The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-11

wouldn't let him. so there! But what
do you think, dear; it wasn't anything
wrong this time, but I guess he's had
some terrible, terrible letter from
headquarters. and they wouldn't accept
your resignation, and he's in an awful
stew-O, if you just could have seen
his face-and they want you to come
back. He hated to tell nae! 1t almost
choaked him, but it had to come
What did you tell him?'
Tell him? Why, l told him the
truth! That you were going to the P. &
o. after you got over the sickness he'd
caused you. No, no, dear, didn't say
it quite in that way"
But you gave him to understand as
much?"
Mrs. Dingley gazed up into her hus-
bands grave face, and penitently nod
ded her head.
II couldn't help it, dear. just had
to, when / thought of all you'd gone
through. o, he's putting in an awful
day, l tell you"
Dingley was struggling to his feet.
Sam Dingley. what are you trying
to do?"
I'm going down to see Hinchman,
dear. l must
But the Doctor"
II can stand it, or I wouldn't try It.
1t will do me more good than all the
medicine in the world
Mrs. Dingley misunderstood his
meaning, and busted herself in helping
him dress and prepare for the short
journey to the Office. Then she caught
the happy light in his eyes. and she
I burst forth, almost in tears:
Sam Dingley, do believe you're 60
ing down to take that resignation
back. You won't refuse the offer from
cousin George, will you. dear?"
She chung to his arm, but he unclasp-
ed her hands and kissed her.
We'll see, dear-well see."
Hinchman had finished his letter, the
seventh that he had started. 1t was not
satisfactory to him. 1t would probably
find less favor at headquarters. He
fumbled in his desk for a stamp and
shadow fell across the tesselated
floor. He looked up and saw a man
peering through the glass panel. It was
Dingley.
Hinchman sprang to his feet and
flung the door open eagerly Then he
remembered and pulled himself togeth-
er. The conversation which followed
between manager and excursion con-
ductor is not a matter of record, but
when Dtngley rose he said:
This will be something of a disau-
pointment to my wife. She thought
there was better prospect for me with
the z. & Q. Heaven only knows why
women have such faith in their own
husbands, but she has a notion that I
might be president of the P. &, o. some
day. But then,"-and his voice broke
a trifie-'she don't understand what il
is to work for one line TWENTY-FIVE
years. Why, a fellow feels as If the
blamed road couldn't turn a wheel
without him.
He was in the main Office now. and
Hinchman's gate had swung shut with
snap. But above the gate was Hinch-
man hand, cordially outstretched. His
firm, carefully manicured fingers closed
over Dingley's hot, nervous hand. He
hesitated just second, then looked
Dingley fairly in the eye.
Il don't believe you know, Dingley,
what nasty scrape you've saved me.
DO you have any idea what an amount
OF politics there is in railroading?"
Dlngley nodded his head sympathet-
ically. He had not worked eight long
years in headquarters for nothing
Hinchman raised his voice nervously.
Man, it's hell. The NJ. r. & N. send
me down here with orders to weed out
the X. f. men and substitute our own
people. ana then the first break 1 make
TO OBEY orders they threaten to settle
the matter satisfactorily from that end
OF the line-which means my head
would drop into the basket. Let me tell
you 1t isn't always the little fish that
get caught on the hook"
But Dingley was not listening. His
hand had instinctively reached for his
watch chain. Yes, when he got home
ned take out the r. P. charm. Once
more he had the right to wear ii.