"This is it!" Lijuan cried. "I've got to hit the brakes now so the train will stop between the herd and the town!" The words barely left her mouth when the pair felt the train tilt to one side, having entered the loop at such a high rate of speed. They held their breath waiting to see if they would go over on their side but the train lurched back steady again and Lijuan thrust the braking bar into action.
The screaming, the cattle’s cries, the bells, everything was drowned out by the screeching of the metal wheels locking up on the rails, and the juggernaut they had been riding finally began to slow as the brakes worked overtime to bring the train to a rolling stop. Dutch stuck his head out the side of the cab and hooted with joy as the curve of all the cars that made up the train rolled to a stop and impenetrable barrier between the herd and the main street.
The shout of joy in his throat trailed off at the horrendous sight of the frontline of cattle, unable to stop in time smashed at full speed into the wall of train cars. Necks were snapped instantly and blood flew through air staining the sides of the boxcars. Those in the front that weren't killed outright in the collision were crushed to death by the bulk of the herd plowing into them as the mass of cattle came to a stop. The impact of so many cattle hitting the train rattled even the mighty locomotive.
"Oh, my god," Lijuan breathed as she looked out the window by the engineer's seat and backward at the length of the train. Dutch knew that she was feeling what he felt. Though they were eventually bound for slaughter at the very stockyards that contributed to Stanton's Gap's prosperity, they didn't feel good about having a hand in them dying like this. But there hadn't been any choice between them and a town full of innocents. At the back of the crowd of milling cattle, the Calico ranchers had at last arrived and were working to keep the herd from attempting to head back out into the desert and contained by the side of the train. A few managed to escape but by and large coming to a stop had taken the fight and flight out of nearly the entire herd.
Suddenly another rivet blew out from the boiler and a jet of scalding hot steam shot out from one side. Dutch jumped back just in time to avoid being scalded before the blast petered out. Forgetting about the cattle, Lijuan had jumped from her seat and he saw her look at one glass-like cylinder on the boiler and then up at the main gauge … it was now pegged out at two hundred and fifty and God only knew how much higher it actually was.
Lijuan leaned out the side of the engine facing the town and saw that the train had come to a stop directly beside the Wylee-Farmher and to her horror she saw every window had faces jammed in it and throngs of people who had fled to the roof for safety were looking down at the carnage and bellowing cattle.
The desperation in Lijuan’s voice chilled him to a degree that he had never experienced before as she seized his arm in a viselike grip.
"Earlier before, you said you know how to uncouple the cars. Do it now! Free up the engine! We've got to move it out. If I can't release the pressure it's not a question of if this thing is going to blow, it's when. If it blows up here and now it may not kill as many people as the cattle would have, but it'll be a bloodbath!"
He squeezed her hand. "I'm on it!" and with that, he disappeared from the cab making his way back to the coupling hooking the locomotive to the coal tender.
Dutch paled at the sight of the two couplings locked together from each earlier having been smashed into a lump of distorted metal effectively fusing them together … permanently. His mind had forgotten about this development until this moment. There would be no uncoupling the two. Shaking his head in frustration he resolved to move onto the coupling at the rear of the coal tender.
In the cab, Lijuan was also startled to find the full extent of the damage from the rock that had sailed through the window striking the boiler. Her stomach had flipped when she had bolted from the engineer's seat desperate to alleviate the growing pressure within the boiler and she saw the pressure relief valve. Taking a hit from the rock, it had been mangled into uselessness. If there was some type of backup switch, lever, or control to vent the pressure, she didn't know it. Now with no way to release it, there was now no doubt that the boiler would detonate, it was as she had said, only a question of when.
CHAPTER 14
* * *
So focused on the destroyed equipment and shattered gauges, Lijuan gave a start when she suddenly heard her name being shouted and she thrust her head back out the door and was greeted by the sight of her three sisters rushing towards the locomotive.
Unaware of the danger, Catalina was laughing. "See! I sure as sugar told you I thought I saw her at the controls of that train when I was up in that bell tower!"
Lijuan’s screams brought them to halt only a few feet from the cab. “Get everyone out of that hotel and any of the buildings near this engine! Get them as far from here as possible! This engine is a powder keg about to blow and whoever doesn’t get vaporized is looking at getting cut to ribbons by the shrapnel! I’m going to try to get it as far away as possible! Go! Move!”
None of the trio wanted to leave their sister sitting on top of the biggest bomb they had ever seen, but her words hit home and they knew she spoke the truth that the denizens of Stanton’s Gap were now still very much in danger. Honor and Catalina looked at Cassandra pleadingly and she could only nod her head for them to turn around.
“I’ll attempt to clear the hotel! You girls try and get everyone heading back towards the far end of the street! The curious are going to be moving in to look at the train, and it will be a death sentence!”
The pair charged off and Cassandra lingered for a second her eyes meeting Lijuan's as her younger sister motioned frantically for her to get moving. As long as she lived Cassandra knew she would never be able to make up for her horrible treatment of Lijuan when they were little girls, but she needed Lijuan to live so she could keep trying. In anguish, she turned and started running, but once again ground to a halt as out of the corner of her eye she saw Dutch standing near the couplings of the tender and the first boxcar. He was yanking on the end of some type of metal rod protruding from the coupling mechanism.
“Dutch! How are you two here on this train?”
“I heard what Lijuan shouted to you! Go!!”
A helpless anger swept over Cassandra as she bolted for the front porch of the hotel. Now both Lijuan and Dutch could be dead in minutes or even seconds, not to mention herself. At least the other two would likely survive. She had deliberately selected the hotel for herself because if the boiler exploded anyone in the hotel wouldn’t have a chance. Better her dying than Honor Elizabeth or Cattie.
As his sister raced away, Dutch seized the other metallic pin sticking out of the coupling. The system as he remembered had been simple. When the trains coupled a workman would place a metallic link into the “female” ends of the couplers sticking out of the end of the train car and then drop two large metallic pins through holes that allowed them to pass through the center of the link. Coupling the cars together was extremely dangerous, as the officer he had been helping with the Army train told him many a man had lost their hands and even their lives if the trains moved too suddenly during the coupling.
Uncoupling was much simpler and safer, as all Dutch needed to do was remove the pins. It should have been that way, but whatever curse had fallen upon this day continued. Apparently, the avalanche had done its damage here, too, as it had pelted the train sending rocks raining down on the pin and link system. It had bent this pin, the crucial one on the end of the link that held the coal tender, preventing it from easily being pulled free.
Straining he could feel it slowly giving ground as it moved upward through the link but it was taking too long! He could hear Lijuan rising voice telling him to hurry. Sweat soaked through his shirt as his muscles strained. It gave more of its length. Now he wished he hadn’t sent Cassandra away. He knew together they could have manhandled it free. He looked to the side hoping that someone else was immediately nearby when, like a vision out of the best dream
in all of the world, he saw a horse and rider charging directly towards him. With a smile that felt like it would split his face wide open, he saw it was Bright Feather!
Her exhausted horse wobbled on its four legs even as she leaped from it and dashed towards Dutch. Behind her, he saw the animal drop to its side panting and wheezing. Further out he saw his own horse with Pierce astride it quickly disappearing as it looped around the far end of the train to gain access to the now cut off the main street. Bright Feather fell in front of him throwing her arms around him and he squeezed her tight.
“Dutch! What’s happening!” she cried as he released her.
"Help me pull this!" he shouted. A few scant seconds later she was raising her hands to wrap around the partially extended pin. The muscles in their arms burned as they fought to pull the bent pin free and suddenly it was! Dutch immediately started banging on the side of the boxcar with the pin as a signal the cars were disengaged while he shouted, "You're free and clear!"
Immediately the tender started moving away from them and this time it was Dutch who threw his arms around Bright Feather and kissed her deeply.
“Dutch! Oh, Dutch! I so feared I would lose you!”
He grabbed both of her hands and squeezed them as he looked into her soft brown eyes.
“You still might, but if you do … know that I love … l love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone!”
“What do you mean? I don’t understand?”
"I can't let Lijuan do this alone! The engine is about to explode! He quickly kissed her once more and turned to start running towards the locomotive that was picking up steam, but it wasn't going fast enough that he couldn't jump aboard. He had only covered several paces when he was astonished as suddenly his way was blocked by the sudden appearance of one of the errant bulls. While most of them had come to a confused standstill several were still charging about madly in confusion apparently having regained a second wind after their long run from the gap.
Dutch attempted to dodge around it to the right but the angry beast stomped its hooves and moved to block his way.
“You son of a bitch! Out of my way!” he screamed as he feinted to the left trying to get around it that way to no avail.
“Dutch, be careful!” he heard Bright Feather cry out somewhere behind him.
Again, he tried to go to the right around the bull, and once more it countered him. Under the stress of the afternoon’s events, Dutch had reached the limits of his patience. Tired of playing matador to this bull, he grabbed his six-shooter intending to blow the creature’s brains out if it meant getting past it to his sister.
“Hold up now! We got this!” came a cry as a rope suddenly dropped out of the air and landed around the bull’s head, before it was being yanked back in a noose. Dutch looked over to see it was Cauley that had shouted at him on horseback while another rider next to him had actually managed to lasso the animal.
Now unimpeded Dutch ran past the bull, but he was too late! The train had picked up too much speed. He would never be able to catch up with it now and he felt his heart being squeezed knowing Lijuan was almost out of time.Pivoting around he began to holler towards Cauley.
“Give me your horse! I have to save my sister!”
“No way, mister! I know my ride, and she don’t take to strangers trying to ride her. I’ve seen her buck a couple of cowhands who tried right off of her back! Besides I’m the only one who is going to be able to coax any more speed out of her after that run we just made! I’ll get Miss Wilde!”
“Go! Please hurry! You’ve got to catch her!” he cried out in frustration at not being able to take the matter of saving his beloved sister into his own hands and having to rely on this stranger, but he had no choice. Bright Feather was at his side now and he slipped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close as his view of the train grew ever smaller
Up on the hotel roof, Cassandra had begun firing her twin pearl-handled six-shooters into the air to cajole those who had refused to flee back down as she had ordered when she first arrived. Under the threat of the gunfire, those who had hoped to remain and gawk at the sight of the train and the mound of dead cattle on the other side of it took flight towards the door leading back down into the hotel.
As the last man vaulted away, Cassandra stole a look down onto the street as gunfire reached her ears. Proud that sometimes the sisters thought alike, she saw Honor Elizabeth was also shooting in the air and Catalina was snapping her bullwhip to drive the curious back.
Satisfied, she turned and looked out beyond the town. The locomotive had swept past the stockyards at the edge of Stanton’s Gap! Lijuan had cleared the town and was now heading out into open space at full speed. Her chest tightened knowing this might really be it for her sister. Suddenly a flicker of hope ignited within her as she caught sight of a horseman galloping along the tracks closing in on the train.
CHAPTER 15
* * *
Aboard the train Lijuan sat in the engineer's seat, a strange calm had come over her as the town fell behind her and she let her hands fall away from the now unresponsive controls. Up ahead she watched as the train approached a large outcropping that seemed out of place on the wide-open plain that stretched before her.
For an insane moment, she laughed out loud, thinking it looked like a giant piece of bread standing on its end. As she passed it, the calmness returned to her. He was safe … they were safe. The townspeople were safe, too, of course, but they were just an afterthought, an extra bonus. It was her family being safe truly being the only thing that mattered to her.
Now it was her time to die she knew. The boiler was shaking and rattling and making all kinds of ghastly noises, no doubt the precursor to the explosion. The fighter in her forced her to give the controls one more try. The throttle had somehow become locked into the full position and the braking lever also had become inoperable, probably burned out when she had brought the train to a sudden halt to block the stampede.
At this moment with the train traveling a full speed jumping wasn’t an option. Hitting the ground at that speed would no doubt kill her instantly, and if it didn’t, she’d probably break every bone in her body. She shuddered at the memory of Vega, the ranch hand who had been left unable to move his arms or his legs when his horse had rolled over on him while he was attempting to lasso a runaway Hereford.
Lijuan had just been a child then, when the ranch had newly opened and she remembered Catalina’s mother, her step-mother, sobbing when the man had begged the Wildes to put him to death, as he could not live with being a prisoner in a useless body. Mercedes Corderro had recruited Vega away from her family’s vineyard in Mexico to take a job at the ranch and she felt terribly guilty. The Wildes had paid for his care, but he had only lived a couple months longer before he had found someone at the care home who would put a pillow over his head for the promise of the location of some money he had hidden in a tin can back at the ranch’s bunkhouse.
Lijuan knew she could never live like that either and tried to console herself with the fact that she would feel nothing as she was vaporized in the epicenter of the coming blast. Beside her the glass on the pressure gauge shattered blowing the shards outwards coating the floor of the cabin. She clamped her eyes shut knowing she probably only had seconds when out of nowhere she heard someone shouting her name. Over the hissing and groans of the boiler, she could not tell who it was other than it was a man … David! It had to be David! He was there to look out for her like had always done! He was coming to get her!
She bolted to the side of the cab and hung out the open door and looked back to see a rider charging alongside the locomotive. Her heart fell for just a moment when she saw it was not her half-brother, but she quickly tamped down the irrational disappointment. The man was calling for her to get ready to leap onto his horse.
She didn’t need to be told twice as she held onto the bar the engineers usually used to pull themselves up into the cab, but she was too late. Whatever reserves Cauley had be
en able to draw from his mount, especially after having made the mad dash after the herd all the way from the gap, was spent and the pair began to fall behind the locomotive and were now parallel with the coal tender and would soon fall behind that as well.
Not willing to miss her chance at salvation she bolted out the back of the cab and scrambled up the side of the coal tender and darted over the uneven load of coal. Reaching the end of the tender she lowered herself onto a precarious position with her feet atop a narrow lip that ran around the base of the of the tender, her hands clutching the side of the car to keep from falling off.
Suddenly, Cauley fell back and drew up alongside her. Taking a deep breath, she reached out, grabbed his left shoulder and made her leap landing behind his saddle. Lijuan yelped for a moment as she felt her momentum making her start to slide off to the right, but suddenly the foreman’s hand snaked back and seized her outstretched left arm, halting her slide and yanking her back upright. She lost little time looping her arms around his waist and leaning forward she shouted at the top of her lungs.
“We’re not safe here! Double back and get behind that rock formation!”
“But the train is heading off on its own!”
“Do it!!” she shouted, there was no time to explain what her beau had told her once when he had described a boiler explosion outside a roundhouse in St. Louis that had killed nearly a dozen men. Her man had described something she had never heard of before, but its effects were frightening. He had called it a pressure wave.
Bowing to the steely resolve in the Oriental woman’s voice, Cauley jerked the reins and looped his flagging horse back towards the odd-looking rock formation that grew larger and larger before them.
Sing The Death Song: Dutch Wilde & Bright Feather Western Adventure (Half Breed Haven Book 6) Page 11
