Without Permission.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVI, Issue 9, 30 August 1911, Page 42

Without Permission.

*4 Thrilling Rauway Rid? Through Rlazing Forests.

By

JOHN MACKIE.

SHAY. the foivinaii «i the little Northern Quebec “round-house.’* or repairing *h» 4 as they might call it here, was very angry, indeed, for .lack Hayno. whom he had advanced from an <ed.narv section labourer to a pu-ition of '<*:!»»■ little r» <pon-il ility on the thirty nile branch _ •• self as to answer him back. “I tell yon." said the rate ( i..v. ‘if you hadna’ been a tool yo.i wouldna’ hav< allowed that Y« "take away our only s« md spare engine on to the main lim without my written authority." “He said hi had peri i"si ■ oni the assi-t.int-mana<p r of the main line at La Tuque" explained Haynes. - ilkily. He had a r< ady express d regret foi hay ing allowed th* smart American to steal a march on him. but Gray did m t seem inclined to let the matter drop. "But where wa* his writ • ; order':*’ persisted th* b«"Th- teLgraph clerk says he got nae woid I \ wire. It’s a quec r thing I ‘anna* g« a v i for half an hour with-mt finding everything gone wrong when I b <-k. I Tina’ tnink xou’d -.1 . a 'impl-ton I ■' - willing te .< ln.it I <i ’ _ •] t iking that ftlh-w’s u : I f. i- ; L.it I didn’t t a s su;h a fool as t e guilt was - ■ • met him i - foie . a. i- :a ■ \ r ’ lt .urs cider.” “< ,: i. it’s not man wlm t«w.k the < - _■ • Who allowe.l him ’.** tak* it. s ■’ iicago. ' ■ ’ ■ - eng a i that thing an ! !:*< only It’s liahh - ’ I've be«-n tinkering it up a hit. It’s all right. getting u sent i - - r* •r.iin d.” “Ami in the name -T a” that’s vonlei that’s ■ ? You ’ ’ - - and. T-i- k and s’m.v- ' woik. an*’ • E.i-y. Mr. (Hay. I . mure to ~iv I I as you d I’ll ’ t ■ di i\e mi.- -I’ve d<>m :■ ,it .’■tn t I’ll take one t-- pi* and—*‘l.o< k here, niv man. I’ve had quite f saving ! - a b*gg i m and Well. s.iy. I've got there, ami have ■ a limit.” A u y s ... “and that limit > night. Do »” * V. day night. Con-:<ler y**ur*i if relieve ! from duty now. Y<»u’v» got too big f<*r i i- foreman stoped ; ii tiv. He had V■ •*♦••! the tpii k fLi-h of anger in his .rdinate’s fa e. the forward -top and the 'pa-niodi. *wrhing- of the lithe, sinew \ limbs. In another moment Hiyn»- had regained control of himself, an I. turning a* ruptl\ on bis heel. walked off. Fur the moment Gra\ felt impelled nation after him. but the d-ht of the q i! k!v retreating figur* -ojh»4hiw mollified the mer.uri.il ( eb’- <.»itraged sen*e of dignitv. He .d*«erved angrily: — “< < iifoiind the fellow for a t<»u hv f« *•!, and he’s ~ne of the mo-t willing - | under m* !’’ Then, after a pause, and lapsing into bi- native Doric : “Ou av, •nd I suppose he’ll be wanting tn go on S.ituniay. I’m thinking I'll ju«t tak* • wee bit walk to the Fewer Mile Glen tn compose my«el’. I’d gi’e something to be able to wring the nevk o’ that Chi-

cago engine-driver the noo. for hc\ the man that has made a' the trouble. And I in no' quite sure but that 1 like that ehiel Haynes although he's an awin' firebrand.*’ Evidently deep in thought Mr. Gray the railway track, then striking a trail that led up the wooded vallev heading mirth-east, he strode off briskly. Hayiies walked a mile or so westward along the railway tra k in no enviable frame <*r mind. Gradually the spirit of indignari< n and anger against the moss subsided. The choleric. Mr. Gray’s referm e to him as a tirebrand struck him as funny. He was obliged to laugh. Like his superior and many more under • ircumstam .s. he gave vent to his feelings by addressing an imaginary audience: — < nfound the peppery old lieggar!” nP "If he had only taken time to tiling he would ’nave seen it didn’t natter so very mi ?h about t ing that engine. It will be back again with the down train to m**rrow morning.

’ve seen to it t Mm* lit r.- is hi good going order." He stopped to scan t - • wooded hillside. Then he gazed around S it hid the ro *ky < ha< s of the priiiov ’ wilderness. It «iad b. •:r.e - thing ’ii hi* throat made him < ugh. Hi* eyes had begun to smart. ‘Hellohe exclaimed. "That -m<>ke - ‘ ■ ty con* this last - . it was twenty miles or mor* f m < 1 rue’ll** at the end of the bran i line. If it jumped the La Tuque River tho-e people at the termimi' would be in a pretty awkward fix. There’s no tearing worth speaking of there. If the tire jumped the theyhl l»e aught in a death-trap like those people in that dry goo«ls store some lime ago. and they’ve only a trolley or two. which wouldn’t be mu-h good tn them. Ami Gray** *i«»ter and her family are up there now. I wonder the possibility of a tire didn’t ocenr to him. He’s s O bu<v the'e day* perfecting that new patent’ of hi« that he doe-n’t seem capable vf thinking of anything eh*\” He went back to the little station,

but the telegraph operator had gone to dinner at the weather-board hotel. Haynes someh -w had lost his appetite, *o he went back to the shed and <a\v to the engine. He spoke to the operator when he returned about the increasing sni ’kc in the air. “I ve seen 'm. ke in the air like this for week' when a fire ha' been five hundred mile' away.” said the operator. "If it were anywhere near the terminus we ought to have heard of it." "A ou must recollect that up there, surrounded by forests, they ’ve no means of know ing how far off it really is. Besides. there’s the river and lake to cut the fire off from the north.’’ A couple of hour- later there was wild ex -itement at the little junction. News had ome from th« terminus that owing to a 'tn ng north-we'terly wind they feared th< ; rest fire was much nearer than they had imagined. They asked that an engine ami a few cars be '♦■nt up in vase of emergem-ie*. Then a telephone me-'age announced that the f ■ "'i.-. actually be seen across’the lake. T h hundred and fifty odd people at Corneille hoped that a train was alrea<ly «>n it* way up to take them a wav. If the fire jumped the lake, which was comparatively narrow in places, they would all be burned to death. hat are we to do?" cried the ope- - ’ ■ Haynes. "I wonder rt on earth thf boss is? \Ve must send help. Gray’s sistei is up t lere, and her husband and children a- welL’’ "1 expect he s gone up AVayagania4s •

u to see old Lab He. if so, he’ll m.t be back till dark. One thing he t<dd me was I’<l get my money on Saturday. -mJ that pravtivally amounts to the '.i K. Now there are four ears in the 'iding. ami Imkiiy 1 got 'team up in toe engine. I-. there no one can take them out? Under the cir. iini'tan ■♦■< vou d«»n t require to wait for permi"ion from Mr. Grav to do that.’’ "Tnere’s ~nly vl.i St. <ffix under'tand- an engine. But 1 foigoi. he’s at Quebec now: and Le Maitre. he’- ii liM'pital. There"' • n!y your-e’f. man. <«u '-an drive, ami Cobeil can go with "I’m only an amateur, ami I’ve been ked." 'aid Haynes. “If i puffed out with ttiat engine ami carriages Grav would be on to rue again for exceeding • phone again! 1 know what ha- happened. The fire ha* junq>ed t ie lake! I hat settles it. 1 m <»ff with that engine and four carriage'. Luckilv I did speak to <"obeli, so we’re all readv to pul! out.’’ Haynes watched the operator’s face impatiently a- he put the receiver to his ear. and cried "Hello!” A minute later the clerk turned to

Haynes. His face was grev. <*reai fear was in hi<s eyes. ‘ "Get away with’you as qil i e k as s tt can carry you!’’ he cried. "Those ’ W the have telephon’d at la-t. a, v.ell a* those at CorneiEe; the Sire has jumped the lake. v en women, ami children have started to travel do»n the traek on foot. There's a point where the tire must eut th. ~ off. The man who has ju s t telephcZ',] is going to jump on to a trollev I ( G . llt iL Oh > "here on earth s CHAPTER Ilf. On through the thick smoke ' * caught one's breath and nipped a, eyes hurried the light relief train di -.cn by Haynes. It was risky work ' . on that engine, for if the tire l>v r. ~ ] of the great loop in the lin- had air., 'v reached any part of it. and a -leer. ■ r two had been set alight, then it ■ I he all tin with them. It would a quick d> th. anyhow. It was a weird old dereli t ■ n eng . and the carriages had demned years before on the nain r and were now hopelessly b-diin l - J times. At no distant date. hoc., . - ..... would be objects of curiosity . >1! interest as antiques in , exhibition. The driver and -- not shielded from the eleir. n - . n modern engines, but perhap- -■■ d give t'lem al! the better '.•> e f escape in the event of plungin. .1 a burnt trestle-bridge. The k iia- th.it the dense smoke l : . : . ■ n and choked them. ■“Xow. then. Cobell, shovel n t! t coal. . sf;,\ g O f- to go. _ to make tilings hum! Our on!-. t in speed." "Hooray!"’ cried Cobeil. what you call it?—rip—-kt — houp-la!” He had ail the gaiety an! _■ s Gallic origin, had Cobeil. Haym s handled the lev. .. rd •' •? little train with alarming jolts and bangs pa-..,] over trie points . i I ent. A Fr. n,h Canadian . I : I into the la-t ear. in .order. . - to apt as eonductor, and help the - .1 lildren if need be. T 1 were sonle .11 the little junction ones at ’ • terminus, and « ■ il 1 fain have accompanied the reli- : ti. ::i, 1 nt Haynes was adamant. Hl ith one long blast on whistle the train passed out of sight, who saw it go tried to rai-e a but it was the most wretched ' gy . for one .imaginable. Qui.klv tie :_r. 1 gathered -peed. "We'll beat the record this time if we've luck." cried H s. "Hello! There's Gray come 1. I standing on the track, or I'm . !' ■ man! He's signalling for al! he - Well, we're not stopping f boss. \v.. don't even -ee . 1 he doesn't get ‘'mt of the ’ ; jolly well run over." And t n - ' s stationmaster stepped to - ■ "That's rieht. mv man, I ' . think better of it." The French Canuck rua xd _ S bareheaded and wit-, -liirt -i. - I up. he tinned to - • v. 1 . - was a. th through ti.e door. I p the vallev rushed the- ■ side a t .1 depth of 20 flowing-stream. Great jagc' • covered rock stemmed the places, churning it into foam ■ • .-e fallen pint s at intervals s< n completely to block the current. - side the narrow tra k. and .u- • ■’ opposite hill-ide. the great too-’ ' • up dark and forbidding. 1: ‘ '■ drv ve.ir. and the thick ve!!. growth suggested excellent •hat rou.-'i. hilly country : l.e no taxing to outdistan ■ • • thf wind :i • with Th it valve, .la -k Hu lipv rip! Clunj! Clani! f lan.’! A’ •’ * ab»n-/ rhe track Haynes !♦»<•>* nf the !»«eat bell on the e?' .’ \ , deep, f; 1: -thr*>atetl notes ra».. the J .a'’»*.l .thunder of •’ torrent below. flaiic! Clang! Clang! AH .Id engine was toiling nn a-' ~ ~ i ut*’.ng and snorting like , Rut there w>- a light load ' v ; -lie made good progress. V > . / would round an uglv shon and the river could !•“ heir. , y.j Is-low. For now that fl - - ■ thickened, it was difficult ‘ ' tance. > , •nwn a null at the throttle .. •< raucouw whittle that wouLI have

lie deal. The steepest gradient en r .„j; had ’» en safely negotiated, and fears that the test might prove t much fur the debilitated condition » 0 ; - : • old engine were at rest. • i l Number Twenty-two!-jj> v r.ed. "You'll last out some of the vju'- ones yet! They built you pretty go'; ii . in those days. Now for the (j.isn grade!” •H i •ray!” echoed Cobell. ‘‘She is mac i l'*e! let her rip. and ze brakes, i- none. Hoop-la! Hooray!” 1 ais neck or nothing now. Unless f a man in the end ear a-,:,'i i tiie brakes—and it was a liun(jrel . iianees to one he would not. attA;n < the feat —it would surely be one ( ,f : maddest and most reckless runs on re 'rd. M rr! Hum! And Number Twenty1V . ide the most of her opportunity, j:: gh the thick smoke Haynes could e i ruddy glow. All at once a erei; r -i patch of glowing flame showed ; i ? the opposite liank just across the river. It was only with the greatest fliffi’ :ky that the men could breathe. Q;; h as thought Haynes secured the ] [kerchief that encircled Cobell’s throat and that from his own. Giving them ' » his mate he pointed tn the water ank. The Canuck understood. Ano?’ ' minute and they bad tied them over nose and mouth. It would be easier to breathe now. . Vti: i a prodigious clatter and dash

N" T'.enty two rushed down the c-r- in -line. Do what* he might c.is powerless to keep it back. 1 uiees were ten to one against ’-•- -er reaching the trestle bridge k'-'-‘t : I a n. ~A' ■ t ..it same trestle bridge—what :: 1 • irk had caught it? It was as dry a ' ’ ‘ and, of course. would be 1 ~,m e d. It would take very die in any case to render it a '. r l-ath-trap. A few inches of ■ : -li '-per a spike out of place. J i --'juent spreading of rail, and ‘‘‘ :i was certain.- There would be 1 lounge, a trail of fire, a rush 0 r'-am. and then the tawny-G-o i fl-i i I hurrying over its newlvn>' as if glad to have done " t ...n, . / “ it ahead, an.] get ready to J '. ’ 1 a break!” yelled Haynes. I ! A ' * on the lever while he r ‘ the little round window in Innt. ’ 1 " impossible to gee five yards s ' 1 1 ’*. v "ere now Indween the ’ IP deep sea. The bridge — . ‘ ’ roused somehow. If they would never get tn the re"’,o wp re *n the deadliest | n human beings could well he •12 n ’ hollow rumble .as the 6 p and fonr cars passed over the

bridge. If the trestle-work was not already on tire it would soon he, unless the men from the next section-house, apprehending the danger, came out on a trolley to guard it. But it was fairly' certain that any railway men who were in the neighbourhood would be occupied with other things just then. It was impossible to tell when they negotiated the bridge whether it was on fire or not. The thing was that they passed over it. Cobell uttered a prayer of thankfulness. and crossed himself. The train swung round a curve, and rattled along a grassy level. There was now a veritable jungle of deal undergrowth interspersed with giant reed- and crisp and abundant bra -ken alongside, and the whole flat blazed like an inferno. As the train dashed thr-'igh it the wind caug’it the flames, sending them hi—ing against the sides of the cat'. It .seemed to the two men in the engine that they were passing. through a solid wall of fire, for their cloth ' were scorching and shrivelling, an 1 the hair on their heads singeing. But that danger was past, and Haynes leant out of the engine to see if any of the woolwork of the carriages was alight. There was no fire so far as he could see. but it had the appearance of having received a coating of brown paint. The enamel had been scorched out of all recognition. Out of that Valley of the Shadow of Death the track began to

rise again. Here Haynes blew a lung blast on the whistle, and slackened speed somewhat. He had reached the sec-tion-house to which tiie men working on the line would probably come in the event of danger. As he had expected, there were seven labourer' here. The trolleys had stood them in good stead. He stopped to let them scramble on to "Why didn't you send 'O-a-.e of those men to guard the bridge?" II ivii •' asked the foreman. "We've only come in from b tween this and the terminus, and it was as much as we could do to get here.” wa< the reply. “I guess you'd better go cautious, mate. You might jti>t run into some o’them folk that are pretty sure to be on their way up.’’ ‘•Yes.” said Haynes. I reckon that if they started when I did they'll Iswithin a few miles of this now. We're at the far end of the loop here. Before night this place will lie a holocaust, and with a= little hope of escape." Haynes .slackened speed, and Number Twenty-two merely crawled along. It made up for tiie decrease of speed by its impatient snorting and rattling. Then .s shout from ('obeli, who was on the look out. It was indeed a fortunate thing that s pis si had lieen .slackened, otherwise they would have run into the mob of men,

women, and children who were toiling along right in. the middle of the track. Many of them were loaded up with their household belongings. Most of them carried personal effects of some kind or another. There were’ young men and old men, and women who carried children on their backs. The odd thing about them was that they would not budge from the track. The tire horror had rendered them callous to all others. ‘•Take us on board!” they cried. ‘‘You've got to take us on Isiard! No use of you going on. The whole place is in flames, and you can't get there anyhow.” So desperate was that crowd that Haynes knew they would not have allowed him to proceed if he had wanted to. He saw one man's hand steal down towards hi' hip-pocket while he regarded him with a peculiar look in his eyes. The volunteer engine-driver knew that these same men would shoot without more ado and take his place if he attempted to proceed. Even had he escaped their bullets he would have had to pas' over their mangled bodies. There were those there who were dear to them. Some of them were already scrambling on the footboards. "Into the cars with you. my friends,” cried Haynes. ‘Take time, and some of you men help the women and children up. There’s more than room for all of you. Well have to go back with the locomotive behind, but that will be safer for you when we come to the bridge. Old Jumbo, here, is as heavy as any four cars.” Despite the peril of their position they cheered Haynes, and they even cheered the old locomotive. It seemed that Number Twenty-two was not unknown to fame. It had been a species of standing joke on the line for years. Then back through the ever-increasing smoke and the growing darkness. Old Number Twenty-two made a great ado over it- extra load, but it pushed it on in front for all that. Haynes drove it for all it was worth, for he knew that , every moment lessened his chane--s of finding the .bridge 'till intact. Ere he reached it he stopped, and sent two men on ahead 'to report as to jt s condition. ' A few anxious minutes ami the men rushed back. ‘ ‘ It has just.caught'alight,", cine cried: ‘•but we think you eah cross if you get a rti'tle on." •-'You only, think?" cried Haynes. - “It will hold!" they ..chorused. “Hold tight.' then. You'd have to cross that bridge somehow, in any ease. Stoke her up Cobell!” — The train crept on. and some there were who prayed. The minutes spun themselves into an eternity. But the bridge held, and with a great sigh of relief Haynes, turned to his work again. Then an hour's anxious run bet we m veritable walls of fire. Once they had to stop to dash water over one of the cars that had caught alight. And th n they recrossed the river. This time ov r an iron bridge that would be safe from the 'flames. At last the two-mile clearing to the north and west of the junction. There was absolutely no dang -r now. Haynes and his mates had saved 150 souls from a terrible death! It was noticed that when they drew up at the little station they were singularly silent. Almost before the train had come to a stand-till a short, thick-set man. with a red face and not unkindly eyes, had scrambled on to the footplate of the engine and confronted Haynes. It was Gray, the boss. ‘Alan Haynes.” he cried, as he put out both hinds and gripped those of the wondering engine-driver as in a vi.e, ‘‘l'm thinking you’re a man after my own heart! But I'll ha’e to punish you for takin’ an engine oot withoot pernii'And then he hurriedly jumped off old Number Twenty two on the side far thest from the platform so that no one could see his face.