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Rh And hardly had he comforted himself with this assurance when the motor stopped. The aviator merely shook a weary head and muttered the words: "Engine trouble."

Swiftly the earth rose to receive the volplaning mechanism. Under Coast's admirable handling the biplane settled down on the outskirts of a city whose name Alan never learned.

Barely were they down before he was out and making his way toward the manager's office connected with the adjacent train-yard.

Judith followed him like a shadow.

Lavish disbursement of money won him his way. Within twenty minutes Alan and Judith were spinning through open country in the cab of an engine running light, with only clear track between it and the special.

The several hours that ensued before the lights of the special appeared were none too many for the task of overcoming the scruples of the engineer and fireman. But convinced (at least outwardly) that they were not dealing with a lunatic, they at length accepted his money and his promise of a life pension should they lose their jobs, and, disregarding signals, brought the light engine rapidly up toward the rear of the special.

Within a few hundred feet of the special, Alan saw first one figure hurtle over the rear rail, fall to the