throttle wide open and with my right
blew the signal agreed upon. With a prayer to God I threw myself upon
the nearest soldier.

XV.

IN DESPERATE STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.

Don Rodrigo and his soldiers were surprised. I dealt the one nearest
me a terrific blow in the face. Don Rodrigo raised his hand to fire. I
knocked his gun from his hand. The other soldier thrust at me with his
bayonet, inflicting a severe scalp wound, which along with another
thrust at me with his bayonet in my left arm, gave him time to
recover. I struck the soldier in the face, and knocked him to the
floor. The other was coming at me, when Manuel, armed with a shovel,
brought it down with terrific force on his head.

By this time the engine was going at lightning speed, having reached a
down grade of 160 feet to the mile. The throttle was wide open. I knew
we would soon reach some sharp curves and if the speed was not
checked, the engine would jump the track. I called to Manuel to shut
off the steam, and apply the brakes. At this time I was struggling
with Don Rodrigo for life or death. We had clinched one another. I
spoke once.

"Recuerdo Felicita," I hissed in his ear.

He did not speak. He was never a physical match for me, but at this
moment he seemed endowed with superhuman strength. His face took on
the awful look of desperation, that comes to men when death seems near
at hand. His lithe body struggled to be free of my grasp. He tried to
trip me and just then the engine rounded a sharp curve causing him to
stagger. The side door of the coach was open. For a moment he vainly
tried to catch hold of something, and then, with a shriek upon his
lips, fell from the speeding coach.

The struggle had lasted but a short time, but it had seemed to me
hours. Manuel bandaged my head and arm. The two soldiers remained
perfectly passive, suffering from severe blows. The one felled by
Manuel was still unconscious.

We were within three miles of Pucacancha, rounding a sharp curve, when
I looked back and exclaimed: "My God, Manuel, the troop train is
coming!" My blood almost froze, but realizing that this was no time
for fright, I determined to master the situation.

I knew the two soldiers would not attempt to molest us. They had
learned a lesson. I looked at my watch. In five minutes the passenger,
if on time, would be at Pucacancha. The troop train could not reach
there for fifteen minutes, because at all obscure places it would have
to go