Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1907-01-30

stamped across to the window and was
like to have sworn the glass out before
HALEY spoke.
I'm glad we're up to high water at
when they get in the Peace river
work the division will run itself for a
year"
"Hailey," Bucks spoke slowly. "T
don't need to tell you what think, do
/? It's a shame. But it's what I've
said for a year-nobody ever knows
what Omaha will do next"
HALEY rose to his feet. Where you
going, PhilY' asked Bucks.
"Gong back to the Spider on No. g"
mot going back this morning! Why
Lon't you wait for No. tonight" sug-
gested Bucks.
ed" HALEY raised his voice at the
foreman, will you get those stay
bolts and chuck them into the baggage
car for me on No. 2? I'm going
over to the house for a minute" He
forgot to answer Bucks. They knew
what it meant He was bracing him
self to tell the folks before he left
them. Preparing to explain why he
wouldn't have the Sunday at home
with the children. Preparing to tell
the wife-and the old man-that he
was out. Out of the railroad system he
had given his life to help build up and
make what it was. Out of the position
he had climbed to by studying like
hermit and working like hobo. Out
without criticism or allegation or rea-
son-simply, like dog, out
Nobody at the Wickiup wanted to
hear the telling over at, the cottage;
nobody wanted to imagine the scene.
As No. 2's mellow chime whistle
rolled down the gorge they saw
HALEY coming out of his house, his
wife looking after him and two little
girls tugging at his arms as he hurried
along; old Denis behind, his head
down, carrying the boys shabby valise,
trying to understand why the blow had
fallen.
That was what Callahan, up with
Bucks at the window, was trying to
figure-what it meant.
"The man that looks to Omaha for
rhyme or reason will beggar his wits,
Callahan" said Bucks slowly as he
watched Ed Peeto swing the stay bolts
up into the car so they would crack
the baggageman across the shins and
then try to get him into fight about
it. "They never had man-and bar
none; no, not Brodie-that could han
die the mountain water like HALEY;
they never will have a man-and they
dump him out like pipe of tobacco.
How does it happen we are cursed
with such a crew of blooming idiots?
Other roads aren't"
Callahan made no answer. 81 know
why they did it," Bucks went on, 'but
l couldn't tell Haley
"Why?"
'T think | know why. Last time l
was down the president brought his
name up and asked lot of questions
about where he was educated and SO
on. Somebody had plugged him; l
could see that in two minutes. l gave
him the fH1c.ts-t0id nm that Br0o,dfe
had given him his education as an en-
gineer. The minute he found out he
wasn't regularly graduated he froze up.
Very polite, but he froZe up. See?
Experience, actual requirements
Bucks extended his hand from his vest
pocket in an odd wavy motion till it
was lost at arms nothing
nothing-nothing
| g a h
ing behind his father into the smoker
No. 2 pulled down the yard and
out One thing HALEY meant to make
sure of-that they shouldn't beat him
out of the finish of the Spider bridge
as he had planned it; one monument
HALEY meant to have-one he has.
The new superintendent of bridges
been wired for long before his appoint
ment was announced. He was a good
enough fellow, l guess, but we all
hated him. Bucks did the civil, though,
and took Agnew down to the Spider in
a special to inspect the new work and
introduce him to the man whose bread
and opportunity he was taking 1--WE
DCCn w dhtlhS " ihtti yOu, 4dl. l1ollCy,
said Agnew pleasantly after they had
shaken hands. HALEY looked at Ag-
new silently as he spoke; Bucks looked
steadfastly at the grasshopper derrick.
"I've been expecting you'd be along
pretty soon," replied HALEY presently.
"There's considerable to look over
here. After that We'll go back to Peace
river canyon. We're just getting things
started there. Then We'll run up to the
Bend and I'll turn the office over"
mo hurry about that. You've got
good deal of a bridge here, Mr.. Hal
ley"
you'll need good deal of a bridge
here"
81 didn't expect to find you so far
along out here in the mountains.
a.