trains of cars, headed in the wrong direction. To move them out of the
way so as to pass would cause a delay he was little inclined to
afford--would, indeed, have almost certainly given us the victory. So,
abandoning his engine, he with Murphy ran across to the Rome train, and,
uncoupling the engine and one car, pushed forward with about forty armed
men. As the Rome branch connected with the main road above the depot, he
encountered no hindrance, and it was now a fair race. We were not many
minutes ahead.

Four miles from Kingston we again stopped and cut the telegraph. While
trying to take up a rail at this point we were greatly startled. One end
of the rail was loosened, and eight of us were pulling at it, when in
the distance we distinctly heard the whistle of a pursuing engine. With
a frantic effort we broke the rail, and all tumbled over the embankment
with the effort. We moved on, and at Adairsville we found a mixed train
(freight and passenger) waiting, but there was an express on the road
that had not yet arrived. We could afford no more delay, and set out for
the next station, Calhoun, at terrible speed, hoping to reach that point
before the express, which was behind time, should arrive. The nine miles
which we had to travel were left behind in less than the same number of
minutes. The express was just pulling out, but, hearing our whistle,
backed before us until we were able to take the side-track. It stopped,
however, in such a manner as completely to close up the other end of the
switch. The two trains, side by side, almost touched each other, and our
precipitate arrival caused natural suspicion. Many searching questions
were asked, which had to be answered before we could get the
opportunity of proceeding. We in the box-car could hear the altercation,
and were almost sure that a fight would be necessary before the
conductor would consent to "pull up" in order to let us out. Here again
our position was most critical, for the pursuers were rapidly