"The high water has undermined
the track on the river bank."
Within twenty minutes the engine in front of the wreck was secured,
Ruth and Lucy were in the cab, and the engineer and fireman stood
reading their orders.
"Gentlemen, I am the Governor," said a voice by their side.
They looked up.
"This is a matter of life and death. The life of a man--and the life
of the little pale woman I helped into your cab. Put this engine
into Sing Sing by five minutes to two o'clock and I'll give you a
thousand dollars. Five hundred for each of you."
The engineer smiled.
"We'll do it for you, sir, without money. We voted for you."
The Governor pressed their hands.
Down the storm-clouded track the engine flew with throbbing heart
of steel and breath of fire like a panting demon. Back and forth
over the spongy rails she swayed, her mighty ribs cracking as she
lurched and jumped and plunged. But the fireman in his flannel
shirt, dripping with perspiration, never paused, as with steady
stroke he fed her roaring mouth; and the engineer, with his hand
on her pulse, leaned far out of the cab with his eyes fixed on the
flying track.
The hour for the condemned man was at hand.
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