Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-07-10

| kNSsA member that has come
kS67MNA( dead easy for me.
| yXSWxI When this happened l
- hadn't been railroading
Il month, and I was up with my con-
| duct0r OIL the carpet, sweating from
sheer grosginess and excitement. The
| Job of front end brakeman on noun
tain division Is 10 great stake for
man ordinarily, but 1t was one for me
lust then. We knew when we went
into the surerintendents office that
somebody was to get fired. The only
question was. who, the train crew or
| the operator? Our engine crew were
out Of 1t. 1t was up to the conductor
and to me. Had the operator displayed
| red signals? The conductor said no;
| said no. The operator said yes. but
he lied. We couldn't prove it. We
could only put our word against his.
and. what made it the worse for me,
INV conductor was something Of liar
himself.
stood beading in cold sweat. for
| could see with half an eye it
was going against us. The superin-
tendent, an UP and up railroad man
every inch and all business, but sus-
picious, was leaning the operators way
the strongest kind.
There wasn't another soul In the lit
tie room as the three Of us stood be-
fore the superintendent desk except
Il passenger conductor. who sat behind
me with his feet OH the window ledge,
looking out into the yard.
"AIorrison's record In this office Is
clean" the superintendent was saying
of the operator. who was doing us
smooth as smokeiess powder. "He has
never to my knowledge lied in an In
vestigation: but. Allbers." continued
the superintendent speaking bluntly to
my conductor. you've never told
straight story about that Rat River
switch matter yet. This man Is
new man." he added. throwing a
hard look at me. Ordinarily I'd be in
clined to take the word Of two men
against one, but / don't know one at
all and the other has done me once. /
can't see anything for It but to take
Morrlson's word and let you fellows
both out. There wasn't any wreck, but
that's not your fault, not for a min
ute"
/ "Mr. Rocksby." protested, speaking
up to the division boss in a clean funk
the prospect Of losing my job that
way, through lying operator, took the
heart clean out Of me-"you don't know
me. 1t is true. but I pledge you my
word of honor
whats your word Of honorT' asked
the superintendent. cutting me like
hatchet. 81 don't know any more about
your word of honor than l do about
you. Allbers. take your man and get
your time"
A wave of helpless rage swept over
me. The only thing ! could think OF
was strangling the lying operator In
the hall. Then somebody spoke.
"Show your papers, you fool"
1t came calm as sunshine and cold as
n no:thwcster from the passenger con-
ductor behind me, from Dave Hawk,
and it pulled me into line like bugle
call. felt my English all back at
once. Everybody heard him and looked
my way Again 1t was up to me- This
time | was ready for the superlntend-
ent. OF. for that matter, for the bloom.
ing Mountain division. had forgot
Ill about my papers till Dave Hawk
spoke. put my hand, shaking. into
my inside vest pocket for a piece Of
oilsiiin-it was all l had left. / was
Il good way from my base that year. ]
laid the oilskin on the superintendent
table. unfolded it jealously and took out
a medal and letter, that in spite of
the carefullest wrapping was creased
and sweated. But the letter was from
my captain and the bit Of bronze was
the cross. Rocksby picked up the let
ter and read 1t.
"Have you been in the British
army:" he asked curtly.
"Yes. sir"
RE SCOWieu u uiluile ONtt Ntoh
scrawl, laid it down and gratified his
curiosity by picking up the medal. He
studied the face Of the token. looked
curiously at the dingy red ribbon.
twirled 1t and saw the words Oh the
reverse, "For Valor," and looked again
ut me.
"Where'd you get thisf" he asked.
indicating the Victoria.
"In the Sudan, SIR"
Dave Hawk kept right on looking out
the window. Neither my conductor
nor the operator seemed to know just
what the row was. Nobody spoke.
"what you doing here" Rocksby
went on.
81 came out to learn the cattle busi-
ness" His brows went up easy-like.
They cleaned me out" Brows drop
ped gentle-like. ''Then l went bad
with mountain fever" and he looked
Secent at me.
you say you had your head out
NE cupola and saw the white slgnal?"
he asked. sort of puzzled.
81 saw the white signal" Rocksby
looked at the operator Morrison.
Wen adjourn this thing" said he
mt last, "tilr look into 1t a little fur
ther. For the present 60 back to your
runs"
We never heard any more Of 1t.
!llbers got out quick. I waited to pick
up my stuff and turned to thank Dave
Hawk. He was gone.
1t wasn't the first time Dave mad
pulled me out of the water. About
| two weeks before that had crawled
one night up OH the front platform OF
the baggage at Peace River to steal q
ride to Medicine Bend OH No. /. 1t
was Dawes train. had been kicked
out of the McCloud hospital two days