A MORAL VICTORY.
The special was the first train to cross the Minkskill bridge after it was
repaired and pronounced safe, and as it was followed by all the delayed
passenger trains, the through freight did not pull out for more than an
hour later. As the special moved at the rate of nearly three miles to the
freight's one, and as it made but one stop, which was at Euston, where
Eltje was left, President Vanderveer reached the terminus of the road in
the evening; while Rod Blake did not get there until the following
morning.
After devoting some time to the discussion of important business matters
with Superintendent Hill, the President suddenly asked: "By the way, Hill,
do you happen to have a personal acquaintance with a young fireman in our
employ named Rodman Blake?"
"Yes, indeed I have," replied the Superintendent, and he related the
incidents connected with the first meeting between himself and Rod. He
also told of the imputation cast upon the lad's character by his private
secretary. "In regard to this," he said, "I have been awaiting your
return, before taking any action, because my secretary came to me with
your recommendation. After Brown finished with the matter of the freight
thieves, I sent him to Euston to make a thorough investigation of this
charge against young Blake, and here is his report."
President Vanderveer read the report carefully, and without comment, to
the end; but a pained expression gradually settled on his face. As he
handed it back, he said, "So Brown thinks Appleby did it himself?"
"He has not a doubt of it," replied Mr. Hill.
"Well," said the President, "I am deeply grieved and disappointed; but
justice is justice, and the innocent must not be allowed to suffer for the
guilty, if it can be helped. I am going to Euston to-night, and I wish
that, without mentioning this affair to him, you would send Appleby out
there to see me in the morning."
"Very well, sir," replied the Superintendent, and then they talked of
other matters.
In the meantime, during the long run in from the Minkskill bridge, Rod
had plenty of time to think over his recent interview with President
Vanderveer. He recalled all the kindness shown him by his uncle, and
realized now, what he had not allowed himself even to suspect before, that
a selfish pride had been the motive of his whole course of action, ever
since that unfortunate bicycle race. Pride had driven him from his uncle's
house. Pride had restrained him from letting that uncle know where he was,
or what he was doing. Even now, though he knew that his dear mother's only
brother was willing and anxious to receive him again, pride forbade him to
go to him. Should he continue to be the slave of pride, and submit to its
dictates? or should he boldly throw off its yoke and declare himself free
and independent? "Yes, I will," he said aloud; "I won't give in to it any
longer."
"Will what, and won't what?" asked the engineman, whose curiosity was
aroused by these words. Then Rod told him of the struggle that had been
going on in his mind, and of the decision he had just reached. When he
finished, the other exclaimed: "Right, you are, lad! and True Stump thinks
more of you for expressing those sentiments than he did when he saw you
board the special last night, and that is saying a good deal. To fight
with one's own pride and whip it, is a blamed sight harder thing to do
than anything else that I know of in this world."
They had already passed Euston, and Rod could not have left his post of
duty then, even if they had not; but he determined to return on the very
first train from the city, and seek a complete reconciliation with his
uncle.
The day express had already left when the freight got in, and so he was
obliged to wait for an excursion train that was to go out an hour later.
It was made up of several coaches and a baggage car; but Rod did not care
to ride in any of these. He already felt more at home on the locomotive
than on any other part of the train, and so he swung himself into the cab,
where he was cordially welcomed by the engineman and his assistant. They
were glad of the chance to learn from him all the particulars of what had
happened up the road during the great storm, and plied him with
questions.
In spite of their friendliness, and of his recent resolution, Rod could
not help feeling some uneasiness at the sight of Snyder Appleby sauntering
down the platform and stepping aboard the train just as it started. He
hoped his adopted cousin was not going to Euston. That is just where
Snyder was going, though; and, having missed the express which he had been
ordered to take, by his failure to be on time for it, he was obliged
to proceed by the "excursion extra." He was feeling particularly
self-important that morning, in consequence of having been sent for on
business by the President, and he sauntered through the train with an
offensive air of proprietorship and authority. Not choosing to remain in
one of the ordinary coaches, with ordinary excursionists, he walked into
the empty baggage car, and stood looking through the window in its forward
door. The moment he spied Rod, comfortably seated in the cab of the
locomotive, all his old feeling of jealousy was aroused. He had applied
to the engineman for permission to ride there a few minutes before Rod
appeared, and it had been refused. Now to see the person whom he had most
deeply injured, and consequently most thoroughly disliked, riding where he
could not, was particularly galling to his pride.
During the first stop made by the train, he walked to the locomotive, and,
in a most disagreeable tone, asked Rod if he had a written order
permitting him to ride there.
"I have not," answered the young fireman.
"Then I shall consider it my duty to report both you and the engineman,
for a violation of rule 116, which provides that no person, except those
employed upon it, shall be permitted to ride on a locomotive without a
written order from the proper authority," said Snyder, as he turned away.
This unwarranted assumption of authority made Rod furious; and, as he
looked back and saw Snyder regarding him from the baggage car, he longed
for an opportunity of giving the young man a piece of his mind. His
feelings were fully shared by the other occupants of the cab. While they
were still discussing the incident, the train plunged into a tunnel, just
east of the Euston grade. Here, before it quite reached the other end, it
became involved in one of the most curious and startling accidents known
in the history of railroads.