The San Francisco call., 1908-11-22
'loulI Ao~et the 71ae of Iour lie,

That doesn't sound very uplifting.
Sit down here and help me out with
my contract"
Barclay did it, rather unwillingly,
He was not accustomed to eating at the
vice presidents table, but there was no
resisting the curly headed young man
when he chose to make himself COM
panionable. Barclay sat on the edge
of his chair, ate with his knife or fork
indifferebtly, and had small use for
the extra spoons and cutlery. But he
made a meal to be remembered. Af-
terward, the young man found cigar
case, and his own box Of Turkish cigar
cites; and still the special was going
at the same slow cow gallop up the
canyon.
How many are there of you up
ahead?" asked Adair, when Barclay's 8
cigar was going like a factory chin
ney.
only Williams and his fireman"
Dinner buckets?"
mo; neither one Of 'em, as 1t hap
pens. Hurry call to go out with you,
and both Of 'em live too far to go
home after the grub cans"
johnson" said the dispenser OF hos
pitality, calling the second man.
Think you could climb over the coal
with some dinner for the engineman?
No? Let me make it posssible"-fip-
ping dollar into the ready palm.
Tell the cook it's an order, and If he
stints 1t there'n be consequences"
Barclay grinned his appreciation. The
curly headed young man was far
enough removed from any species of
railway official hitherto known to the
conductor. But Adair was only paw
ing the way.
DO you know" he said, after little
nP f0ho oho Of
"one of the things I am most anxious
to see is a real railroad wreck. Sup
pose you quicken up little and let
us have our dead time at the scene OF
this disaster you speak Of"
Barclay was fitting uneasily in his
chair.
81 reckon they've about got 1t picked
up and cleaned out O. the way by this
time, Mr.. Adair. / shouldn't be sur
prised If we could hardly find the place
when we get there"
Nor T." said Adair; and he sat back
and chuckled. ITS considerably diff
cult to sit up and pull your imagination
on a man who has been decently good
to you isn't it, Barclay? Let me ask
you: are you Mr.. North's man?"
Mr.. North is the big boss.
But this Plug Mountain division is
a part of Mr.. Ford's line, isn't it?"
1T uSeQ 10 De dll Ills. ACiC .
white man for you, Mr. Adair."
Adair saw his opportunity and
used it.
Now see here, Barclay; I'm only a
director, and l don't cut much ice out
this way. But back in New York In
one Of three or four people who car
tell Mr.. North what he can do, and what
he can't. You wouldn't want to sec
Mr.. Ford getting it in, the neck, would
your"
"By Jacksi There amt a man In the
service that wouldn't fight for him.
tell you, he's white"
well, Mr.. Ford is In trouble; don't
know but he is likely to lose his job
If | don't see the president before the
big ak comes down. That is between
us two"
The conductor sprang out of his
"By gravyl why didn't you say
that at first? Say, Mr.. Adair. yot
stand between us and Mr.. North-tel
him you gave the orders yourself-ant
you'll have the ride of your life from
here to Saints Resti"
Go it." said Adair; and two minutes
after Barclay had let himself out OF
the forward door OF the "o1," the trair
took a sudden start and darted ahead
at full speed.
This bit Of diplomacy on the part e'