Page:George Collins - A Strange Railroad Wreck.pdf/44

30 asleep on duty," grinned the fireman to the front brakeman, who sat on the seat beside him.

"Well, it's the first time I ever heard of her being asleep in her office," replied the brakeman. "We'll have to tease Fleming about it. He's back in the caboose, isn't he?"

"Yes, but you can be sure he'll see her; he never passes here without waving his lantern. He didn't know he was going to work on Forty-nine till he got down to the yard tonight; Forty-seven's his regular run, you know. Wonder if his sweetheart wasn't mad because he didn't wave to her off Forty-seven?"

Joe Fleming, who was now what is known as "middle" brakeman, being a promotion from "front" brakeman, was standing on the platform at the rear of his caboose, looking toward the telegraph office, as the fireman predicted. Seeing Mercedes in the position described, he murmured:

"Poor girl! She has worn herself out through loss of sleep and worry. Let her sleep; she can ask the next office north of here what time we passed, as many operators do, and in that way fill in her train sheet. I wish I could be there to talk to and comfort her when she awakens. I wonder if she was disappointed very much at not seeing me on Forty-seven? She will not know that the yardmaster changed me to Forty-nine till I get back to Unionville." He kept his eyes fixed on the window as long as it could be seen, then