The San Francisco call., 1908-11-22

self that 1 was wrong in abandoning
the canyon. Tomorrow he will con-
vince himself that 1 was doubly wrong
In approving the detour. I shall hand
in my resignation tonight"
so be it," said Frisbie, shortly.
That means goOdby to the extension.
I'm predicting that it will never get to
Green Butte-never get beyond Copah.
And your name will so out to the rail-
road world as that of man who bit
off a number of large things that he
couldn't chew.
-Confound youT' said Ford; and after
that Frisbie could get no more than
single syllabled replies to his mono
logue of Jobs comfortings.
The returning route was a detOur,
winding through the greater part Of IL
among and over the swelling heights
north of the Pannikin. On each hill
top the vast sweep of the intermOun-
tain wilderness came into view, and
from the highest point in the TRAIL
reached when the sun was dipping to-
ward the western horizon. the eye
sweep took in the broken country lying
between the Pannikin and the path Of
the TranscontinentaI narrow gauge 40
miles away.
Jacks Canyon. the TranscontinentaI
station nearest Copah. was the begin
ming Of a combined pack trail and
stage road connecting the Copah dis
trict with what had been before the ad-
vent of the Southwestern Extension It's
nearest railroad outlet. Along this
trail, visible to the buckboarders as a
black speck tittupfng against the red
dening background of the west gal
loped a solitary horseman. urging his
mount in a way to make Frisbie. get
ting his glimpse from the hilltop OF
extended views, call Ford's attention.
Look at that brute. pushing his
horse like that at the end of the day.
He ought to be-"
But the fastening rider was getting
his deserts, whatever they should be,
as he went along. For three hours.
with three relays of fresh horses
picked up at the stage stations in
passing, he had been galloping south
ward, and to whatever other urging
he might confess was added the new
one OF fear, the fear that. In the ap-
preaching days end he would lose his
way.
Seen from the nearer point OF view.
the tittuping horseman seemed curl
ously out Of harmony with his en-
vironment. Instead OF the cowboy
'shaps," or Overalls he wore the trOu-
sers of civilization, which the rapid
flight had hitched half way to his
knees In place OF the open breasted
shirt with the rolled up sleeves, there
were tailor made upper clothes. with
the collar and cravat also OF civiliza-
tion, and the haiti was perhaps for
tunate for the rider that be had not
met any true denizens OF the unfet-
tered highlands on the lonely trail
from Jacks Canyon. His hat was a
Derby Of the newest shape; and the
cowmen beyond the range are impa-
nent of such headgear.
Recognition, after one has ridden
hard for three hours over a dusty
road, is not easy; but there are faces
one never fOrgets, and the features,
dust grimed and sweat streaked
though they were, had still the south Of
Europe outline, the slightly aquiline
nose. and the piercing black eyes of
MI julius EckStein, whom we saw on
the morning of this same road wearying
day. welcoming Adair over the counter
railing in the Denver office. How does
II come that a few short hours later
we find him galloping tantivy over the
dusty hills, no less than 200 miles, as
the birds fly. from the counter railing
Of welcOmings?
That is the story OF another and a
more successful special train than
Ada1r's- No sooner was the care free
young director safely on his way to
meet the delays so painstakingly pre-
arranged for him than the wires began
to buzz with a cipher message Of warn
ing to Penfeld. A precious half hour
was lost in ascertaining that the wire
connection to the end of track was
temporarily out OF commission; but
during that half hour Mr.. North had
held his chin in his hand to some good
purpose.
With the fresh complications prom
ised by Adair's projection into the field
stronger man than Penfield should
be In command on the firing line. The
vice president decided swiftly that Eek
stein was the man; but how to get
70 ha
before Adair should arrive?
II proved to be simpler In the out
carrying than in the planning A
special light engine over the Trans
continental to Jacks canyon-an ex-
change of courtesies which even
lighting railroads make in war as well as
In peace-a wire request on the stage
company for relays of saddle horses.
and the thing was done. And Eckstein.
pushing his jaded beast down the final
/. hill In the dusk OF the evening, and
welcoming. as only the saddle tor
. . mented can welcome. the lights OF the
headquarters camp. confessed in ours
ings quite barbaric in their phrasings
that he, too. was done.
, The conference held that night be-
hind locked doors in the MacMorroghs'
commisSary Office was council OF five,
with Eckstein, as the mouthpiece OF
! the vice president. in the chair. Pen
uelQ was present, Win no vote. and
the three MacMorroghs voted as one:
but as to that. there were no divisions.
crisis was imminent, and II must
: be met.
"As have said. I am here with
power to act" said Eckstein. grip
ping the chair with wincings after the
day of. torment. The plan outlined
: at first by Mr.. North must go through
as it was outlined. Part OF II has
: already been carried out, you say: Ford
and the president have been over the
short cut together. Tomorrow the en-
tire private car party goes to Copah
over the detour. Are the buckboards
here for that?"
They're here wild the drivers I
saw to that part OF IT myself" 1t was
the youngest OF the three MacMorroghs
who gave the assurance.
so far so good" commented the
chairman. The other thing we have
to provide for, or rather. to prevent. Is
: the possibility of Mr. Adair's reaching
here in time to join the party. The
last definite information we had Of