The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-10-16

anything from Boston.
me reply was encouraging. A com
5Le0e GENIAL Of everything, signed by
me proper officials. had been received
ana repeated TO Kent at Gaston-yvas
mere now awaiting him. Kent saw
IA anticipation the nicely calculated
scheme Of the junta crumbling into
sNhall dust in the precise moment OF
HuIuon' and had a sharp attack Of
anle-triumph which he had TO walk
on in turns I'd and down the long
tiaIorm- But as the waiting grew
longer and the dragging minutes to-
ta4ed the Quarter-hour and then the
mar he began TO perspire again.
halI-past came and went, and still
there was no hopeful word from Les
terNlllc. Kent had speech with Oleson,
watch IN hand. Would the engineer
take the risk Of a rear-eiid collision on
a general managers order? Oleson
would obey orders if the heavens fell;
lano Kent few 10 the wire again. Hun
lnlcOtt, at CASTOR. WAS besought TO gain
Tune in the hearing by any ana all
means; and LOring was asked to au-
ithoriZe the risk of a rear-end smash
up. He did il promptly. The light en-
lgine was TO so on until il should pick
up the delayed train between stations.
The JUniberg man gave Oleson his
release and the order TO proceed with
due care while the soundeT was still
clicking d further communication from
headquarters. Loring was providing
Tor the last contingency by sending
Kent the authority 10 requisition No.
lis engine Tor The completion of the
run IN case the track should be
blocked, " ith the freight engine free
beyond the obstruction
Having shaskles stricken Off the
Norwegian proceeded with due care"
which is 10 say that he sent the eight
wheeler dartinE down the line toward
o. ~ In r-1sr fls-.s
ute The mystery of the delay was
solved al point halfway between the
TWO stStiOns.s a broken flanSe had de-
rallied three calls of the freight. and the
block was impossible.
Armed with the general managers
mandatory wire, Kent ran forward 10
the engine Of the freight train and was
shortly on his way again. But i'm the
twenty milo run 40 Castor more time
was lost by the numbering freight loco
motive. and ii was twenty minutes past
5 o'clock when the county seat came in
sight and Kent began TO oscillate be-
tween two sharD-pOinted horns OF
cruel dilemma.
By dropping of at the street cross
ing nearest The Courthouse, he might
stu be in time 10 set a hearing with
such documentary backing as he had
been able 10 secure At the capital. BY
going up TO the station he could pick
UP the Boston wire which, while il was
not strictly evidence, might create a
strong presumption in his favor;
but in this case he would prob
ably be too late to use il So he
counted the rail lengths, watch in hand,
with a curse TO the count for his wit
lessness in failing 10 have Loring re-
peat the Boston message 10 him dur
ing the long wait at Juniberg; and
" hen the lime for the decision arrived
he signaled the engineer to slow down
IL 2 9Sr
crossing and fastened up the street
toward the courthouse.
In the mean time, 10 go back a little
during this day of hurry;ngs TO and fro
Bashhel6 Hunnicott had been having
the exciting experiences Of a decade
crowded into a corresponding number
OF hours. Early in the morning he had
begun besieging the headquarters wire
Office for news and instructions, and,
owing 10 Kent's good intentions to be
On the ground in person, had got little
enough OF either.
At length. 10 his unspeakable relief
he had news of the coming special;
ano with the conviction that help was
at hand he waited at the station with
what GOODNESS there was in him to meet
his chief But as the time for the
hearing drew near he grew nervous
again; and all the keen pains of utter
helplessness returned with renewed
acuteness when the operator, who had
wire talk, told him that the special was
hung up at the former station.
% my good Lordi" he groaned. I'm
In for IL with empty handsi" None the
less. he ran TO the baggage-room end
CT the building and, capturing an ex-
press wagon. had himself trundled out
10 the courthouse.
The Judge was at his desk when
Hunnicott entered. and Hawk was on
hand, calmly reading the morning pa
per. The han0s Of the clock on the
wall opposite the Judges desk pointed
70 FIVE minutes Of the hour, and for
FIVE minutes Hunnicott sat listening
hoping against hope that he should
hear the rush and roar OF the incom-
ing special
Promptly on the stroke Of the Judge
tapped upon his desk with his pencil.
Nov, gentlemen, proceed with your
case; and ] must ask you to be as brief
as possible. have an appointment at
four which cannot be postponed" he
said quietly; and Hawk threw down
hts paper and began at once
Hunnicott heard his opponents ar
Eument mechanically, having his ear
attuneo for whistle signals and wheel
Cummings Hawk spoke rapidly and
straight TO his point. as befitted a man
speaking 70 the facts and with no jury
present to be swayed by oratorial eff
fort When he came to the summarize
ing Of the allegations in the amended
petition. he did il wholly without heat.
piling Up the accusations one upon an
other with the careful method of a
- br1cklsyer building a wall. The wall
building smile thrust itself upon Hun
nicott with irresistible force as he lis
tened II the special engine should not
dash Up in time TO batter down the
wall
Hawk closed as dispassionateIv as
he had begun, and the Judge bowed
grsvely in Hunnicotts direction. The
local attorney got upon his feet and
as he began TO speak a telegram was
handed in It was Kents wire from
Juniberg. beseeching him to gain time
at all hazards. and he settled himself
20 the task. For thirty dragging
minutes he rang the changes on the
various steps In the suit. knowing full
well that the fatal moment was ap-
vroachf7r- zUhau-Tgepf pagr;nr.