"The fates are against us to-night," he muttered. "We can never make
Wood's Hollow in time to escape the down express. That is always on
time."

Just then the little gong over his head sounded, in response to the
conductor's pull upon the cord.

Jockey quickly answered this with a blast from the whistle, which the
other would understand to mean that the engine was already crowded to
her utmost.

The old engineer was losing his temper by this time, and with his hand
still on the lever he leaned forward to peer into the gloom, parting
before the dull rays of the headlight, as if to let them pass.

A drizzling rain was yet falling, but he did not notice this, for at his
first glance a cry of horror left his lips, and he staggered back,
exclaiming:

"It is coming! Someone has blundered!"

Rock started forward with surprise, and he uttered a cry of terror as he
saw the gleam of a headlight and the shadowy outlines of an engine and
train, less than a rod in front of them.

[TO BE CONTINUED.]