ating his story to the Big Eddy operator.

"It was just west of Big Eddy, just before you get to the curve at the
approach to the Beaver Bridge," came Dawes' story, "and we were hitting
up a fast clip, but no more than usual, when we got a jolt in the cab
that spilled me into the coal and knocked Dan off his seat. It all
came so quick there wasn't time to think, but I knew we'd shed a driver
on Dan's side, and the rod was cutting the side of the cab like a knife
through cheese. I heard Dan shout something about the train going over
the embankment and into the river if we ever hit the Beaver curve, and
then he jumped for the throttle and the air. There wasn't a chance in
a million for him, but it was the only chance for every last one of the
rest of us. He made it somehow, I don't know how; it's all a blur to
me. He checked her, and then the rod caught him, and----" The sounder
broke, almost with a human sob in it, it seemed, and then went on
again: "We stopped just as the 304 turned turtle. None of the coaches
left the rails. That's all."

Regan spoke through dry lips.

"Ask him what Dan was like in the cab to-night," he said hoarsely.

Spence looked up and around at the master mechanic, as though he had
not heard aright.

"Ask him what I say," repeated Regan shortly. "What was Dan like in
the cab to-night?"

Spence bent over his key again. There was a pause before the answer
came.

"He says he hadn't seen Dan so cheerful for months," said Spence
presently.

Regan nodded, kind of curiously, kind of as though it were the answer
he expected--and then he nodded at Carleton, and the two went back to
the super's room.

Regan closed the door behind him.

Carleton dropped into his chair, his gray eyes hard and full of pain.

"I don't understand, Tommy," he said heavily. "It's almost as though
you knew it was going to happen."

Regan came across the floor and stood in front of the desk.

"I did," he said in a low way. "I think I was almost certain of it."

Carleton pulled himself forward with a jerk in his chair.

"Do you know what you are saying, Tommy?" he asked sharply.

"I'll tell you," Regan said, in the same low way. "I went over to the
roundhouse to-night before Dan took the 304 out. I didn't see Dan
anywhere about, and I asked Dawes where he was. Dawes said he had gone
back to the fitters' benches to look for some washers. I walked on
past the tender and I found him there down on the