The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1906-12-21
! d Captain : :.s... \
In the Ranks s s'''
By.
GEORGE
CARY
EGGiESTON
copysh. a

hob got II fast. night" she answer
ed, land dressed IL himself"
But where, and how?"
II don't know yet. He laughs when
l ask questions. I'm sorely afraid
Bob stole the hog from some farmer.
l sent him out with some money to
buy whatever meat he could find, for |
saw that the men must have substan-
tial food. He came back about day
light and told me he had dressed hog
out dar in de bushes He gave me
back the money. I'll make him tell
me all about ii this afternoon. If he
stole the hog we can pay for II. And
meanwhile the men shall have their
dinner. How is the work getting onr
Rapidly, but not rapidly enough. 4
fear. | must hurry back now"
I'll go with you" said the girl.
Bob can watch the roasting" for Bob
had reappeared at the fire.
but you can't go with me-" replied
Duncan. The waters knee deep and
more between here and the crib"
1T can't make me any wetter than
'AAh iApN' ~ l'iANN AhN iN'ViN'N S'hi N'
she set off i'm Duncan's company.
At the crib she studied the situation
critically She knew nothing of engi-
neering. of course, but she had an
abundance OF practical common sense.
What time Is it nowi' she asked
after she had watched the slow prog
resS Of the work long enough to esti-
mate the prospect.
Half past TO-"
Then we've only an hour and a half
more. 1t isn't enough. You can never
fill that hole in time
I'm afraid we can't. I'm afraid
we've lost in the struggle"
''Oh, no; you mustn't feel that way.
We simply must win this battle, in one
way or another"
Duncan made no answer There
seemed to him no answer to be made.
The girl continued to look about her.
us ihe end of the crib ut the county
linef" she asked.
"Yes. or rather tie lie lies Il little
way this sile Of the end Of the crib
Again she remained silent for time
before saying:
Their a"e two biz, tee trunks lying
longways there in tire crib. They ex-
tend across he unty line. Why can't
you jack them up into pl1cc ana lay
your rails aloa- them without filing the
space and Wi.hsHt Using any tiesF"
For half uilu'e tn uag man did
not answer. Vt last he exclaimed:
That's a. ina iration!'
Without pausing 10 say another word
Duncan started ut run through
the water till he reached the mud en-
bankmen3 Then he ran along that TO
the point whore Temple was superin-
tending the earth diggerS.
"Quit this quick" he cried, and
hurry the whole force 10 the crib. |
see way out! Order all the jack
screws brought. Dick. and come your
self in a hurry
The two great tree trunks were
quickly cleared Of their remaining
branches by the axmen Then Tenn
pie placed the jackscrews under them
and set to work to raise them into the
desired position SO that they should
lie parallel with each other at the
track level, with a space Of about four
and a half feet between their centers.
As the jackscrews slowly brought |
them into position Will Hallam and |
Duncan, one at either end of the logs,
men In the work Of placing
log supports under them.
At half past II Temple announced |
that the great tree trunks were in !
place. Instantly twenty aXmen were !
set at work hewing n fiat place for /
rails along the top of each log while |
other men as fast as the hewing add
vanced laid and spiked down the rails.
At five minutes before noon gang
Of men, with shouts of enthusiastic
triumph, seized upon the dumping car
which stood waiting and pushed it
across the line. AS this last act i'm
the drama began Guilford Duncan seiz-
ed Barbara by the elbows, kissed her
In the presence of all, lifted her and
placed her in the moving car
You have saved the railroad" he
said. with emotion In his voice, land
you shall be Its first passenger
1t was ten days later when Barbara
reached home again after wearisome
Journey through the flooded district un-
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