THE DEADLINE

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 278, 24 November 1938, Page 30

THE DEADLINE

By EDMUND E. PUGLEYS

Short Story

A lii along the Pa«s division men hoard it and winked. AN "hat! they scoffed. Krie Judson. that big unruly elephant, get married'/ Never! Why. there wasn't a woman living could control him! And as for Nurse (iilmore. the pretty little blonde, she'd have more sense than take on a job of double heading with a man like .llidson. Forget it! When they build that tunnel under Mount .MaeDonald, then we'll believe in anything. Hut. an the hot days of August closed down on the I'nss. |raiching everything, and they saw the name of Ktiginecr .llidson marked for leave of alienee dating from t he" I ."it h. the sceptics faltered. There wan no accounting for women, they conceded sadly. Maybe the impetuous young hogger heard some of the jilies. At least he strode into the master mechanic's office on the night of the 12th and marked himself oil' from that niimite. "You haven't changed the date of that wedding have you. .lud," the clerk grinned. "Nope." Krie drawled. ".Tust playing snfe. That next trip over the hump would put me jiist a mite too close to the deadline for comfort." .llidson struck off toward the station, inside. I!ed Bishcp was with Chris. Thompson, the agent. "Hello, dud." I!ed greeted, "What's this I hear about changing your wedding- plans?" Eric's mouth dropped. "News sure travels in this man's town. T only just booked off five minutes ago. Hut there ain't no change in the date, liovs. She's still set clear board for the loth." Risliee scratched a match and held it to his pipe. "How mine, then, that your bride's left town ahead of you?" The grin faded from Hudson's face. "What you mean—the bride's left town ?" "Why. Chris, here, he says .Tane—Miss Gilmore—came steaming down to the depot here just as 07 was pulling out [ to-night, and they had to stop again to

get lw*r aboard." "Don't lie to me. liovs!" he exclaimed. "I ain't taking any dirt about my future wife." "Honest. Erie, it's the truth," Thompson insisted. "Where <1 she go tot" "How should I know that?" Abruptly Judson stumbled into the night. In crises, men are variously affected. Many turn to the old brain muddler, Bacchus. But Judson had pledged himself to Jane against the habit that had threatened his job through the uncompromising attitude of the puritanical superintendent, Hugh Whiteley, toward the use of spirits bv employee*. And so Eric •truck off up the river in a stride that synchronised with the tumult in' his breast. Noonday found him hark in town. He made his decision. The jiromise he had given Jane could hold no longer. Neither could the threat of his job restrain him. For now he had interest in neither the girl nor the job. ~ Swinging around the end of a box car fie almost collided with the super. "Just the man I want to gee!" Whiteley boomed. The big hogsrerr - hesitated. Curiosity won and for ten minutes the <*ngineman sat staring while the official related some new and obviously fool plan to rush an entire' train of tea across Canada for the British market. "It's the first attempt, Judson, and the bead office is worrying about this division. If we don't do our part the whole scheme of making this a regular shipment from the Empress dock at Vancouver to the Atlantic will fall through. I told them not to worry. I'm depending on you to pull the first tea train over the Pass. You'll be back in plenty of time for your wedding." "Where's Jane?" The super sat up, staTtled. "I couldn't say." "You're not lying to me!" "Did I ever lie to you?" "You'd 'better not lie to me now, hoss," Judson growled, lunging for the door. "What about that tea train. . . .?" "To blazes with tea!" Judson roared. "Let them drink whisky if they're dry! That's what I'm gonna do right now." Act of fate. Perhaps it was fate relenting. Maybe Mrs. Whiteley delilierately planned this meeting. For no one knew better than this same wife of Super. Wbitelev. once known as "(Jueen Helen," of Kicking Horse, the bitterest than can lie thrust upon an undeserving human being by a mischievous act of fiite. When Judson left the station building, she called after trim, "Kric! Wait!" Mrs. Whiteley came up. "Give her a chance, l'.ric! You've pot to do that milch, if you're a iiuiii!'' Defiant eves met hers. "Maybe I ain't a man. But why should i give her (i chance?" ." He wheeled, but was after him. 'You're a coward. Kric!" she cried. "You're the one with the cold feet! You don t deserve a good girl. Yon won't trust her, not, even for a. dav!" If she didn t run away, whore is she?" "I wish I could tell you, Kric. But I'm sure she hasn't left 'you. She probably got a sudden call." "Why didn't she lea ve a message ?" "I can t answer that. Kric. But 1 want you to do this much for me. if not for her. I want you to wait till the day and . hour of your wedding. Ten o'clock of the I 1 -"itli isn't it? -And I'm sure .fane will get word to you from wlipr<*v<*r xhp i*. M The hi if hogger fumbled in his pocket, took out his pipe. Ho Irrouglit his eyes back from t*:e vallev toward the Pa-«s where .fane had disappeared to ask ■abruptly:

"How pome you're so busy in this little squabble. Helen? Didn't you have enough grief of your own?'' "That's 1 lie iinswer. Krii'. I want to save her- -ami you the suffering J went through iMfuu-e of misunderstanding." Me strode toward the super's office again, ignoring the weariness of liody so long denied r-!ee|> and rest. "I I take on that tea train job, lvoss," he -aid. "You've got more seiiM' tlian I thought you had.'' Wliitelev readied across hi.s table and flipped the leaves of a Itibit*. "'A faithful man shall abound with blessings.' " he read. " 'And whoso lindeth a wife, lindeth a good thing.' " He -hot a keen gaze at the engineer. "A good wife. .liid-on, is surely what you need." Krie grinind weakly. "You ought to know, mister. You've sure got a good one." W'hiteley's even wavereil and a flusli ~11 tl'M.-e, 1 liis bearded face. "A wise man will hear and increase learning. Judson. 1 nearly lost my wife once through failing to hear and to learn. Take heed, lest ve stumble, too." He leaned forward. "If you wish. I'll have tlie crew of !>7 questioned about Nurse (iilmore," he said, kindly. "No! She conies back of her own accord if she comes." The super turned abruptly to the task at hand. "You'll deadhead out on 97 today. then, to take the tea special at Rcvelstoke. And mind this- we want that train kept moving just as long as there's rails under her. That's orders from Montreal." Sprawled in a day coach opjwvute his fireman. Lein Kingston. Krie dozed fitfii 11 v that night as he deadheaded over the Pass. Do/.ed and dreamed. He was peeing ahead of him a line —the deadline for the return of Jane, his promised wife. Once he sat up to stare out into the night. He saw a lantern wave from a cabin door. He saw the figure of Ton^

Lacasi outlined against the lamp, his crippled boy. Yostra, in his arms. He looked again and saw. or thought he saw, another face. But peered in vain. With a heavy sigh he leaned back. He'd better be getting some sleep or his deadline stuff would drive him dippy. Dusk was settling next evening when the new hot-sliot tea train swung around the base of Mount Mac Donald and headed up the Pass. .Tildson checked his gauge again and glanced at the sweating figure of Lem. He leaned out to draw his lungs full of cool latitude air. There was a decided acridity that seemed to thicken with every yard. He beckoned Kingston. "Do you take sugar with your tea, I/ 1 m ?" "When I can get it. Why?" "Well, this tea is headed for a hot old stewing luefore thein Englishmen get it. Smell it?" The fireman leaned out. "Bush fires, eh ?" Judson studied the sky. "If I don't msa my guess, tallowpot. it's in the loop right now! Keep that needle up against the pin, lad. We're going through." Eric leaned to look back at the pusher. He yanked two short blasts on his whistle. From behind twenty dull red cars came two in response. The smoke wa-s in plain evidence now against the headlamp. The air grew stifling. The sky was a red halo. They sung around the long curve. And there it burst upon them! The whole narrow valley was a blazing inferno. Kingston came over. "We'll never make it!" .Tndson gripped the throttle. He whooped into the ear of his fireman. "Oil. they're wantln' tea in Ixindon, lad! Tlie.v want It without fall. So we'll give tliem tea In lyondon, lad, If we stand on the rail." "Whoopee! How's that for a song. Lcm ? Stoke her up! We're riding through hell any minute now, and you'll have to keep her moving or we're cooked." Kingston turned back to his shovel, muttering. The grin left Judson's face. Burning embers commenced to drop around them. He beckoned to the whitefaced lad on the fireman's seat. Tiding one of 'his first trips as brakeman. "Take your time, son and climb out on top. Tf you see any of those brands drop on the cars, kick them off." The boy forced, a grin and climbed out. Doomed to Ashes. They ponnded on. Past a half mile of snow sheds, doomed to ashes within an hour. Over a dry gully trestle soon to buckle when the timlier burned. Past the place where Tony Lacasi's little cabin should be. But they couldn't see it now through tlie dense smoke. Tt wasn't a very choice place for a human lieilng to i>e living right now. Kric mused. Poor little Tony sure had a tough life. First his wife died, then tlie little fellow. Yosti-n. getting his foot frozen till they bad to take it off. And hot a child to play with except the once or twice a year be got up to tlie Pass or down to Revelstoke. Tough place for a child, all right. Eight months or longer of snow and now. just in the middle of summer canies this fire to make hrs life miserable. Euckv the cabin was down there in the clearing where the fire couldn't reach it. The smoke and heat grew worse. Breathing was an agony. He closed his window. The young -brakeman came crawling in from tlie top. coughing and' choking. face like the smoke. "I couldn't stand it! - ' he gasped. Judson grinned. "O.K. Get that hose and soak us all down." The sturdy little engine gave a convulsive jerk, then surged forward again. A shower of sparks enveloped the cab

windows. The three men stood rigid, waiting. But t lie 344 was plugging along. And then, aliove the .Tudson caught a shrill whittle. The pusher was calling for a stop. There was a decided retard in their progress. The pusher had shut off. Judson's fsicc set. Hp shot one swift glance through the front glass and saw nothing hut a smudgy red glow. Back behind it was the same. His right hand reached for the whistle cord to give his a newer. It was two blasts. The tea train was going through, if he could take her! "So we'll give them tea ill London, lads, if we stay on the rails." Hi* big voice boomed through the cab, endiiig with a wheezing cough. "Choke, you big ape!" jilted Kingston. "You'll get worse than this lie fore old Nick gets through with you for this night's work!'' Kingston's muscular 1 m mlv was drained of all moisture now. His skill was as hot ashes. It was a man's job to keep steam over the l'as-s under normal conditions. When heat scorched his skin, and burning smoke seared hi.s lungs it was no man's place. It was a job for one of Satan's imps. But the husky tallowpot had ridden into (he gates of glory liefore with this wild hogger. and he would ride with him now. and again if they got through, curse him though he might. For you couldn't head into a crisis with Judson thinking of self or danger. The speed was steady again. The pusher was working steam. But out of the caldron behind crawled a blearyeyed figure. In due time they identified it as the skipper. Sam McCall. "Von gone daft. .Tudson?" he wheezed. "You'll run us straight to blazes." "Got a through order. Sam." Eric drawled, lietween coughs. "He!! bath no fury for Hugh." "But. you . . ." the skipjier broke off, coughing. "But my order—the one you made me «ign, Sam, says so long as we've got rails we're to keep rolling. Better quit trying . . . talk. . . . Lie down. . . . Ought to lie through . . . soon. Cover mouth .... l"se hose. . . .* Judson was alone at his handles. He might 'have sprawled on the hot decks with the others, but he peeled off his ehirt and soaked it with water, wrapping it alniut his head.

He felt the engine swerve into a curve. Then tlie hollow roar of a trestle. They lvad traversed one eide of the loop. He shot o|ien the window and peered l>cneath the wheels. The timbers were blazing here and thefp. He jerked back the window, waiting tense. Then another curve. They were over the tr<>stle. commencing the long climb that doubled hack the opposite side of the valley. This was the hardest pull of the hill. He peered liehind. but the snake brown of his train was engulfed in the crimson cloud of smoke beyond the first car. He turned Imck and caught a momentary glimpse of a yellow light beside his engine. Throwing ojien his window he saw a track walker's lantern fade into the smoke. But the figure silhouetted . against the lamp was unmistakable. It was Tony. Little Tony fjicasi. Judson sighed with relief. With Tony out here things must be. better up above, he'd have flagged' them. Minutes dragged to seeming hours. Kingston got up to toss in coal and then drop to the deck again after splashing water freely from the hose. Judson's eyes were swollen now. His lungs felt ready to burst. He laid his head, on the ledge and buried his face in the wet dliirt. Maybe he slept. Or maybe it was just his liazv smoke-crazed thoughts tumbling a Unit for air. But suddenly he was thinking of a deadline again. Of a morning, fresh but void.

He jerked up. The air was clearer. They had definitely ran out of the fire. But down in the timbered valley lying between the two long steel lines of the Loop it was still roaring like the end of time. And then, as he stared down, he caught a clear view of a cabin. It was setting apart in a clearing. And the roof was blazing merrily. Jndson rublied his eyes with the moist rag. There was no mistake. Tony's cabin was afire. And little onelegged Vostra was trapped in there alone! ■Judson acted then, as he always acted under fire. With one leap he had Kingston on the driver's seat. "Take her in. I'm going down for Tony's child!" Then he was gone. Blazing Timber. Down the steep slope he leaped to plunge through the fringe of blazing timber with arms covering his face. Then across the clearing to kick open the rabin door. "Vostra!" he called hoarsely. "Where are you ?" A voice, muffled, and more like a woman's, replied from a corner. "Who is it?" "Get out of here! Ain't you got no sense? Wimni burn up? (Jet outi Where's the Ik>v?" Hp groped towards the corner. Something bumped him. He gripped it. "Eric!" Came the hoarse gasp at his side. "You—here? Oh, thank God!" He stumbled with the woman to the doorway, murmuring her name. "Jane! You, down here! I don't get it. ... I came for the boy! What are you doing here ?" "I came to nurse little Vostra, like T s-'iid. He has the mensles. And now I couldn't go and leave him." "But why—why didn't you let me know?" This question infinitely more vital, more burning than the inferno around them. "You mean—you didn't get my message by Conductor Jim Waters? I gave it to him on the train to wire back. I hadn't time to write it at 'home. The roadmaster sent a- sectionman over just ten minutes before the train was due out." A tree crashed. From over their heads came a sharp crackle of burning wood; whimper of a child from the dim corner. "The boy!" he yelled. "Roll him in his blankets. The roof's coming in!" She lifted the bundle into his arms and pushed him toward the door. Together they ran. Behind them came the crash of falling logs. It was the roof of Tony's cabin. They found them huddled about a spring a mile up the track, when Hugh Whiteley came down with the light ptisher engine to search. They groped on down and picked up the incoherent track walker, babbling of his little Vostra, his leetle haba.

Back lip at the Pass station the sun was tinting the glacial peaks with the herald of a new day. Eric Jiidson came from the office, a yellow slip in his hand, a queer grin on his swoollen, scared--face.

"It's your message by Jim Waters," he chuckled. Then lie' added. "I just sent word to Mrs. Whiteley. Shell be glad to know—about, well, \js." Super Hugh Whiteley eame along. "Sorry I can't go down for the wedding. Too much work yonder. But I'm proud of your night's work, Judson" "I'm sort of proud of it myself, boss," Eric grinned. "You see I found that thing you were telling me about." "What was that .... I don't remember."

"Why. you read it right from your Bible. "Whoever finds himself a wife, finds a good thing.'"