Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1908-10-21
CHAPTER xxIx.-continued.

ooh, surely not for stealing!" In
sta-tly Esther's mind flew back to the
desert station, the overland journey,
the scene on the hillside, to many
lesser visions of him, even to her last
meeting at Judge Harmon's. Always
the same aversion to him, the same
wonder that the company trusted him.
Yes, stealin'. They gave him pas
senger out of Sacramento, an he didn't
run it three weeks till they caught him.
The boys say there's something back
of that, too. an it'll go hard with him.
Pore devil! He was bright 'nough fur
meanness; pity he couldn't a. tried be-
in white. Come on. l got to go to
the kitchen"
Here again reigned Vic Wah, the i'm
perturbable.
do you like it here?" Esther asked
him.
He grinned. You bettee! Heap
good. One dollah man out here; no
two bittee man. Heap plenty loom.
You like say DAMN all light. No
matter"
"Yic got converted down in Oak
land" Sally B. said when out of his
hearing. It'll give we a crick in yer
side to hear him singin' sans. He's
the best hollerer Charley Crocker's
got. McLane's comm through tonight.
The boys has stuffed Vic with a lot
about Mac, told him Macs goin' to do
up Crocker's railroad; and I'm power
full 'fraid Yic'll sass Mac" There was
trifle of worry in Sally BIS laugh.
How can he hinder our company
now?"
He CANT hinder 'em, but he kin pes
ter 'em a heap, him an the gang he's
actin fur. He amt any wsss'n the
rest, only smarter. He's on his way
home from Washington and New York
now. Been tryin' to fix congress agin,
I'll lay. But l bet Coils P. beats him!
bet on Coils P. every time Read
this" She tumbled over a pile of
papers, found recent copy of the
Clarion and pointed out a short tele-
graphic dispatch. Read it aloud,
honey. l like to listen when our fellers
spouts at the government powwow"
1t was an appeal from Mr.. Hunting
ton to Andrew Johnson, as the head of
the outgoing administration, on behalf
of the Central Pacific railroad.
Likely it's ter spike that gun, that
Macs been east. The boys says so.
But 1 bet on Coils P. all the same.
Ding that Clarion!" she continued
whipping from one topic to another
with astonishing suddenness. They're
| cluckin' to the u. P.'s now to pass us
and come on to Californy; an howlin'
about pushin' the Southern Pacific to
bust the C. P. If 1 was Gov. Stanford
| I'd mortgage my chance o heaven
maybe little bit O. the other place
but what I'd git holt o. that Southern
| Pacific"
What is the Southern Pacific ex
! pecti,M to do?"
Bull across the continent and have
a competin' line"
What? Two railroads? Surely
one will be enough"
IF them four git holt OF Il, they'll
put it acrost all right One line;
They'll be half a dozen some day. An
you bet the C. P.'s won't let nobody
git the start of them If they only gil
fair show"
The strange town stirred Esther's
Imagination. Like flock OF vagrant
ugly birds. the shacks aid fiimsy
wooden houses squatted on the inhos
pitable mountain top or hNddled be
side the brawling stream. The mos
pretentious places were saloons. a
very long tent caught Esther's eye.
That's the dancehouse," Sally B
said. They've got an extra big troup,
OF hurdy-gurdies in now-there's tn,
place where they sleep Just to the lief