Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1908-07-02
CHAPTER XXXlll.
Grooofy'a Victory,

Grs9ery's Victory.
The cruel strain Of the days just
past told upon Esther Still, Alfred
was there-not by any means we'll, 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.
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 toiied 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 iron! 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
er road-over culverts, trestles, and
hot al;
For days the men had been idle.
And Gregory had listened, with i'm
patient replies, or in more impatient
silence, to reports from the Union Pa
cifc.
Uintah! Through the canyon!
"A holiday in Salt Lake City for
every man, If the west-bound track
layers can overtake the graders be-
fore the Central Pacific arrives." was
the brihe the Union Pacific people Of
fered their men.
Their work is sham! The govern
ment will never accept it," enemies
Of the same road averred. And Greg
DRY 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 Mormons. Now
that would be the juicy plum Of the
Union Pacific. And the Central Pa
cific must squat in this desert spot,
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 80 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
awoke. Idle men stretched themselves;
lazy ones regretfu1ly, honest ones glad
ly. Buttons, straps, buckles, shoes, hats,
tobacco-au were made ready, for every
one knew that tomorrow would spare
no moment for broken gear, for long
ing tongues.
To the very dpend 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 a hammer head where to
find . 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 Z 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 50 on
through the hot, late April day.
Everv boss was alert. Every man
did his best: perhaps WAS sWOrnsAt