Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-07-24
CHAPTER TX.
Copyright, 1901, by Charles King

not only broke up mob, but quite as
efectually downed the Seattle. The
chagrin of Messrs. Barclay and others
representing that powerful and wealthy
corporation could not be concealed de-
spite all their brave show Of satisfac-
tion. The Big Horn had all trains
running and Its live stock In Chicago
before the Seattle could succeed in fir
Ing a freight engine. The Big Horn
behaved magnanimously to its mis-
guided employees, for Claiming was
4 man ever IN touch with the great ar
my of operatives and knew how best
to win their sympnthles and willing
service. Every engineer, fireman and
trainhand who had not taken active
part In the destruction of property
was back ut his post inside of "a hours,
whereas the anger, envy and disgust
ranking in Mr.. Barclays bosom
against the Big Horn could only find
vent In malicious newspaper items ut
the expense of the rival management
and heroic measures at that Of his
men. 1t was a day of disaster to the
Seattle and Of triumph for the Big;
Horn, and the breach, already BROADER
than the gorge of the Red Water, now
widened between the roads. Charming
couldn't help Dragging and exulting,
and 1t was bad policy. The Seattle
was much the richer company Of the
two. Its stock was mainly held In
England and the eastern states, where
as the Big Horn was western in own
ership and management. Barclay gave
big dinner at the Brentwood House
three days after the break of the
strike, to which all local journalists
and magnates were hidden, the cigars
and champagne for which were ex-
pressed from Chicago, and in the post
prandial eloquence on that flowery oc-
casion much stress was laid on the
fact that the Seattle would rather suf-
Ter double its loss than that it should
so down to history as having won Its
victory by means of shotted guns in
the hands Of hireling soldiery leveled
at the breast Of Brentwoods manhood.
Captain Nathan made an effective
speech in response to the toast to the
army. 1T would have been an easy
matter" said he, "for my brave men to
shoot their speedier way to the scene
of action, but TINT from his great and
mcrciful heart the general manager of
tho Seattle declared that he would
rather the earnings of a thousand years
went up in smoke than that the blood
OF one honest toiler should lie at their
DOORS. Tremendous and long contin-
ued applause ensued, through which
Santley and Woodrow sat In grim ST.
ience and in which even Torrance only
half .heartedly Joined, for well they re-
membered Barclays almost frenzied
appeals to Nathan to get ahead, for
Gods sake, and do something, If he had
to dam the Red Water with the dead.
Melville, his eyes covered, his head
still bandaged, lay upon low couch
In an upper room, attended by his de-
voted wife and niece. The sound Of
'revelry by night came from below with
explosive puffs, and the manager of
the Brentwood twice tapped at the
door to express his regret and anxiety
and the hope that the major wasn't be-
ing disturbed. Its the Seattle blow
on" he explained, land the roads set
ting 'em up for I'LL Corners apparently"
when does the Big Horn set 'em
up?' asked Melville, with a smile Of
amusement.
The B. H. doesn't have to" answered
Boniface. by the way, sir, Mr.. Chan
ming goes east again tomorrow, and he
hopes that you will feel able to see
him. OF course he isn't at the BAN
Quet," he added, with grin. "We'ye
had queer time with the rival fac
lions In the house,
1t had indeed been a queer time.
Barclay, as became the managing head
of great road, had taken suit of
rooms on the parlor floor, with his sec
rotary, typewriters and assistants,
while Charming and his one aid-de-
camp, Mr.. Langdon, occupied modest
rooms on the floor above and attended
to business over at the station. Bar
clay nodded patronizingly when he met
or passed Charming and once SO far
unbent as to take one hand out of his
trousers pocket and extend finger to
his rival. But he never seemed to see
sLangdon, and Langdon had an aggra-
waiting way of looking straight into the
others face in calmly speculative
manner, as though he considered him
some curious specimen of the freak"
family, a subject for leisurely contem-
plation, but in nowise thing to be &C
costed.
The regular officers and many of
those Of the state troops took their "a
tions ut the Brentwood the few days
they were there ON duty, and 1t was GU
casions that Langdon entered the din
ing room while the military was there.
The guardsmen to man either arose
to shake his hand or else whirled
around In their seats and waved him
Joyous greeting. Woodrow, of the ar
tillery, too, sprang to his feet and os-
tentatiously went half across the din
ing room to clap him on the shoulders
or slap him between them on the broad
of the back. Once, finding vacant
seat by Langdon's side, the rash sub
altern quit the table Of his command
ing officer and finished his dinner at
Channing's, and Nathan and Torrance,
who never saw Langdon at all, took
prompt note of the desertion and held
1t up against the youngster as an af-
front to be expatiated through many a
slight and snub and semiofficial an-
noyance when they harked back to
Pawnee. 1t was plain that Langdon
was a marked man in the eyes of the