The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-11


anxiety, that Martin began to look
older and his dry Indian hair began to
crawl over his forehead. BY that time his
eyes had lost their snap, and when he
motioned Giddings to the key. and got up
TO walk up and down the hall in the breeze,
he looked like a xilted potato vine. His
last batch of orders was only little one
compared with those that had gone before.
But with the changes to the different
crews they read about like this:
''Telegraphic train order No. g. Mountain
division. superintendent office, Aug. s,
1892.
For Medicine Bend to c. and f. of En-
gines 66a 73S S10 326 and 500
Eng mes 66I, 73s. $40 and 326 will run as
four specials. Medicine Bend to Bear
Dance. Engine SIG will double-head special
SIG To summit of Eagle Pass.
First No. 50. Engine IFS, will run two
hours thirty minutes late Bear Dance To
Medicine Bend.
Second No. so, Engine 1884, will run three
hours and fifteen minutes late Bear Dance
to Medicine Bend.
Third No. So Engine 2lO will run four
hours and thirty minutes late Bear Dance
to Medicine Bend. ]. NJ. c. D."
When young Giddirgs sat in, the sun
was dropping between the Tetons. In the
yard the car-cleaners were polishing the
plates on Bucks's private car and the darby
COoh was Out VI Tire iC-
frigerator. Duffy had thirteen conclaves
moving smoothly on the middle trick. The
final was due, and the hostlers were
steaming down with the double-header TO
pull it over the pass. This, the last of the
commandery trains, was to bring De Molay
Commander, No. 4, of Pittsburg and the
orders were to couple Bucks car on to it
for the run west. De Molay-and every
body had notice-was Bucks's old comman-
derry back in Pennsylvania, and he was go
ing to the end of the division that night
with the cronies of his youth. Little fell
lows they were in railroading when he rode
the goat with them, but now mostly, like
him, big fellows. Half a dozen old salts
had been pounding ahead at him all day
over the wire. They were To join him and
Mr.. and Mrs. Callahan for supper in the
private car, and the yellow cider lay on
the thin-shaven ice and the mountain
grouse curled on the grill irons when De
Molay 4. Pittsburg, pulled into Medicine
Bend.
We had seen a good many swell trains
that day, the SWEETEST that ever pounded
our fishplates. Pullmans solid and the
finest kind of people Boston, Washington,
New York, Philadelphia sent some pretty
gorgeous trains. But with at least half
the town on the platform, when De Molay 4
rolled in it took their breath so they
couldn't yell till the Sir knights began
pouring from the vestibules and gave Medi-
cine Bend their own lordIy cheer.
Mahogany vestibules they were and ex-
tension platforms; salon lamps and nickeled
handrais; buffet smoker and private diner;
a a
green from tender to tail lights-De Molay
4, Pittsburg.
Bucks's old gang spied him. Modestly
back under the portico, he stood near the
ticket window, and they broke through
at him solid. They pulled him and hauled
him and mauled him and passed him from
hand to hand. They stood him on his
head and on his hands and on his feet
again. and told him of something they
wanted and wanted right off.
Bucks looked the least bit uncertain as
he considered the opening request. 1t
wasn't much in some ways, what they
asked in other ways it was a good deal.
He laughed and bantered and joked them
as long they would stand it; then he
called up to Martin Duffy, who was leaning
out of the dispatchers window, wen see
how he talks laughed Bucks in his great
big way. But, boys. it's up to the chief.
I'm not in it on the orders, you know
Martini" he called, as Duffy bent his head,
they want fifteen minutes here to stretch
their legs. Say they've been roasted in the
alkali all day. Can you do anything for
the boys?'
The boys Big fellows in fezes, Shriner
| style, and slim fellows in duck, sailor style,
and bow-legged fellows in cheviot, any old
| style. Chaps in white flannel, and chaps
in gray, and chaps in blue. Turkish whis-
kers and Key West cigars and Crusaders
| togs-and, between them, Bucks. his head
most of the time in chancery. 1t was the
| first time they had seen him since he had
made our Jim Crow line into a system
! known from the Boston and Maine to the
Mexican Central, and. bar none. run cleaner
| or better. The first time they had seen
him since he had made a name for him
self and for his road from Newport News
to Frisco, and they meant now to kill him,
! dead.
You know about what it meant and about
| how it went, how it had to go. What could
Martin say TO the man who had made him
| all he was and who stood, now a boy again
I
| for fifteen minutes-a quarter of an hour
/ for De Molay No. 4? 1t threw the little
chief completely off his schedule; just fif-
! teen minutes was more than enough to do
| that. All the work was done. the anxiety
nearly past-Martin had risen TO rest his
| humping head. But fifteen minutes; once
i in lifetime-Bucks asking it.
| Duffy turned to big Jack Moore standing
| at his side ready to pull De Molay over the
| pass. and spoke 10 him low. Jack nodded
| everything went with Jack, even the turn
tables that stuck with other engineers.
| Martin in his shirt-sleeves leaned out the
window and. looking down on the turbaned
and turbulent mob, spoke SO Bucks could
hear. What is it?' demanded the most
! puissant commander of De Molay, excited
/ ly. What does he say, Bucks?"
/ What says the slave?" growled a Sec
| ond formidable crusader; 'out with it!'
"AIl we want is fifteen minutes
You wouldn't turn us down on fifteen
| minutes this far from oasis, would you,
Bucks?" protested glass-eyed Shriner.
Bucks looked around royalty Fifteen
minutes?" he drawled whats a quarter
of an hour in lifetime, Jackman, on the
! last oasis? Take off your clothes, you fell
| lows, and take half an hour. Now will you