othing
remained to the raiders but to spring to their engine and
cars and fly for life.

We have seen the beginnings of this pursuit. We must now go
back to trace the doings of the forlorn-hope of pursuers,
Fuller and his companion. After their adventure with the
broken rail, that brace of worthies pushed on in their
hand-car till the station of Etowah was reached. Here, by
good fortune for them, an engine stood with steam up, ready
for the road. Fuller viewed it with eyes of hope. The game,
he felt, was in his hands. For he knew, what the raiders had
not known, that the road in advance would be blocked that
day with special trains, and on a one-tracked road special
trains are an impassable obstacle.

There were soldiers at Etowah. Fuller's story of the daring
trick of the Yankees gave him plenty of volunteers. He
filled the locomotive and its cab with eager allies, and
drove on at the greatest speed of which his engine was
capable, hoping to overtake the fugitives at Kingston. He
reached that place; they were not there. Hurried questions
taught him that they were barely gone, with very few minutes
the start. Away he went again, sending his alarm whistle far
down the road in his front.

The race was now one for life or death. Andrews and his men
well knew what would be their fate if they were caught. They
dared not stop and fight; their only arms were revolvers,
and they were outnumbered by their armed foes. Their only
hope lay in flight. Away they went; on came their shouting
pursuers. Over the track thundered both locomotives at
frightful speed. The partly-raised rail proved no obstacle
to the pursuers. They were over it with a jolt and a jump,
and away on the smooth track ahead.

If the fugitives could have halted long enough to tear up a
rail or burn a bridge all might have been well; but that
would take more minutes than they had to spare. A shrewd
idea came into Andrews's fertile mind. The three box-cars
behind him were a useless load. One of them might be
usefully spared. The rear car of the train was uncoupled and
left behind, with the hope that the pursuers might
unwittingly dash into it and be wrecked. On they went,
leaving a car standing on the track.

Fortunately for the Confederates, they saw the obstruction
in time to prepare for it. Their engine was slowed up, and
the car caught and pushed before it. Andrews tried the
device a second time, another car being dropped. It was
picked up by Fuller