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> - Waa Ro man there.’
mers
of ef best man on earth,
ginter bad been long on the road and al-
w
an accident, yet, on my word I dread it to
_ &ine on the road, stood breathing and whis-
‘Old ‘Ninety Four,
THE boy— ENGINEER'S’ PRIDE.
: By P. T. RAYMO:
CHAPTER I.
THE OLD ENGINEER'S WARNING.
“It's going to be a foggy night,” said old
jason puller, the veteran engineer of the
Li Express, the fastest train between
the Western’ citles of Sterling and White
wiixe. “Do ye know it’s a mighty slippery
neace beye ond, ‘black Divide, and though I’ve
Leen over it hundreds of times and never
I ‘are @ queer feeling that some-
ng will hi
“This startling declaration was made to
ce tonel Chipman, the president of the S. &
road, who stood on the station plat-
fone beside the old engineer.
Old Ninety-Four, the truest and best en-
rering on the track beside‘the two men.
Jasoh Fuller and his fnsine were by- words
,en the line. Their fame was *
“ang enduring as the hills about.
i The young firem:
éishteen, though muscular ‘and eiltul, was
fi the cab waiting for his veteran mate.
its name was Oliver Smart ana he was the
youngest employee on the ri
rou ‘startle me, ason!”” exclaimed
Colonel Chipman. “But I trust your fears
are groundless.”
“Ob, no doubt they are,” declared the
eer. “But I can tell you, driving an
ess train sixty miles an hour through
3 is no joke. There are phantoms and
ows ahead enough to ruin the nerves
Ina fog, You can
.o%-¥ So it blind and trust to luck.
Well, it must require nerve.” .
“T& you don't think so, fust try it once.
You ‘see, the least™shadow in front may
maa a human life. Once I thought I-saw
the broadside of a house dead ahead and
iefoze I could realize what I was doing I
revessel the lever, closed the throttle and
# airbrakes. But it would have been
2 9, late, even if there had been a house
teks which there was not.”
was always full of reminiscences.
fiz ejected his quid of tobacco and con-
tinued:
s “Queer things happen to an engineer.
Sto between the rails as plain as could
he, -When the machine struck him I could
jivar the dull crunch and the slight shock.
1 stopped and we ran back four miles to
look for him. Not.a trace of him could be
found, What do you think of that?”
“Perhaps he was thrown to a great dis-
tance,”
“Pshaw! There'd been some trace of him
h4t. No, sir, it was all in my eye. There
hb!” eéjaculated Colonel Chipman.
33ch a thing would give me delirium tre-
You-engineers must be men of
e
“Irs one-half luck,” declared Jason, posi-
Webs “Engineers are mostly fatalists.
w I am sure I shall know to a certainty
* hen my last trip will be made before I
Hart’ o
M erey!” exclaimed the colonel. “You
not foretelling it to-night, I hope? Look
ason, your nerves are unstrung.
Hon't go down the line to-night.”
“haw!” declared the old engineer.
That's all right. Ivouldn’t miss it. As
“cr the train, don’t mind that. I’ve a part-
in the cab who can run Old Ninety-Four
“as true as I ean, and he is not twenty
yeers old yet.”
“Look here, Jason! You're not in good
spirita. Let Oliver run the train tonight.
You are poe -eyed, man. Take a night
o2 and Stee
Just at this moment a gong struck in the
station. It was the starting signa!
In un instant old Jason put a foot on the
cab step. He emitted a discordant laugh.
“Cood-by, colonel!” he cried, with a wave
his hand. “If I don’t get through this
ve all right just look after Mary. See
at ehe gets my insurance.”
Cclonel Chipman made a move forward
if to detain the old engineer. His face
w white and startled. But he checked
“hirrcelf ag he remembered that the old en-
ert
2
move him now
ngs.
The! train rolled ou of the station and
funzged into the fog . The president
of the read stood long on "the platform look-
ing ito the mist as if he would recall the
But he finally shrugged his shoul-
s faithful and to
» the wounding of his feelin
Ugh!" he ejaculated. “I believe Jason
has teen in the harness too long. His
nerved are becoming affected. I will try
and induce him te retire on a pension. If
i stays at his post much longer I fear
there §vill be an aeciden
nwhile the night express went thun-
down through the f
Jeeon ast in the tab window with
on the throttle and hi s raceed
2
p:
et cual tate the 4
run toa high |
seribed on page 16.
“Happy Days”
To the 50 Readers who send us the greatest num-
ber of these Coupons cut from ‘Happy Days,” between
the numbers 273 and 284, inclusive, we will send to
each a SOLID GOLD FILLED WATCH as de-
Do not send us any Coupons until we notify you
in No. 284 of “Happy Days.”
Full Directions are printed on Page 16.
Gift Coupon
mark. was a fast run from Sterling to
White Lake and the stretch of one hun-
dred miles ree done in Jess than two hours,
as a usual thin:
There were Ba t three stops. The rest
was swift driving over long grades, around
great curves, through a quarter- “mile tun-
nel and over many bridges
hi W. L. was a double track road,
so that there was little danger of one train
meeting another.
But there were plenty of other chances
for disaster. It was a wild, rough mining
country and sometimes trains were held
up by road agents and many lawless acts
were to be feared.
Every engine carried firearms in the
eab. But through all his long service old
Jason lad seldom found occasion to use
them. Once he had beaten off a gang of
thieves and saved his train by backing
away from an obstruction.
But on a foggy night like the present,
were the road barricaded, there would be
little chance for the poor engineer. Were
a signal wrong or a switch carelessly left
open there coul be but one resul
How thick the mist was!
The headlight made not the slightest im-
pression upon it. Nothing could be seen
ten. feet ahead of the engi
Old Ninety-Four fled through the
wall ‘ot mist like a mad race horse. She
topped the grades and swung the curves
as cleverly as ever. But a master hand was
at her throttle and a veteran was guiding
er.
Yet, when the boy fireman once glanced
up at old Jasun’s face he gave a start of
fright.
The old engineer's eyes were wild and
staring, Lis lips were wreathed in a curious,
demoniac smile. The expression of his face
“the boy fireman, was
sharp, smart lad. He knew instantly that
something was wrong with his mate. And
it was true. Old Jason had taken one trip
too biany for his nerves.
“Why, Mr. Fuller,” cried Oliver, as he
placed a hand the engineer's arin.
“What is the matter? Are you ill?
The touch and the voice brought the ene
gineer out of what had seemed to he
super
he effect upon him was thrilling.
with a sudden, convulsive gasp he turned
and fixed his gaze upon the young fireman.
One look was enough to freeze Oliver's
blood. He was astute enough to read the
truth. The light of reason had fled from
Jason Fuller’s eyes. -
He was stark mad!
A maniac had his hand on the throttle
of the lightning express. A being swayed
the caprices and whimsicalities of a
disordered brain had in his power the
lives of two hundred human beings.
mood might seize him to dash all
into eternity; to push on at such speed as
would derail the train. It was possible for
him to do any one of a hundred horrible
deeds. .
And the crisis came when he heard Oli-
ver’s voice and felt his touch.
He turned his head and looked at the
lad in a blank way. Then his eyes began
to dance.
A rrible, insane laugh eseaped him.
His teeth chatter
“We're going Tight through, Ollie,” he
cried. “We'll soon be in paradise. See?
There the road winds up through the hills
into the valley of light beyond. -ha-ha!
See that red devil grinning on the track
ahead there? Ill put on more steam and
cut him two. Ho-hi! Hip-hurrah!
There he goes! I’ve smashed him.
With frenzy the mad engineer forced the
throttle wide open. They were going down
a frightful grade. Dull lights flashed in
the fog. There was the clickety-click of
switches and frogs and Ollie knew that they
were {unning past a station,
no danger whistle had been given.
The hoy
Heh was open? Whe t ita
ris out ty wern them that the
wos not clear?
Ollie knew that it was no use to try and
reason with the madman. But in that
awful moment the boy fireman taxed his
mental resources for a plan. He tried a
stratagem.
e had heard that insane people could
be lea by such means. But they could not
be driven. Ollie’s ingenuity came to the
front.
He leaned over and said in a tense voice:
“Why not stop and see if we can’t find
the pieces of that red devil. Maybe we
didn’t kill him.
The point was won.. The madman’s gaze
wavered, he half ‘turned in his seat and
then eri ried:
“Aye! That's the idea! Close the throt-
tle. We’ 1 go pack and pick him up. Ha-
ha-ha! I cut him right in two!”
With feverish haste he leaped from his
seat and scrambled up on the coal in the
tender. It was Ollie’s chance.
He instantly closed the throttle and set
the air brakes. The whistle shrieked for
danger, shrill and fierce.
With sharp jolts and jerks the train be-
gan to slacken speed. n from the ten-
der rushed the maniac, Onis eyes blazing
with fury.
“The red devil will catch us!” -he
Shriexed. “Open the throttle. We must
put on all speed, Faster, faster, I say!
Don’t you see hint? He is coming over the
tender after me. Hi-hi! .
Oliver Small, the hoy engineer, knew
that the crisis had come, He was face to
face with a ma . He must stop him.
ue must not be allow ed to get at the throt-
tere stepped in front of the mad engineer
and in a pacifle manner tried to stay him.
It was like pouring oil on a fire. With a
fierce, murderous yell the maniac engineer
sprang upon him.
CHAPTER II.
THE YOUNG ENGINEER.
Never in his life had Guver Small faced
such peril and such odd. The strength
of the maniac was far greater than his.
But he closed with him resolutely and
bravely. Then followed an awful struggle,
It all seemed afterward like a horrible
nightmare.to Ollie. The hissing of the
steam, the grinding of the tires on the
rails, the sharp, jolting and jerking of the
tain as it slackened speed; all was per-
fectly clear to his abnormally acute senses
in that exciting mom
He saw the steam, “tial and the ¢hro-
nometer, and then the bla¢k background
of the fog beyond the tender rail as he
swung about in his deadly wrestle.
Ollie was a child in the grip of the mad
engineer, who lifted and swayed him like
@ puppet. But the brave young fireman
clung to him like a panther,
And he gained his point. He kept him
from the throttle, but in the struggle, both
swayed too near the cab door and the next
moment, with a horrid shriek, they went
hurtling out into the darkness
Ollie remembered turning over and over
and then receiving the shock of a fall into
fying sand. His hold on the en-
gineer was broken and fora brief spell he
was senseles:
But only tor a moment.
denly, and, like a flash, a comprehension
of the whole affair came to him. He was
unhurt and scrambled to his feet.
Sand filled his ears, eyes and nostrils,
but otherwise he was at no discomfort.
The lights of the train, which had come
to a standstill, shone dimly through the
fog not far awa:
Voices were heard raised excitedly and
lanterns were flashing. Ollie shouted with
all his might. Then down the bank came
the train hands and a score of the pas-
senger:
“AVhy. , What has happened to you, Ollie?”
crigd the, conductor, Frank Hughes. “Where
breath. -
he replied.
“You don't
mean it, Ollie? Bring more lights, boys,
Tell us about it.” vad,
Then, briefly and without any embellish.
ing of his personal action in the affair,
Ollie told the si Sy,
The result was that he became instantly |} ~
a hero in the eyes o:
ow) cried an of the passengers, |*)) s»
as a millionaire and in. ‘4
fiuential man in White Lake, “y
performed a heroic feat.
the lives of fully two hundred people.”
“He is a hero and shall have his reward,” ‘
“But before going further
let_us find the engineer.”
@ unconscious. form of the engineer
was found in the sandbank near.
He was bruised and bleeding, but not
seriously injured. “He was carried aboard
the baggage car, where he speedily came .
“Insane?” gasped Hughes.
* ana then it became necessary to bind
him hand and foot, so violent was he. Ollie
meantime had gone back to the cab.
Old Ninety-Four had been brought toa
stop just at the head of the most danger-
ous curve on the line. At the fearful speed
she had been going there was no doubt
she would have left the rails. .
will not dwell upon the encomiums
profusely heaped upon the young fireman
y the passengers, One of the brakemen
vent on as’ fireman and Ollie became en-
gineer. The ambition of his youthful soul
was realized,
the constant driver of Old Ninety-Four, his
pet and prid
Ollie took the express safely -down to
White Lake and also~back to Sterling the
next mornin;
The telegraph had carried the news of
his heroism all along the line and a great
crowd was at the depot when the express’
rolled in.
The first to greet him was Colonel Chip-
man, who leaped into the
“Ollie; ” he cried, Yapturously, “the whole
country is ablaze over you. I tell you, you
have done a great thin,
“I only did my duty,”
gineer, ‘modestly.
u’re a hero, I tell you.
ce.”
Colonel Chipman had hard work to force
a way through the cheering crowd. Once
in the office he turned and faced the brave
young engineer.
“Besides saving all those lives, Ollie,” he
declared earnestly, “you have done me a
great favor. What do you want? Name
your dearest desire?”
Ollie stood irresolute and abashed.
“I—I ask nothing,” he said, but with sud-
den thought continued; “unless I may be
allowed to run Ninety- Four,”
“Is that all?” cried the president. “Well,
ou may be sure that so long as you desire,
nobody else shall ever run that locomotive.
She is yours.”
‘ET can ask one more,” said Ollie, moving
toward the d
But before fe ‘reached it a pleasing thing
happened. There was a rustle of silk skirts
and a faint realization of what was com-
ing dawned upon the boy engineer. From !
a corner of the room where she had sat |
unobserved a young girl, sweet-faced and
charming, came forwar
“Wait a moment, Oliver. Allow me to j
congratulate you.” or
\
|
said the boy en-
Come to the
“ e@—Miss Chipman, ”” stammered
Ollie, ‘With red fact
“Not Miss Chipman to you. Call me !
Bessié just as you used to when we were
He came to sud- |
schoolmates.
Bessie Chipman, the daughter of the
president, smiled and held out her hand.
Ollie took it like one in a dream. To him
Bessie Chipman was a creature hardly of
earth.
“I think you did a very brave thing, gy
Ollie,” said Bessie, pankly. ao could have
expected nothing less of y,
“I tried to do my duty” ‘stammered Oli-
ver, “I thank you very much. You are
both very kind.
“There, there, my lad,” said the bluff-
colonel in his most genial fashion. “You
deserve it all. I shall keep an eye on
Be sure youll qever need a friend while [
live. By the way, how is your sister? I
hear that you “wre thinking of having her
visit ,® specialist on blindness in New
yeroh, yes,” cried Ollie, eagerly.
sure to do that now with engineer’s pay.” +
‘hat you will, my lad, and if you wish
to send her right away, I will advance you
the money,” said the colonel.
=*No, no; that will not be necessary,” re t
plied Ollie, quickly, “I thank you for the
kind offer. But Lucy is not yet strong
enough. It will be months yet.”
“I shall call on your sister Lucy very
soon,” said Bessie, warmly. “I am sure
ske must be a good sister.”
Oliver’s bosom swelled. Mis eyes held a
strange light as he replied:
“She is very dear to me, for she is the
only relative I have on earth. If I can
restore the precious gift of sight to her I
shall be the happiest person in the world.”
* Colonel Chipman and Bessie for a mo-
ment were unable to speak. The young girl
looked warmly at the boy engineer and
Colonel Chipman coughed slightly and
finally said:
“Ollie, you. shave my best wishes for suc. .°
for he was henceforth to“be Ah
cen