e ground was furrowed up by the explosion. Quest
replaced the instrument in his pocket, sprang through the opening and ran
for the tower house. Behind him, on its way to New York, he could see a
freight train coming along. He could hear, too, Red Gallagher's roar of
anger. It was less than fifty yards, yet already, as he reached the
shelter of the tower, the thunder of the freight sounded in Quest's ears.
He glanced around. Red Gallagher and his mate were racing almost beside it
towards him. He rushed up the narrow stairs into the signal room, tearing
open his coat to show his official badge.

"Stop the freight," he shouted to the operator. "Quick! I'm Sanford Quest,
detective--special powers from the chief commissioner."

The man moved to the signal. Another voice thundered in his ears. He
turned swiftly around. The Irishman's red head had appeared at the top of
the staircase.

"Drop that signal and I'll blow you into bits!" he shouted.

The operator hesitated, dazed.

"Walk towards me," Gallagher shouted. "Look here, you guy, this'll show
you whether I'm in earnest or not!"

A bullet passed within a few inches of the operator's head. He came slowly
across the room. Below they could hear the roar of the freight.

"This ain't your job," the Irishman continued savagely. "We want the cop,
and we're going to have him."

Quest had stolen a yard or two nearer during this brief colloquy.
Gallagher's mate from behind shouted out a warning just a second too late.
With a sudden kick, Quest sent the revolver flying across the room, and
before the Irishman could recover, he struck him full in the face.
Notwithstanding his huge size and strength, Gallagher reeled. The
operator, who had just begun to realize what was happening, flung himself
bodily against the two thugs. A shot from the tangled mass of struggling
limbs whistled past Quest's head as he sprang to the window which
overlooked the track. The freight had already almost passed. Quest
steadied himself for a supreme effort, crawled out on to the little steel
bridge and poised himself for a moment. The last car was just beneath. The
gap between it and the previous one was slipping by. He set his teeth and
jumped on to the smooth top. For several seconds he struggled madly to
keep his balance. He felt himself slipping every minute down to the ground
which was spinning by. Then his right heel caught a bare ledge, scarcely
an inch high. It checked his fall. He set his te