The Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1903-1909, 1906-06-19

| SupernuOuS mules.
Barker kept them hard at 1t until
midnight Saturday, and with the first
hour of Sunday came the blessed GER
tainty that the Champlin Mills order
could start on time.
That morning on every hand water
was running, snow disappearing; the
ground was an ooze; Little Feathers
chatter had swelled to faint roar.
Through the afternoon the shippers
pulled and tugged; the string of cars
was loaded at last, and the machinery
of the first lot had been settled for its
: eastward ride. Twilight came and a
warm drizzle of rain set in.
Toward eight O'Clock, Casey and his
fireman pulled out slowly, and a long
sigh of relief rose The days work was
done; the men began to scatter.
Then, abruptly, there came from the
west a dull booming, heavy subdued
noise, as of muffled thunder
Barker hurried into the works and
through to the opposite side. He
opened window and thrust his head
out into the rain, seeking to penetrate
the darkness toward the brook he
could see nothing; but very distinctly,
very Enthusiastically, through the gloom
came to his ears the gathering, clam
oring roar of record breaking fresh
ct.
Would it get to the tracks? Barker
bit his lips Pshaw! 1t couldn't He
understood little of railroading, and
it did seem risky, having the rails SO
near the brook; and they had squeezed
every penny that went into the road.
But the engineers must have known
their business; the tracks were safe
enough.
And then came his answer emphatic
ana final. Out in the yards, rising
family above the voice of Little Feath-
er, startled shouts were audible, the
heavy putting of a locomotive, thud,
a scream of escaping steam. Casey
left by one door, his fireman by the
other. Another roar, as water found
the tire-box, a great crashing splash
then silence. The rails had spread, and
the road was effectually out of COM
mission Low.
Engineers came at dawn. The driz-
zle Of the night had settled to steady,
soaking doWnpour when their buck
board drew up beside the GreerM Merrill
works.
They went with Barker and looked
over the disaster A quartermile or
more had Little Feather taken to the
tracks, it whirled along cheerily, the
irons boot-deep below the surface
They prodded at the submerged rails
and smiled dryly.
The private spur was a wreck!
Could they repair it Immediately? In
a week, perhaps, or month.
The proposition was absolutely, ut
terly unfeasible; the fact that Greer
Merrill's shipments positively must go
out did not alter that a particle. The
very best one could hope for was some
spot down the line, where temporary
platform could be knocked together
and cars run in from Broadbury to
take aboard the Champin Mills ma
chinery.
They found that spot five miles be-
low the works, and Barker, with a
sigh, half relief, half anger, accepted
the situation. 1t meant at least a
days delay, for he would have to drag
out the discarded trucks and beg, buy
borrow or steal mules to haul them
which meant more expense.
Naturally, he came face to face with
the mule problem. Barker sent for half
a dozen of his minor executives and
instructed them to sally forth and
gather such mules and work horses
rare things in that locality-as might
be obtained, on any terms.
One of the six was Abner Green, and
as they filed out Barker detained him.
"Er-Green" The superintendent
snapped his fingers impatiently. See
here, somebody or other said that
you've got two or three mules
Few"
"All right. We want to hire EN-.
How many are there?"
ADner braced himself
'Sixty-one, sir
Hey? How many, Green?" Bar
ker's chair whirled about
"Sixty-one,
"Sixty-one mules?"
Yes, sir
Six" Barker stopped and shrugged
his shoulders. We'll, it's rather a
happy chance, Green, although | didn't
know you hal gone in for mule
ranching How much do you want to
hire them out by the day."
II amt anxious to hire em, Mr..
Barker. They're for sale
For sale, Ell? Well-how much for
the lot, them
III