The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1894-02-08

at its worst, your case was only AN
error OF Judgment, and then nothing
really happened. Old IS seems to
have the habit of pulling herself
through. suppose you and she have
been in worse fixes than that with
not a word said about it
''Oh, yes" said John. "We've
been in many a tight place together,
but We won't be in any more. It's
tough, as you say. I've been fifteen
years with the company ana seven on
old So, ard at first il comes mighty
hard. But 1 suppose I'll get used to
it,"
Look here, John" said the con
ductor, lowering his voice to a con-
fidential tone, 'thc President Of the
road is with us tonight. His private
car is the last but n on the train.
How would It do to speak to him: If
you're afraid to tackle him I'll put in
a word for YOU in a minute and tell
him your side of the story.
John Saggart shook his bead.
SIT wouldn't do" he said. '1He
wouldn't overrule what one Of his
suDordinates had done. unless there
was serious Injustice in the case. It's
the new manager, you know. There's
always trouble with the new man
agcr. He sweeps clean. And sup
pose he thinks by bouncing one OF the
oldest engineers on the road he'll
scare the rest"
''Well, | don't think much OF him,
between oGr.elves,' said the con-
ductor, ''what do you think he has
done tonight? He's put a new man
on SG-a man from one of the branch
lines who doesn't know the road, l
doubt if he's ever been over the main
line efore. Now it's an anxious
enough time for me with all the
Christmas traffic moving, with the
thermometer at zero. and the rails
like glass. and l like to have a man
in front that l can depend on"
''It's bad enough not TO know the
road" said John gloomily, "but it's
worse not to know old So shc's a
bruIe if she takes Il notion"
II don't suppose there's another
eng that could draw this train
and keep her time
mo. She'll do her work all right
if You'll humOr her. admitted Sag-
CART. who could not conceal his love
for the engine, even while he blamed
her.
We'll" said the conductor, rising
and picking up his lantern, 1.-THE
man in front may be all right, but |
would feel safer if you were further
ahead o. this train than the smoker,
I'm sorry l can't offer you a birth to-
night, John, but we're full clear
through to the rear lights. There
isn't even vacant upper on the
train"
''Oh, it doesn't matter said sag
CART. II couldn't sleep anyhow.
I'd rather sit here and look out of the
window"
We'll, so long," said the conduct
or. "lll drop in and see you as the
night passes on"
Saggart lit his pipe and gazed out
into the darkness. He knew every
inch Of the road-all the up-grades
and the down grades and the levels.
He knew it even better in the dark
est night than in the CT Arrest day.
occasionally the black bulk of a barn
or a clump Of trees showed for one mo-
mcnt against the less black sky and
>aggart would say to himself "Now
he should shut off an inch of steam :"
or ''Now he should throw her wide
OPEN
The train made few stops, but he
saw that they were losing time->6
was sulking. very likely. The thought
OF the engine turned his mind to his
own fate. No man Was of very much
us in the world alter all, for the
moment he steps down another is
ready TO stand in his place. The
wise men in the city, who had lis
tened TO his detc .se, knew 50 well
that an engine was merely a combina-
tion OF iron. steel, and brass. and
that a given number Of pounds Of
steam would get it I'VE agiycn num-
Der OF miles in "A given number of
hours. had smiled incredulously when
he told them that an engin had her
tantrums and that sometimes she had
to be coddled up like any other fe-
male, and that ever when a nan did
his best there were occasions when
nothing he could do would mollify
her, and then there was sure to be
trouble. although John had added, in
his desire to be fair, that she was al
ways sorry for it afterwards, which
$1,000 - a ~~r : - =,
the smile into a laugh.
He wondered what So thought of
the new man. Not much, evidently,
for She was losing time which she
had no business to do on that section
Of the road. Still, it might be the
fault OF the new man not knowing
when to push her for ali she was
worth and when to ease up. All
these things 90 to the making up of
time. Still il was moro than likely