Bert Wilson's Twin Cylinder Racer

away Lo

op her. She's

that rang high above the murmur o

hasty farewells arose from a bevy of girls and the young men who had assembled to see them off. The conductor, watch in hand, stood ready to give the signal, and the black porters were already gathering up the folding steps preparatory to boarding the trai

ection of his look, they saw what had occasioned the wil

off, or that some sudden jar had started the mechanism. Even while the frightened spectators watched as though under a spell, the pace grew swifter. Some of the men lounging about the roundhouse made a hurried rush for it, with a faint hope of getting aboard and shutting

nd tore his hair in desperation. For

hand rested on the handle-bars of a motorcycle at which he glanced at intervals with a look of pride that was almost affection. It was a superb mac

with sudden purpose. At a glance he took in the situation-the running men, the panic cries, the ru

d. "Do something. Telegr

benumbed his faculties. He was clear

's a single track," he wailed, "and No. 56 is due in twenty minutes.

d him into the office. "There's the key. Get busy. C

e key, he thrust him aside and took his place. He was an expert telegraph

he called. "Stop 56 and

er came in sharp, staccato clicks that betra

alf a mile away. Making up time, to

ould be done? Death was at the throttle o

nger threatened. He thought with the rapidity of lightning. Then he clutched the s

ween here and Corridon

man. "That is, there is one a

om. He ploughed through the huddled group of passengers and trainmen, and flung himself into the saddle of the waiting motorcycle. A roar as he

d low over the fork so that his body might offer as little resistance as

ays, he had gone over them again and again. Now, as in a panorama, he saw every turn and bend, every height and hollow of t

ty, and a side track had been laid by the railroad company in order to load the stone more easily. But of late it had proved unprofitable to work the quarry, and nothing now remained but the abandoned shacks of the

e had to make quite a wide detour before he again came close to the right of way. The switch at the quarry was seven miles from the town, and, though he hoped to ma

d almost always filled to capacity-coming toward him without a thought of danger. Some would be reading, others gazing out of the windows, still others laughing and talking. But everywhere would

nts. He had seen a wreck once and had fervently prayed that he might never see another. And as that scene n

look out for his personal safety. He had to take chances. His siren warned all comers to give him the road. A team was hauled up on its haunches by the frightened driver; an automobile drew so hastily to

th all steam up on its mission of destruction. Steadily the rider drew up on even terms, with less than twenty feet

e switch might prove rusty and refuse to work. Some part of it might be out of gear. For years it had been utterly abandoned. What a bitter je

on this stretch of road, supposed to be clear, she would make up time. If she reached and passed the switch before the runaway, no power on earth could prevent

e was increasing his lead. And then as he swept around a slight curve in the road, the abandoned quarry

falling headlong from the momentum, although he had turned off t

moved two-thirds of the way it balked, and, despite his frenzied attempts, refused to budge another inch. And now the runaway engine was

stone. He worked as if in a nightmare. Fifty feet away, the Mogul was bearing down like a fire-breathing demon. With one swift movement he threw the stone aside; with the next he bowed his back over the lever until it felt as though it would

he wall of the quarry. There was a crash that could be heard for miles, and the wrecked locomo

t came gliding back to the switch. The engineer and fireman sprang from their cab

e had undertaken, he was beginning to feel the reaction. He responded briefly and modestly to the questions that were showered upon him, and, as the full meaning of their narrow escape from death burst up

it possible;" and he patted the handlebars of the m

le to do with it. We'll never forget what you have done for us to-day. But now we must

and No. 56 had resumed

e platform as the great train, puffing and snorting, came into the

d for the wrecking crew, and all the doctors in town have been cal

ng train for that, all right, but you can call off the doctors. We would have needed plenty of them-an

ied to pour out his thanks. But just then a flying wedge of college boys came th

enthusiastic lookers on took up the shout and it was a long time before Ber

," he protested. "It wa

om Henderson, "but

worker," add

ce. The answer came in a tempest of cheers, and, as the train pulled out

a jolly go

obody c