Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-07
his guests a chance to see a modern rail
road in the actual throes of evolution.

his guests chance to see a modern rail-
road In the actual throes of evolution.
In a Specialist in the trade Ford's ge-
MUS might have invoked enthusiasm.
! Speed was the end to which all OF the
young engineers inventive powers had
been directed. and the pace was furious.
On the leveled grade ahead of the track
laying train an army of sweating LaborerS
marched and cOuntermarched like trained
soldiers. placing the cross ties in position.
On train of specially constructed fiat
cars another army was boiling together
long section of track. clamping the double
line of rails at intervals to hold them to
gauge. At the word Ready hauling
chain, passing through an anchored pulley
] block far up the grade and back to the
freed engine of the construction train.
was made fast to the forward end of the
bolted section: a second word of COM
mand and the engine backed swiftly.
dragging the prepared section off over
he rollers of the fiat cars and into place
on the ties. With the changing fall of
the final pair of rails. third army, spike
drivers these. fell upon the newly placed
steel. shouting their chantey as they
swung the great pointed hammers; and in
the midst of this fresh turmoil the train.
with its brigade Of boilers deftly prepar-
ing another section. was slowly pushed
to the new front for another advance.
1T is like clockwork,'' was Miss Alicia s
enthusiastic comment. Did you invent
it. Mr.. FOrd?"
Now the combination of fat-car boiling
table and the shifting and laying by sec
lions was Fords invention. but he mou-
estly stood from under.
"Frisbie gets the medal" he said. Its
all in the drill-every man knowing what
he has to do and doing 1t at the proper
Dicks knack in detail organizing
She looked up. laughing. You have the
funniest way of ducking to cover If you
think bit Of honest appreciation is COM
told Mr. Frisbie how to do it.
Did I? I suppose it wouldn't be polite
to contradict you"
nor any use; Is Mr. 4; Frs a% her, here now:
haIf-awed whisper: "Who is that dread
full. grand-opera-villain-loo man he is
talking toy
Fords eyes sought and found Frisbe
He was standing a little apart from the
turmoil. talking TO a man on horseback:
a man with half-closed, beady.s black
eyes. dropping mustaches and face rep
titan in its responsiveness.
THAT is Mexican George the Mac
Morrogh Brothers Killer said Ford,
fessional man killer. Miss Adair: man
whose calling is that of a hired assassin? p"
She shuddered. you are testing.
know. But the word fits his face ac-
curately. I saw him lounging about the
store at the camp yesterday. and it gave
me the creeping shivers every time
looked at him. Do you ever have such
instantaneous and unreasoning hatreds
at first sight?"
Now and then, yes. But 1 was not
testing about Mexican George. He is
precisely what the word implies: is hired
for it and paid for it, Nominally. he
guards the commissary and stores and is
the paymasters armed escort. Really
it is his duty to shoot down any desperate
laborer who. in the MacMorroghs judg-
ment. needs to be killed out of the way"
Mercy" Miss Alicia was shudder!ng
again. What hideously primitive condi-
lions! What is this terrible man doing
out here?"
''Oh. he is free lance: comes and goes
as he pleases. No. he's not quarreling
with Dick'-answering her look Of anx-
iety.
How DO you know he isn't?"
Ford laughed. Because Dick wouldn't
let him get that near. He knows-Hello,
1 wonder what your good uncle wants of
u.s..
Mr.. Colbrith was standing up in his
place in the leading blackboard and max
ing signals to the rear guard Of two.
Ford shook the reins over his broncos and
drove around.
The president was lingering his thin