The Runaway Freight

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Billy, a station hand, and Ruth, a telegraph operator, are sweethearts. Ruth, however, declines to marry the boy because of his small salary. Rand, a freight conductor, is also in love with Ruth. Billy secures a transfer and becomes a brakeman. He is assigned to Rand's train. The freight conductor shows his dislike for the boy. During one of the runs. Rand and Billy engage in a fist fight and the conductor is badly beaten. He vows to get even. Two tramps steal aboard the train. Rand hires them to attack Billy. The latter puts up a smashing fight and is only beaten when one of the tramps hits him with a blackjack. Billy fails dazed and is thrown from the train into a river. The water revives the boy and he swims to shore. He flags a train and is taken back to the station in a serious condition. Later, Billy's mother persuades him to give up his perilous position. Ruth, believing his resignation due to cowardice, breaks their engagement. Rand brands the boy as a quitter. The conductor receives orders sidetracking his train until the Fast Mail passes. Further up the line, a car breaks loose from a freight and dashes down the hill. Ruth is ordered to stop the Fast Mail, but the warning comes too late. She pleads with Rand to halt the runaway, but the man declines, saying he can do nothing. Billy overhears the conversation. Dashing over to Rand's side-tracked freight, he climbs to the roof of a ear. The runaway approaches and Billy leaps aboard it as it flashes by. Crawling to the brakes, the boy claps them on. The runaway car stops just in time to avoid a terrible collision with the Fast Mail. His heroic conduct brings promotion to Billy and with it Ruth's consent to be his wife.