Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-01-24
! Il. ): THE
CRAF'TERS
< BY
FRAN CTS" Lynn DE
- 4
CHAPTER XXVl.-CoNr1NUED.
Copyright. 1904. BY The Bobbs.slsrril. -.

of the trackhead, but the train-master
lost no time chasing ten-wheel flyer
with RED" Callahan at the throttle,
up to my of1lce!";' he shouted; and
ten seconds later Kent was leaning
'breathless over the desk in the dis
,patcher's room while M'Tosh called
Durgan over the yard limits telephone.
rs that you, Durgan?'' he. asked,
when the reply. came. Then: drop
the board on the mail, quick! and
send somebody to tell fischer to side
track, leaving the main line Western
Division clear. Got that?"
The answer was evidently prompt
and satisfactory, since he began again
almost in the same breath.
Nov go out yourself and flag Gala
han before he reaches the limits. Tell
him the time-card's changed and he is
to run west with the special to Meg
lip as first section Of the mail-no
stops, or Fischer will run him down.
Leg it: He's halfway down the yard,
now"
The train-master dropped the ear
piece Of the telephone and crossed
quickly to the dispatcher's table.
Orders for the Western Division,
Donrilue,' he said CURLY, and don't
let the grass grow. Receivers car,
callahan, engineer, runs to Megilp as
first section Of fast mail. Fast mail,
Hunt. conductor; Fischer, engineer;
runs to the end of tho division with
out stop, making up all time possible
Add to that last, BY order Of the re.
ceiver.'"
The orders were sent as swiftly as
the dispatcher could rattle them off
on his key; and then followed an in
terval OF waiting more terrible than a
battle. Kent tried to speak, but his
lips were parched and his tongue was
like dry stick between his teeth.
What was doing in the lower yard?
Would Durgan fail at the pinch and
mismanage it so as to give the alarm?
The minutes dragged leaden-winged,
and even the saunders on the dispatch
ers table were silent
Suddenly the clicking began again.
The operator at "yard limits was
sending the O. K. to the two train Or
ders. So far, so good. Now if Gala
han could get safely out on the West
ern Division. # 81
But there was a hitch in the lower
yard. Durgan had Obeyed orders
promptly and precisely, and had sue
ceeded in stopping Callahan. Durgan
climbed to the cab of the 1910, and
the changed plan was explained in
dozen words. But now came the
CruX.
If stand here till you'd be bring
In me my orders, I'll have the whole
kit av thin buzzin' round to know
whats the matther," said Callahan;
but there was no other thing to do,
and Durgan hurried back to the tele-
graph Office to play the messenger.
He was too long about it. Before he
got back, Halkett was under the cab
window Of the 1,010, demanding to
knoW-with many objurgations-why
Callahan had stopped in the middle
OF the yards.
"Get move on you!" he shouted.
''The express is right behind us, and
zt1l run us down, you damned bog
trotter!"
Callahan's gauntleted hand shot up
to the throttle-bar.
I'm PAWN, Misther Halkett," he
said mildly. will yez go back to the
car, or ride wit me-"
The general superintendent took no
chance Of catching the Naught-seven's
hand-rails in the darkness, and he
whipped up into the cab at the first
sharp cough Of the exhaust.
''I'll go back when you stop for your
ORDERS" he said; but shadowy figure
had leaped upon the engine-step
scant half-secQnd behind him, and
Callahan was stuffing the crumpled
copy Of the order into the sweat-band
of his cap. The next instant the big
1,O1O leaped forward like blooded
horse under an unmerited cut of the
whip, slid past the yard limits tele-
graph Office and shot out upon the
main line of the Western Division.
i "Sit down, Misther Halkett, an
make yerself aisy!" yelled Callahan
across the cab. "'Tis small use Jimmy
Shovel IL have for his box this night"
the shouted command. Don't you
see you're on the wrong division?"
Callahan gave the throttle-bar an
other outward hitch, tipped his seat
and took hammer from the tool
box.
II nnow where I'm goin', an that's
more thin you know, ye blandhan-
derin' divil! Up on that box wit you,
an kape out av Jimmy Shoveps road,
or I'll be the death av yez! Climb
now!"
1t was at this moment that the tense
strain Of suspense was broken in the
dispatchcrs room On the second floor
of the Union station. The telephone
skirled joyousay, and the train-master
snatched up the ear-piece.
what does he say?" asked Kent.
J '1t's all right. He says Callahan is
out on the Western Division, with
Fischer chasing" him according to
programme Halkett's in the cab OF
the 1,01O with Patsy, and-hold-on
BY George! he says one of them
jumped the car as it was passing the
limits station!"
(Which one was it," asked Kent;
and he had to wait till the reply came
from Durgan.
1T was Hawk, the right of-way
man. He broke and ran for the near
g est electric car line the minute he hit
the ground, Durgan says. Does he