Empire Builders: Large Print

By: Lynde, Francis

Engine Number 206, narrow gauge, was pushing, or rather failing to push, the oldfashioned box-plow through the crusted drifts on the uptilted shoulder of Plug Mountain, ataltitude ten thousand feet, with the mercury at twelve below zero. There was a wind-thewinter day above timber-line without its wind is as rare as a thawing Christmas-and it cutlike knives through any garmenting lighter than fur or leather. The cab of the 206 was oldand weather-shaken, and Ford pulled the collar of his buffalo coat about his ears when thegrunting of the exhaust and the shrilling of the wheels on the snow-shod rails stoppedabruptly."Gar-r-r " snarled Gallagher, the red-headed Irish engineer, shutting off the steam inimpotent rage. "The power is not in this dommed ould camp-kittle sewin' machine 'Tisheaven's pity they wouldn't be givin' us wan man-sized, fightin' lokimotive on this ind ofthe line, Misther Foord."Ford, superintendent and general autocrat of the Plug Mountain branch of the PacificSouthwestern, climbed down from his cramped seat on the fireman's box and stoodscowling at the retracting index of the steam-gauge. When he was on his feet beside thelittle Irishman, you saw that he was a young man, well-built, square-shouldered andathletic under the muffling of the shapeless fur greatcoat; also, that in spite of the scowl, hisclean-shaven face was strong and manly and good to look upon."Power " he retorted. "That's only one of the hundred things they don't give us, Mike. Lookat that steam-gauge-freezing right where she stands ""'Tis so," assented Gallagher. "She'd be dead and shtiff in tin minutes be the clock if we'dlave her be in this drift."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B08B7T1PKR
• ISBN13: 9798654145871
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 196 Pages
• Weight: 1.03 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 8.5" x 11.0"