THE IRON HORSE

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12356, 28 January 1926, Page 10

THE IRON HORSE

A Romance of Last and West

The “Times" has secured thech has been novelised by Edwin C. romance, “The Iron Horse,” * whi exclusive rights to the stirring Hill, from William Fox’s picture romance of that name.

CHAPTER XXVlll.—Continued^ At sunrise they sprang to action, a vast ■human, machine drilled to the last detail. Union Pacific witnesses came crowding *n from Ogden on special trains, Casement, Marsh, and their assistants and aides. Leland Stanford, President of the Central, had come out from California to ce a spectator. Thousands of uproarious partisans thronged end of track and moved forward in a vast gallery as Crockers machine gathered headway and thundered eastward. ~ __ , At exactly 7 o’clock, astride a. big black hoarse, Crocker flung up Uis arm, and the hearse command “Go l’ went echoing back along the line. Instantly the clang and crash of stupendous effort shook t \e air. Ties hod been laid far ahead—it was the rail-laying which every possible detail of preparation which human exnerience and ingenuity # could think of had been attended to in advance. ' . . Five long trains, piled high with rails, 1 bolts and spikes, lay upon the mam track, unloading from the rearmost forward. dumping the material upon wagons which struggled ahead to shift their burdens to the waiting iron trucks. As. these rail trucks slid forward, picked rail carriers, working two by two, seized a rail and slammed it down upon the ties. Adjustment followed, a man to each spike and bolt. Up came the marching columns of Chinese, with picks and shovels, ballasting the road bed, keeping perfect pace with the' rail-men. As fast as one iron truck was emntied, the Chinese tipped it off the track, clearing the way for another truckload of rails. Always the long line of supply trains crawled forward, feeding the wagons and the trucks. Casement his £ace a study between vexation over Crocker’s guile and admiration for a heroic achievement, .held his watch on the rail-layer. He timed the march at one hundred and forty-four feet a minute, a pair of rails downed, spiked and bolted every twelve seconds. Almost as fast as the men could shuffle forward the track moved ahead. The Chinese, dripping .with sweat, could not «tand the pace and relieved each other, in gangs, but the rail of eight picked men faltered not one instant. Over them raged Pat Casey, living the proudest hour of his life, selected by Crocker himself to direct the job on which success must depend. His gang \v. i -Irish almost to a man, six-footers, hardened by years of toil on the road, giants of rare nerve and strength, men who would drop in their tracks before surrendering to the terrible exhaustion, of their super-human task. Eight men sent the rails ahead with the unflagging, powerful rhythm of the 6teel shaft of a Bteam engine. Shay and Kennedy, and Sullivan and Joyce, and Dailey and .Wyatt 'and Killeen . and McNamara, were' the names of that unconquerable crew. Trotting at their side, bright eyes watchful, to see that every rail came forward ih perfect time, that every spike s and bolt was in its exact place, ready for the swift-clutching fingers and the poised sledges; ready to spring into the breach if a single giant of the eight stumbled, Casey raised the song of the road, the anthem of its advance: “Drill, my paddies, drill 1 / Drill, ye tarriers, drill? Oh, it's wAk all day, No sugar in her tay— Workin’ on th’ Cay Pay !’* At half-past one, the union Pacific witnesses were a«bst ready- to admit defeat, foe the impossible advance had gone forward without a ekip or a breaK, as fast as the men could walk. While five thousand men itere bolting their*

noon meal, Casement congratulated Crocker, but with a twinkle in his eye. “You black fox!” he jibed. “You've left me no ground to fight back on, you and your damned Irish!” “Wire Durant that I’ll be waiting for his ten thousand,” said Crocker. “These boys are going to divide it.” At half-past two the machine thundered into action again, taking up their terrible toil as as in the early morning. At seven, when the sun was dropping behind the horizon, the job was finished, the ten miles and six hundred yards for good measure. A tremendous cheer went up when Casey and his paddies threw down their sledges and stretched their stiffened limbs. Back of them came the blasting shrieks of the locomotives of the triumphant road, a crow- which was acknowledged and responded to by the nearest Union Pacific engines, miles to the south.

They had wassail that night in the Central camp, riotously celebrating the achievement and the princely generosity of the exultant Crocker. Davy, conscious of a great let-down in spirit now that the supreme task was ended, went to the chief’s car. and found Marsh and General Casement and other Union Pacific' officers enjoying the hospitality of Governor Stanford and Crocker. Over their champagne, which was flowing in fountains, they were arranging the terms of the truce which was finally cemented by treaty—Ogden to be the junction of, traffic; the Central, in return for the' disputed mileage, to assume all costs into the city. “We will complete our track to-pro-montory to-morrow,” said Crocker, ‘and Casement nodded agreement.. “We will iom track and drive the last spike next Monday, May 10th.” , Brandon had a few wards with Marsh es the party broke up. Miriam had not accompanied her father, but had re-' mained in Ogden. Marsh told Davy that the town was gay with visitors from the East, notables determined to witness the ceremony of the wedding of the rails.

“Many of our old friends in New York will be'present,” said Marsh. “Specials are out on the line now. We are holding up the union of tracks until these visitors have time to arrive. Those that are already in Ogden are hating a lively time with dinners and dances. It’s pleasant for Miriam after her long absence from such things. Some of her old admirers are on hand, Davy, thick as bees around a honey-pot.” His eyes twinkled. “Marsh, I have been an awfql fool,” saichDavy. “But'l have had my lesson. Yoii can*t guess what I have gone through- 1 -how hard it has been. I could throw myself at Miriam’s feet and kiss the dust from her slippers!” “Well, Davy, you certainly have my permission to try it,” smiled Marsh. “I think both of you were hasty, hot-tem-pered, unwilling to give way. Young folks are apt to be that way. Will you be coming into Ogden before Monday??” “No,” said Davy. “I’d like to fly there this minute, but it can’t be done: Crocker needs ine. . ' There’s a lot of up to be done before the big day. “She refused him,” said Marsh, after a tantalising pause. “Told me the was tom gentle, too easy-going, to suit her. She said she liked the bold kind, the reckless kind. Didn't want any tame cats around her.” (To be continued.)