The Huttig news., 1908-09-05
CHAPTER Xxxlll. Greuory's Victory.

The cruel strain of the days jus past told upon Esther. Stili, Alfred was there-not by any means well, yet needing only rest, care and Esther. This saved her from illness. Poor, loving Gideon. dying half happy with his hand in hers, her kiss on his lips. had not even in that moment rivaled Alfred. She turned to him now, her own ills forgotten in happy service for him; and by the bed he kept for few days, she was spared the little towns excitement over the murder. the un- successful hunt for the criminal, the wreck. the sending away of the wounded man to be mended by man, the burial of the poor body whose soul had gone to be commended of God.
 Days they toiled to rebuild the trestle that cunning hands had so secretly cut. One by one they carried heavy rails up the bank and piled them ready for loading. As Alfred recov- cred Esther regained poise and strength; and together they went on to the Front. where they rejoiced the Harmons with their story.
 At last the ironl The little left when the train was wrecked had car ried them by the Kelton flats, where Gregory had planned his great days work. Now they must lay over rough CT road-over culverts, trestles, and grades that must be climbed
 For days the men had been idle. pd Erooorx had xUif i'm patient replies, or in more impatient silence, to reports from the Union Pa cific
 Uintah! Through the canyoni
 holiday in Salt Lake City for every man, if the west-bound track layers can overtake the graders be- fore the Central Pacific arrivesl" was l fered their men.
 Their work is sham, The govern ment will never accept itl" enemies of the same road averred. And Greg ory prayed that this might be true. | But it was not true The Union Pacific road stood inspection. was accepted; and on they came
 Ogden, Still no iron for the Central Pacific. Red sparks scintillated in Gregory's sleepless eyes. Ogden, He might have been there now if the iron had come, His company might have tapped that rich valley fetched and carried for the thrifty Mormcns Now that would be the juicy plum of the Union Pacific. And the Central Pa 1sR beside the dead, blue lake, whose shores gave no promise, whose flank ing hills had been forgotten of God, Gregory fumed over the unknown wretch who had wrecked the iron train. Poor Gregory. Little he knew that. merited though it might have been. the reproof his own boot had given had delayed the precious freight. had lost ogden for his com. pany, and 30 miles of road
 Idle men make no muscle. Gregory knew it. and chafed still more. as he fretted about the camp, keeping away from his guests and his anxious-eyed wife. And now the welcome whistle once again. Preparations so carefully made were reinspected The camp awcke. Idle men stretched themselves lazy ones regretfully. honest ones glad ly. Buttons, straps. buckles. shoes, hats, tobacco-all were made ready, for every one knew that tomorrow would spare no moment for broken gear, for long ing tongues.
 To the very tip-end of the last rail the construction train had been pushed the iron train close behind it. and iron dropped in piles beside the track, when both trains had backed to the rear The little, low car that moved the iron was loaded; every foreman charged his gang, looked after his tools; every man set his teeth for to- morrow's work.
 Long before daylight the camp was aroused. The cooks calls followed quickly. and breakfast was taken a. gulp. With the first dawn-glow that could show hammer head where to find a spike, the ringing racket began. Men on the trot pushed the little iron car-little, yet how heavy,-back and forth over the newly laid rails, drop ping fresh supply at the track end, each time the previous load had been spiked few rods to the eastward
 Another footing of whistles, and the trains moved up. The rails rang loud upon one another as they fell to the ground, half mile ahead of the morn ing camp. The foremen urged, en- couraged, inspected. hurried. Faster and faster the rails dropped into place, Blow upon blow. spikes and bolts were driven home. And so on through the hot, late April day. Every boss was alert Every man did his best; perhaps was sworn at for not doing better. Only Bennett, calm, un- kurrying, held his men to their task