Suddenly it commenced again, and seemed louder and clearer than before. I halted again. God have mercy upon me! I exclaimed involuntarily. It was the rumble of the wheels of a coming train, beyond a question. I sprang to the ground and placed my ear to the rail. The train was coming from the west; it must be a "construction train," laden with materials for the road, and possibly with laborers as well. The track occupied the full width of the shed, allowing only for the overhang of the cars. A man might escape by lying down; but a horse was almost sure of death, and if the train struck him, it must go off the track almost inevitably. I was upon old Jerky's back before I was even aware of what I was doing, and started down the grade, to the eastward, as fast as his stiff and clumsy legs, urged by whip and spur, and the attraction of gravitation, could move him. Clearer and clearer came the humming noise; and I heard, at length, a short, sharp whistle, as the rushing train entered a tunnel, turned a sharp curve, or passed out of a tunnel. It could not be more than two miles, or three at most, away. Jerky skated over the ice-patches, and floundered through the small snow-drifts which had filtered in through the crevices in the shed-work, but reckless of danger to limbs alone in presence of the greater danger to myself, and perhaps hundreds of my fellow-men, I whipped and spurred unceasingly, and drove him on at the height of his speed. Nearer and nearer came the train. I could already hear the chough, chough, chough of the locomotive behind me. At last I saw an opening in
