T cannot tell, Lucy; he is rich, and—” ‘‘ And that is alli” interrupted the girl. “I told him that I would not marry him. And now I suppose I must give you some sort of an- swer—to get rid of you.” ‘¢ All my future depends upon you,” declared Luke earnestly. ‘‘ Well, Luke, I have made up my mind that I can never marry—” ‘Heavens! Lucy, do not tell me that!” ‘Oh! but I must tell you. I have made up my mind that I can never marry—any one but you, CHAPTER IV. IN FRIGHTFUL DANGER, ‘‘Toor-TrooT!” and with Air-Line Luke at the throttle, the Express Freight pulled out of the ard at Marysville and started on its trip to rincetown, the eastern terminus of the road, It was a clear and beautiful summer night, but quite dark, as there was no moon. The heart of the young engineer throbbed with ride as the noble machine under his control forged ahead, and he was happy. Here he was, master of an engine, and Lucy Fielding had promised to marry him within the year! It seemed as if his cup of happiuess was full. He had spent the forenoon with Lucy, and their interview had been a most enjoyable one to both. At their parting, Lucy had promised to listen for the whistle of his engine that night, asignal having been agreed upon by which she might know that he was at the throttle. " Now he was speeding away toward West Plain, and anxious to reach there, His fireman was a young man who had just \i heen promoted from an inferior train, and one | whom Luke liked. In fact, Luke had been the means of his being put on this train. ‘‘ Well, Harry,” Luke observed, when they were clear of the city and rolling away along the line, ‘how do youlike this?” = | ‘Tt is better than the gravel train, even if it is night-work,” was the fireman’s reply, ‘You are right it is!” cried Luke; “ it is Jorious!” ‘‘1t must be for you, there at the throttle,” the fireman commented wistfully, ‘‘and I'll be glad when I get up to that point.” ee * - a, ‘‘ And you will get here sooner or later,” de- clared Luke, “if you attend well to your resent calling. You do the right thing by me, and I will not fail to speak a good word for you whenever I can.” ‘Thank you for that, Luke, and you may be sure I will do so.” ‘* By the way,” said the suppose you have heard of the ghost at the land River bridge, Harry?” | ‘‘Oh! yes: and I meant to ask you about it.. What do you think of thestory? Do you believe it?” * Well, I should say so, as I have seen it my- self, “That’s so; Oe was on th’ run last night, wasn’t you. Wonder if we'll see it again?” ‘*‘ Hard to tell, but we may. Open the fire- box door a little.” So they talked on, and in due time, after mak- ing several other stops at various points, the train rolled into West Plain. This was the point where the Express Freight west passed the Express Freight east, as noted in the first chapter, and when Luke pulled into the yard he saw that the other train had not ar- rived, And as he ran down toward the station, and passed the house where his promised bride lived, the young engineer sounded the whistle-signal agreed upon, and sure enough a ligbt ap- peared at a window and Lucy waved him an answer. The freight west-bouad having the right of way to this point, the one Air-Line Luke was on oung engineer, I ar- ‘took the side-track at West Plain, and bein once in out of the way, the young engineer pull- ed down through the yard to the station. There he stopped his engine, and when the conductor came up from the rear end the two entered the telegraph office to learn how late the other train was, Finding that it was about ten minutes bebind time, they sat down to to take thiugs easy until it came. While they were seated there in the office, enjoying a few minutes’ chat, the operator sprung suddenly to his feet, his face as pale as death, and so frightened was he that for a mo- mert he could not speak. ‘‘ What in wonders is the matter?” demanded Air-Line Luke, With an effort the operator recovered suffi- ciently to gasp: ‘‘Runaway engine coming east—no one aboard—just Clayton at lightning speed!” In an instant every cheek blanched. A few words will explain the situation. Clay- ton was a station about ten miles west from West Plain, the direction from which Air-Line Lute had just come. The runaway engine was rushing toward West Plain, and unless stopped would certainly come into collision with the over-due Express Freight coming in the opposite direction, What was to be done? That was the thought that flashed through each mind instantly. It was certainly a trying moment. ‘Peter Jones!” exclaimed the conductor. ‘¢ What are we to do?” ‘‘ Heaven only knows,” said Air-Line Luke, for the instant completely upset by the horror of the situation. ‘‘ We must run the engine off the track,” the conductor quickly added, ‘‘ or it will meet the Freight.” ‘‘ And there is no place where we can run her off here,” declared the operator, ‘* without great danger to life and property.” ‘‘'That is so,” agreed Luke, ‘‘ and there is no way of reaching the Express Freight now to warn her of the danger.” ‘‘ No,” agreed the operator, *‘ for she has passed the last station.” Precious moments were slipping ‘away althong? barely ten seconds had yet elapsed since.the first word of warning from the opera- r. The lives of their comrades of the rail depend- ed on those in the office at West Plain, but what could they do? “That engine must be stopped here,” declared the conductor, after & moment of thought, Sif we have to make a Collision right in front of this office to do it. Come!” Out he ran, and the others after him. The first man he saw was the fireman, and to him he said; “Take a red-light and run up the track as fast and as far as you can and stop the Freight. Ask no questions, but go! And at the same time look out that you do not get run over by an engine that is coming east.” Luke, the Engineer Detective, e danger lay | mee the Without a word the fireman picked up @ lantern and started. Then the conductor turned to speak to Air- Line Luke. It was his intention to throw a freight car out on the main track and let the runaway engine collide with it, But Luke was not to be seen. He instantly appeared, however, from behind the tank of his engine where he had stepped to cut it loose from the train, and thenas he sprung up to the cab he called out: ‘*Open the switch and let me out!” **Hold on!” shouted the conductor; ‘‘ what are you going todo? I want to throw a car out on the main track.” “T have a better plan,” declared Luke; % open the switch!” . Ln don’t mean to wreck your engine, do you ‘‘ No, no,” shouted Luke, ‘‘ nothing of the kind; but let me get out, or it will be too late.” The young engineer was already running ahead toward the switch, and seeing that he was determined in whatever plan he had, the conductor opened the switch and let him out, And the moment he was out on the main track and the switch was set up behind him, the young engineer started backward in the very direction from which the runaway engine was: coming, ‘Great Peters!” cried the conductor, *‘he is running to certain death! What can he be thinking about?” ‘Can it be that he hopes to reach Murphy’s Siding in time to throw the switch and run the engine off there?’ the operator suggested. ‘‘Tmpossible!” the conductor cried, ‘ That is three miles away, and if he is trying any such mad plan as that, he 1s running to his doom.” | ‘“Then what can be his idea?” ‘‘ Hang me if I can see!” Whatever his plan was, Air-Line Luke was alone to carry it out. But he was clear headed, | and could be trusted. Backward he ran his engine, right into the fave of the coming runaway, and it did seem like sheer madness. With his steady hand upon the throttle, he looked over the tender in the direction he was going, keeping a sharp lookout for the coming: engine and prepared to reverse at an instant’s warning. He was going at a lively speed at first, but, when he had got about a mile from the station he slowed up and came to a stop. Not knowing whether the runaway had any headlight or not, he was afraid to run another foot for fear of meeting her. As soon as he had brought his engine to @ | standstill, Luke listened for the runaway, and | hear it coming at a terrific pace down the ill. And then around a curve dashed the head- light, and the engine was upon him in a moment more, _ Luke was thankful that the engine was com- om cover him head-first, and with its head- light lighted, for this would enable him the bet- ter to measure his distance and calculate his speed in what he was about to do, Waiting until the runaway was less than a quarter of a mile away from him, the young engineer then started his own engine ahead, and with whistle wide open and sending out a fright- ful and continuous sbriek, ran for West Plain ahead of the runaway, increasing bis speed with every turn of the wheels, Now here was a “ pretty state of things” for the young engineer, Ahead of bim was the Express Freight, coming toward him, while in pe rear the runaway was cbasing him at fright- fu speed, And what was his intention? : To one acquainted with railroad life, it must now be plainly seen what he meant to do, while to the uninitiated it would seem that he was in imminent danger of his life. And he was in a dangerous place, it is true; butif his plan did not fail he would win and save any damage be- On he sped, his whistle blowing and headlight flashing, and those at the station at West Plain, now understanding what he intended to do, watched the two headlights with intense inter- est. | In the mean time the Express Freight was com- ing from the opposite direction, but the fireman who had been sent out with the redlight had got out toa distance, so there was but lit- tle danger of that train’s running into anything. with the two engines. e they came, now seeming very t 7h 7’ . ry ny v AK OOK S.co a6 oe