Page:Frank Packard - On the Iron at Big Cloud.djvu/188

 had slipped. His brain seemed warped and weakened, simple as a child's in its workings; his memory fogged and dazed, full of indefinite, intangible snatches, vague, indeterminate glimpses of his life before. One thing seemed to cling to him, to predominate, to sway him—the Devil's Slide.

Regan and Carleton talked to him, trying to guide his thoughts and stimulate his memory.

"You remember you used to drive an engine, don't you, Chick?" asked Carleton.

"Engine?" Coogan nodded. "Yes; in the Devil's Slide."

"505," said Regan quickly. "You know old 505."

Coogan shook his head.

Carleton tried another tack.

"You were in a bad accident, Coogan, one night. You were in the cab of the engine when she went to smash. Do you remember that?"

"The smash was on the Devil's Slide," said Coogan.

"That's it," cried Carleton. "I knew you'd remember."

"They're always there," said Coogan simply, "always there. It is a bad track. I'm a railroad man and I know. It's not properly guarded. I'm going to work there and take care of it."

"Work there?" said Regan, the tears almost in his eyes. "What kind of work? What do you want to do, Chick?"

"Just work there," said Coogan. "Take care of the Devil's Slide."

The super and the master mechanic looked at each