"There! we've started again."
But the train puffed on for only a short distance and then "snubbed" its
nose into another snow-bank. The wheels of the locomotive clogged, the
flues filled with snow, the wet fuel all but extinguished the fire.
Before the engineer could back the heavy train, the snow swirled in
behind it and built a drift over the platform of the rear coach. The
train was completely stalled.
This happened after eleven o'clock and while they were between stations.
It was a lonely and rugged country, and even farm-houses were far apart.
The train was about midway between stations, the distance from one to the
other being some twenty miles. The weight of the snow had already broken
down long stretches of telegraph and telephone wires. No aid for the
snow-bound train and passengers could be obtained.
Before this, however, the porter had insisted upon making up the girls'
berths and, like most of the other passengers in the Pullman, Nan and
Bess were asleep. While the passengers slept the snow continued to sift
down, building the drifts higher and higher, and causing the train-crew
increasing worriment of mind.
The locomotive could no longer pierce the drifts. The train had been too
heavy for her from the first. Fuel supply had been renewed at the
Junction, as well as water; but the coal was now needed to keep up steam
for the cars--and it would not last long for that purpose.
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