ise on
the plains from a locomotive-cab window. When the smoke of the McCloud
shops stained the horizon, remembering the ugly threats of the strikers,
I left my seat to speak to Foley.

"I think you'd better swing off when you slow up for the yards and cut
across to the round-house," I cried, getting close to his ear, for we
were on terrific speed. He looked at me inquiringly. "In that way you
won't run into Cameron and his crowd at the depot," I added. "I can stop
her all right."

He didn't take his eyes off the track. "I'll take the train to the
platform," said he.

"Isn't that a crossing cut ahead?" he added, suddenly, as we swung round
a fill west of town.

"Yes; and a bad one."

He reached for the whistle and gave the long, warning screams. I set the
bell-ringer and stooped to open the furnace door to cool the fire,
when--chug!

I flew up against the water-gauges like a coupling-pin. The monster
engine reared right up on her head. Scrambling to my feet, I saw the new
man clutching the air-lever with both hands, and every wheel on the
train was screeching. I jumped to his side and looked over his shoulder.
On the crossing just ahead a big white horse, dragging a buggy, plunged
and reared frantically. Standing on the buggy seat a baby boy clung
bewildered to the lazyback; not another soul in sight. All at once the
horse swerved sharply back; the buggy lurched half over; the lines
seemed to be caught around one wheel. The little fellow clung on; but
the crazy horse, instead of running, began a hornpipe right between the
deadly rails.

I looked at Foley in despair. From the monstrous quivering leaps of the
great engine I knew the drivers were in the clutch of the mighty
air-brake; but the resistless momentum of the train was none the less
sweeping us down at deadly speed on the baby. Between the two tremendous
forces the locomotive shivered like a gigantic beast. I shrank back in
horror; but the little man at the throttle, throwing the last ounce of
air on the burning wheels, leaped from his box with a face transfigured.

"Take her!" he cried, and, never shifting his eyes from the cut, he shot
through his open window and darted like a cat along the running-board to
the front.

Not a hundred feet separated us from the crossing. I could see the
baby's curls blowing in the wind. The horse suddenly leaped from across
the track to the side of it; that left the buggy quartering with the
rails, but not twelve inc