Argosy All-Story Weekly — "The Purple Limited" — page 16: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

582 had a vague idea as to the duties of a train despatcher. They had always seemed to him well-paid men with reserved airs. Dar- rah was different. The superintendent knew the first names of half the men who worked at Newhouse. He was on terms of famil- larity with the directors and the wipers. ‘Suddenly Lark felt J. J. D.’s flashing eyes upon him. He moved away from the tele- phone. “4Go outside!’’ ordered Darrah. ‘“ What’s that just came in?” ‘Lark strode past the railing and opened the door that led to the station-platform. A funnel of white light turned the falling snowflakes into tinseled splendor. A giant loco squatted on the rails. Back of it was a long line of shade-drawn Pulimans. “Extra, east!” said Lark through the open door. ‘ She’s arrived!” Darrah closed a_ telegrapli-key and dashed by the two despatchers. He grasped Lark’s arm. > ¢ ' “ Get that engineer here, quick.” Lark sped across the rails and shouted up to the engine-driver—a stout man in clean overalls: “ J. J. D. wants you!” The conductor came slushing along the train. He followed Lark and the engineer to where J. J. D. was standing. “'Where’d you pass 43?” asked the su- perintendent. : The engineer looked uneasy. The con- ductor shifted a brightly polished lantern from one arm to the other. He scratched his head, replaced his cap, and said: “We didn’t pass her, I guess. I didn’t see her.” “And, you?” J. J. D. tugged at his bull- dog mustache as he asked the engineer that question. The engineer looked at his loco, spat to the snow, and replied: ‘* Well, it’s a double track, and I don’t always see them—especially, on a night like ‘this. But I’ll say we didn’t pass 43—unless she was on a Siding with her headlight dimmed.” “Call the fireman!” roared Darrah. The engineer went over the tracks, say- ing: ‘We both can’t leave the engine. call him.” Vil ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. _ The fireman was an undersized, sallow- faced, grimy man who stuttered like a steam-valve feathering steam. He answered J. J. D.’s question after a blank stare around the yard. “We — we — didn’t — did-n’t see 43. Nothin’ passed us goin’ west—that—that— I sa-w.” “Get out the wrecking crew!” ordered J. J. D. “ We've lost a train on my divi- sion!” CHAPTER HII. A VAIN SEARCH. VY J. D. charged back into the train de- J spatcher’s office and issued a few Clese- y* worded despatches to hold all trains at Cotopaxi cally tied up the first, second, and third division of the C., M. and W. The superintendent emerged from the office with his overcoat half on and a fight- ing fire in his eyes. He swung his arm— finished putting on the coat, and called to Ragan, who had_returned from the round- house, where the wrecking crew were climb- ing on top of two flat cars and a derrick- . Car. The railroad detective lurched across the rails. “Notify the city police,” said Darrah, “that a number of train robbers probably got aboard 43 at the water-tank. Have them search the lower end of the yard.” Ragan disappeared in the despatcher’s office, and began telephoning to headquar- ters. He came out when Lark and Darrah sprinted toward the wrecking train. He followed the superintendent into the cab of the engine. Sam, a passenger engineer, was ready. “We've got rifles!”” grunted J. J. D. ‘We've got a clear line. Let her out, Sam! Stop just this side of the water- tank.” Lark climbed upon the tender, turned over a shovel, and: sat down with his heels digging in the damp coal. Snow slanted across the cab and plastered his face. Dar- rah, Ragan, and the loco engineer, leaned CONMUC Junction and Newhouse. . These orders, flashed on the wires, practi- © NOOK CO