The boy dashed off; in a few minutes he came flying back.
"Had it repeated," he panted. "Williams is storming at you; says there's no mistake, and you'd best get on."
He thrust the second message up as he spoke.
Markley read it, and stood hesitating for half a minute.
There was dismay and utter perplexity in the expression of his face as he looked at the telegram and the long train behind him. His lips moved as if he were calculating chances, and his eyes suddenly quailed as if he saw death at the end of the calculation. I was watching him with considerable curiosity. I ventured to ask him what was the matter, and what he was going to do.
"I'm going to obey," he said curtly.
The engine gave a long shriek of horror that made me start as if it were Markley's own voice. The next instant we slipped out of the station and dashed through low-lying farms at a speed which seemed dangerous to me.
"Put in more coal," said Markley.
I shoveled in more, but took time.
"We are going very fast, Markley."