The Transgressors. Story of a Great Sin. A Political Novel of the Twentieth CenturyAdams, Francis A. (Francis Alexandre)
General
The Transgressors. Story of a Great Sin. A Political Novel of the Twentieth Century
Adams, Francis A. (Francis Alexandre)
Political fiction
"The train will reach this spot first," she cries aloud. "The miners are
waiting for it to get nearer to them."
Acting upon a sudden impulse, she runs up the track a distance of a
hundred yards. There are rocks lying on the side of the track nearest
the mountain.
One, two, three big rocks she places on the track.
A faint cheer reaches her.
"They have started the car," she laughs hysterically.
"It will not harm the Keystone. No, it will stop here."
Another and another rock is placed on the rails.
She knows that these boulders are a poor impediment to a wildcat car;
but they are the only things available.
A whirring sound rings in her ears. It is the car rolling down the grade
with the velocity of a thunder-bolt.
In a minute or two at the most, the car will be upon her.
Still she does not falter. The second pyramid must be completed.
Again she turns to look down the track. The headlight of the engine
seems to be upon her. It is, in fact, just crossing the culvert.
A glance at the pile of rocks makes them appear insignificant.
"They will never be able to stop the car," she moans.
Then with a final effort she tugs at a boulder larger than any of the
others. She has it on the rail when the whistling of the engine startles
her.
The engineer has seen the lower pyramid of rocks on the track and has
whistled "down brakes."
The train is stopping; it will be saved, for one of the two obstructions
will derail the motor-car.
Sister Martha starts to run down the track. She has not taken a dozen
steps when the juggernaut dashes into the pyramid of rocks.
Instantly there is a flash and an explosion, that shakes the mountain.
Great ledges of rock slide from the overhanging crags.
In a shower of splintered stone, Martha is literally entombed. Her life
is sacrificed on the altar of devotion. She has lived a Christian and
dies a martyr.
But the Keystone Express is saved.
Its passengers and crew, when they recover from the fright occasioned by
the explosion, hasten from the cars. Trainmen are sent up the track to
investigate. Brakemen are also sent down the track to carry the news to
the station.
One of these men stumbles across Widow Braun. He returns to the train
carrying her.
From her, Trueman and the other passengers, including the Coal and Iron
Police, learn of the plot to wreck the train and of the heroic effort
made by Sister Martha and the widow herself, to avert the calamity.
Trueman starts in quest of Sister Martha. Accompanied by one of the
trainmen with a lamp, he reaches the scene of the explosion.
The trainman discovers the body of Martha.
Bending over the prostrate body Harvey Trueman weeps. It is the manly
expression of deep emotion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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