Morris tribune., 1906-07-21

(. Barnes Tracy couldn't see it even if he
] did interrupt his eruption and waited
for Bob Duffy the Rat River night
man, to come back at him with third
| eighty's signature. Under Glddlngs
eve as he sat licked Martin Dufy's
! chronometer, the watch that split the
seconds and chimed the quarters and
stopped and started SO impossibly and
| ran to second month-the watch
! that Bucks, who never did things by
halves, had given little Martin Duffy
with the order that made him chief
It lay at Giddings' fingers, and the
minute hand wiped from the enameled
dial Z O'clock fifty-five, fifty-six, seven,
eight-nine Young Giddings turned to
his order book and inspected his en-
tries like methodical bookkeeper, and
| Martin Duffy's chronometer chimed the
| fourth quarter, 8 o'clock. One entry he
had still to make. Book in hand, he
| called Rat River.
Get third eighty's signature to Or
der 70 and hurry them out" he tapped
! impatiently at Bob Duffy.
There was a wait. Giddings lighted
his pipe the way Callahan always light
ed his pipe-putting out his lips to
catch all the perfume and blowing the
first cloud away YEARLY, as Callahan
always did YEARLY. Then he twirled
the match meditatively and listened
and got suddenly this from Bob Duffy,
] at Rat River: 5,<- '..as4
81 forgot Order 49," came Bob Duffy's
message. Il let third eighty go with
! out it. They left here at 7:50'-fifty
/ something, Giddings never heard fifty
! what Tue match went into the ink,
the pipe into the water pail, and Gid
dings, before Bob Duffy finished, like
a drowning man, was calling Elcho
with the life and death, the 10 CALL
Hold Special 1882 he cried over the
wire the instant Elcho replied.
But Elcho, steadily, answered this:
"Special-326-left- here-7: 90"
Giddings, with both hands On the Ia
BILE, raised up like drunken man. The
West End was against it, Third eighty
in the open and going against the De
Molay Four. Bucks, Callahan wife
everybody-and Rock Point blind sid
ing that no word from anybody on
earth could reach ahead of third eighty
Giddings sprang to the open window
and shouted to anybody and everybody
to call Martin Duffy. But Martin Duff
fly spoke behind him.
''What do you want?" he asked. 1t
came terribly quick on Giddings as he
turned
whats the matter?' exclaimed Mar
tin, looking into the boys face. Speak,
can't you! What's the matter, Gid
dings?"
Bob forgot Order 70 and let third
eighty go without it-and Special 326
is out of Elcho," choked Giddings.
''What?'
Bob at-Rat River-gave third eighty
a clearance without the Order TO-"
Martin Duffy sprang straight up in
the air. Once he shut his lifted hands;
once he looked at Giddings, staggering
again through the frightful news, then
he dropped into the chair, looked wild
~ around, seized his key like hunted
man, stared at his train sheet, grabbed
the order book and listened to Giddings
cutting off one hope after another Of
stopping Special 326. His fingers set
mechanically, and he made the Rat Riv-
er call; but Rat River was silent. With
Barnes Tracy tiptoeing in behind on the
instinct of trouble and young Giddings |
shaking like leaf, the chief called |
Rat River. Then he called Elcho, asked |
for Special 1926, and Elcho again repeat |
ed steadily:
"Special-32 6-left-here-on |
79-at-7: 55 p. M"
Martin Duffy bent before the mes |
sage; young Giddings, who had been
whispering to Tracy, dropped on a
stool and covered his face.
'Don't cry, Giddings." It was Duffy |
who spoke, dry and parched his voice.
''It's nothing you-could help" He |
looked around and saw Tracy at his |
elbow. Barnes" he said, but he tried |
twice before his voice would carry. |
''Barnes-they will meet in the CHINA
mon cut. Giddings told you? Bob |
forgot-forgot my order Run, Gid |
dings, for Benedict Morgan and Dou-
bleday and Carhart-quick!' |
Giddings ran, the Rat River call echo |
ing again down the hall behind him. |
Rat River was closest to Rock Point |
would get the first news Of the wreck, |
and Martin Duffy was calling his |
recreant brother at the River, but the |
River was silent
Doubleday and the company sur
geon, DR.. Carhart, rushed into the room |
almost together. Then came with a |
storm the wrecking boss, Benedict Nor
gan. 1t was only an evil hour that |
brought Benedict Morgan into the dis
patchers Office. STOPPED and silent,
Martin Duffy, holding the chair, was
calling Rat River Carhart watched |
him just a moment. then he took Barnes
Tracy aside and whispered, and, going
back, bent over Duffy. The chief pull |
ed himself up.
"Let Tracy take the key" repeated
the doctor. Get away from the table