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t ! J ATALr 0r 11Cr CUMNwAR
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't . . . Copyright , 189i , by F. Tennyson Nccly. ' ' - , . .
, ' 1' , I. ' . ) Copyright 1899. by Street and Smith.
CHAPTER XIV.
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A Mad Chase on a "Wlld.Cat Engine. "
When they have gained the cab of
the locomotive upon which General
Toledo has seized for some important
government business , Jack and Smith
ers draw a long breath of relief.
( The future looks brighter in corn
parison with the blackness that so recently -
i cently hung over it lilte a funeral pall.
Jack glances over the Pile of wood
- " ' in the tondor. Havana is in full view ,
I t" and as the evening settles down over
the Cuban capital many lights are
! springing into sight malting the pic'
t tare , with the harbor beyond , and
. ) grim 1\101'1'0 Castle guarding its entrance .
I .1-- trance , one that could have but few
, . rivals.
T They have rattled over a trestle or
i bridge , and now plunge among the
, bills back of the city. :
, The last light vanishes from view ; I
, for the present , at least , good-b to
Havana.
I - Around them the country is grow-
. . . . , + < . lag wilder. At first occasional houses
. . .
- ' ; - may be seen , with gardens : then come
what appear to he plantations , with
mills for pressing the sugar cane
- _ And now darlmess. How suddenly
It seems to drop upon them , as though
they plunge deeper and deeper into n
canyon , when in reality such is not
the case !
, Already the driver has succeeded in
, .
; urging his engine over the rails at a
rate of speed that must have shocked
. . . the officers of the road , could they but
. see it.
, " Jack had early found a good hold ,
_ and hangs on grimly ; ditto Smithers
- , "i The general occupies a seat beside
'
. - the stoker , who is kept busy half the
time tossing pine knots into the hungry .
gry maw of the fire box. As for Ah
. Sin , that worthy , after being hustled
several times from one side of the
. . cab to the other , feels a sensation
l ' ; ; : . akin to the dreadful tnal , de-mer of his
; , last voyage , and dropping fiat , cowers
! amidst the wood ; nor does he care
. ,
very much whether the pile topple
over upon him or the fireman make
an effort to utilize him as a convenient
stick of timber , such is the desperate
. . . condition this nausea brings ahout.
, ' And the speed increases as the steam
.
crawls up in the glass indicator.
All is well so far.
When they spin around a sharp i
curve it Is all Jack can do to hold on
He even imagines the massive machine .
chine is about to topple over , and
holds his very breath in awe Smith ,
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Good.bye to Havana
ers utters an expressive exclamation
. anlt from Ah Sin comes a shriek.
But they keep the track , and go fly
lag on with the speed of the , hurrI-
oone.
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: An th < : > y dash along , Jack , who
chances to be on that side nearest the
Spanish officer , opens a conversation
with him.
.
It Is positively ] necessary that ho
shout aloud , such Is the racket and .
confusion that accompany the light !
of the Alhambra , as the veteran engine .
gine Is called ; but Jack thins ] noth-
. ing of this when seeking information.
"What place was that ? " he asks , as
they flash past a small building that
has the appearance or a station.
General Toledo tells the name , and
at the same time vouchsafes the intelligence .
telligence that it is about five miles
out of the city.
Then about one.quarter of the distance .
tance has been passed over. How
much have they gained upon the other .
er train ?
The soldier seems quite jolly , as
though he feels positive they will
overtake the train ahead Perhaps a
shade of anxiety might creep over the
nature of his dream did he but know
all that these three travelers do Jack ,
however , doe $ not feel inclined to enlighten .
lighten him , for since it seems that
they may overtake the train in good
time , he means to keep his word to
Smithers as far as it is possible.
He is already figuring in his mind
what his course may he later on ,
should they succeed in their chase.
What will General Toledo do ?
Can it be possible he has had wind
of the truth concerning the dynamite
plot and that his design is to prevent
the threatened catastrophe ?
That is not without the bounds of
reason ; and yet Jack hardly believes
it to be the true nature of his mise
sian "
sion.More than likely ] he bears secret
but important orders to the officer In
command of the soldiers regarding
some move he is expected to male
against the insurgents
After all , what does it matter so
long as their end is assured , and the
girls saved ?
So he continues to plan ahead , believing .
lIeving that In this way time may be
aved.
Fortune seems kind , for although
their speed Is increased and they fly
around dangerous curves , nothing in
the shape of disaster has as yet . overtaken .
taken them
The general has his watch in his
hand , and as they flash by another
station he looks at the time , the fire.
door being open and the cab flooded
with Ught
"Six.thirty.nine , " Jack hears him
say.
say.That
That means nine minutes since they
left Havana behind.
"How far is this station out ? " he
questions , anxious to know just the
distance they have come.
"Between seven and a half and
eight miles , senor , " replies General
Toledo , with a broad smile , as though !
the honor of the enterprise rests
wholly upon his shoulrlers
"Nearh' eight miles in nine minutes .
utes ! Why , it is almost incredible , "
he exclaims ; while Smithers says ,
hollowly :
"Simply suicide , Senor Jac1t. "
Evidently he has slight hopes of
coming out of the adventure alive
No one asks the opinion of poor Ah
Sin , who crouches there and ' beseeches . -
seeches his joss to tide him over this
new emergency , so that he may burn
many packages of sacred paper in the
house of the gods as a penance ,
It Is a period of intense excitement.
They are reasonably sure that tile
track i8 in fairly decent condition ,
since the special has just passed over
it ahead of them But for this it would
he doubly dangerous to advance at
such a speed , as a misplaced rail
would send them into eternity : , and
. , .
there are thousands of men among
the insurgents desperate enough to resort '
sort to such means in order to gain
their end.
The country is growing more level
now , and they will soon be able to
see whether their furlou : pace has
borne fruH.
Another station.
Twelve miles out.
Jack has a chill at the thought that
not more than ten or twelve more intervene -
tervene before the scene of execution
will be reached.
"Patience , senor ; wo turn a curve
here , und issue upon a pl 1teau , The
next station is then in sight. I be-
hove we will find our train at that
point " says the general
his words fall like music on the
heart of Travers , for that usually
hopeful individual has begun to despair .
sl1l1ir lest they may , after all , be too
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fir- .
h . s -
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Then they sped around the last curve.
late-lest the awful crash comes to
tell them the vengeance of the insurgents '
gents has fnllen.
Aroused with new hope , he leans
out of the cab to loole aheall , his heart
beating in anxiety , his eyes keenly on
the alert.
As lout ns he lives Jack can never
forget the strain of the next thirty
seconds Why , it seems to him as
though his very heart has ceased to
perform its customary function.
Then they speed around the last
curve The hills are left behind , and
the engine dashes out upon the pla-
teau.
Every eye is on the watch , and from
several throats ring out shouts that
tell of victor ' .
The train is In sight.
Even the wretched Ah Sin staggers
to his feet , and feasts his eyes upon
the sight.
"They are going ahead ! " exclaims
Smithers , as he discovers that the
train is certainly in motion
The experienced engine driver , as
ho gradually reduces their own mad
pace , ventures to contradict Hits positive
itive assertion.
"No , nO'-jmt pulling Into the station .
tlon , senors , " he atHrms , eagerly
"Then we have been hot on their
heels. "
"What else would you have when
we go at such a fine pace ? Par Dies I
Sfl0I'S , I give you my word no one
ever before went so fast upon the
island of Cuba. "
The engineer is proud of his work ,
and well he may boo It is al this time ,
when success seems assured , that the
genera ] remembers.
"Pardon , senor , but you promised
to talk over certain matters If 1
have been of benefit to you , perhaps
you would not object to assisting 11
certain project which I shall bring to
your favorable notice , for I could not
think of accepting a dollar myself. "
"Genoral , I understand you , There
is my carll. Hunt me liP when you return .
turn to Havana-l shall leave my ad
dress there-and I shall ho well
pleased to donate a thousand dollars
to any project you may name. "
"Senor , I thank 'ou. " I
"Not at all , general. Besides this t ,
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whIch Is a mere bagatelle , you have
lllacoJI us under heavy c.1JlIgalions ,
which we will not fm'got. Now , you
won't fail to hunt 1110 Uil ? "
"Cosplta , I should say not , my clear
sonar , " replies the Spaniard , slinking
hands etfush'I'I ; ' .
But aU the same , he never does ,
By this tlmo a few blasts frdm the
whistle oC the wild ' cnt. engine have
been answered from the motor that
i draws the train , proving that these
: in charge understand there is a good
reason why this trailer hits been sent
out after them
As the old veteran runs up behind
the last ] cat and comes to a stop , those
on board leap to the platform.
Smithers looks to Jack for a lead
at this stage of the game , and the lat-
tOl' intends to shape his course a good
deal upon the result of General 1'0-
ledo's mission
110 sees the latter immelllately met ,
by several gaudilyattired officera.
They gather in ! a knot to discuss cor-
taln important matters lr the plans
or the rebels to dynamite the special
are known , then , of course , that dittn-
gel' is a thing of the past ; hut if , on
the other hand , it is some other bust-
ness that has brought General Toledo f ,
in such hot haste over the rails , it
may he necessary for our friends even
yet to resort to heroic treatment in
order to Have the innocent girls
They have slowly passed / the last 3
CIlI' .
It Is of continental malw , and divided .
vided ! into four . compartments. Jack
notes several facts even while his
eyes are keenly on the alert for signs
of the girl for wholl1 he labors so
ha rd.
One compartment : ! only haH light In
it , and this he sees is the carriage oc
cupied by Senor Hohlado and his little
.
party : for the curtains are only partly
drawn , and a3 they pass , the head or
the don is thrust out , while ho asks
what station it is ' '
Jack dares not trust himself to reply '
ply , for his poor Spanish might betray .
. ,
tray him. As it is , he half turns his
head in another direction ; , though it
comes doubly hard to do it , since at
the moment his eager gaze has fallen /
upon the enchanting face or Jessie
Cameron
Fortunately n guard standing ; near
catches the query , and believing it
addressed to himself , maltes answor.
Smithors has also noticed that the
other compartments are darlt. Ito Seven S
oven tries the dour of one in his In'
vestlgatlng way , and finds it loclted.
"What do you suppose It means ? "
queries Jack , who has caught the ac-
tlon.
"There yoU have me , sir hardly !
possible there are passengers Inside
who have gone to sleel I fancy people '
pIe wouldn't take things so easy on a
Cuban railroad just at present , where
double danger hovers in the air. But
I don't think wo want to shut our
selves up in one of these coops Wo
would he powerless to 110 I1nrthlng. : "
" .JUR , soVe must , ho where wo
can worlt. " \
"Then I fancy the next car will bo
, apt to suit us better "
( To be continued )
'
The New Thames Tunnel. '
The Ratcl1ff.notherhithe tunnel now
being built under the Thames will take
five years to conatruct. Its length will
he 6,883 feet with an oxtl'enal diameter .
tel' of sixteen feet and two footways
four feet eight and onehalf Inches
wide. When It is finished there will
bo three tunnels under the Thames Ilt
London.
Encouraged
"Do you think " she asked the del" ,
matologist , "that you can maliC my
nose beautiful ? "
"Well , 1 may not he able to mal < e It
beautiful , but I couldn't help improving -
log it some , even if I Were to hit it
with a mallet. "
Equally Divided : Wcalth.
Prof William Sma"t , the ' polltlc-al
economist , says that Ie nr1t11h WV.1lth
were divided equally each person
would receive $195.18 a year , or $3. " ; : :
Il weelJ : ' . :
