The Huttig news., 1909-07-03
CHAPTER !.
The Wreckina Boss.

News of the wreck at Smoky Creek reached Medicine Bend from Point of locks at five o'clock. Sinclair, in per on, was overseeing the making up of is wrecking train and the yard, usu- ,ly quiet at that hour of the morning, vas alive with the hurry of men and ngines. In the trainmaste-'s room of he weather-beaten headquarters build lg nicknamed by railroad men The fickiup,' early comers-sleepy-fac .een-eyed trainmen-lounged on the .bles and in chairs discussing the re- orts from Point of Rocks, and among .em crew-c callers and messengers owed in and out Two minutes after aey had their orders and were pulling ut of the upper yard, with right of tay over everything to Point of l locks.
 The wreck had occurred just west f the creek. A fast east-bound freight l rain, double-headed, had left the l track on the long curve around the | Jill. and when the wrecking train l backed through Ten Shed cut the sun | streamed over the heaps of damned and twisted cars strung all the way | from the point of the curve to the foot of Smoky hill. The crew of the train | that lay in the ditch walked slowly up the track to where the wreckers had pulled up. and the freight conduc- tor asked for Sinclair. Men rigging the derrick pointed to the hind car. The conductor, swinging up the ca- l boose steps, made his way inside among the men that were passing out tools. The air within was bluish- thick with tobacco smoke, but through the haze the freightman saw den-like interior. man seated behind an old dining-car table. finishing his l breakfast; one glimpse was enough to identify the dark beard of Sinclair, foreman of the bridges and boss of the wrecking gang
 Beside him stood a steaming coffee tank, and in his right hand he held an enormous tin cup that he was about to raise to his mouth when he saw the freight conductor With laugh, Sin clair threw up his left hand and beck. oned him over. Then he shook his hair just a little, tossed bacl his head opened an unusual mouth, drained the cup at gulp, and cursing the freight man fraternalIy. exclaim sd: "Hov many cars have you ditched this timer"
 The trainman. sober-faced fellow answered. dryly: "All I had"
 Running too fast, eh?' glared Sin clair
 With the box cars piled 40 feet high on the track. the conductor was too old hand to begin a controversy. Our times fast" was all he said
 Sinclair rose and exclaimed: Come on" And the two, leaving the car, started up the track The wrecking boss paid no attention to his com panion as they forged ahead, but where the train had hit the curve he scanned the track as he would blue print. They'll have your scalp for this." he declared, abruptly.
 q reckon they will"
 What's your name?"
 Stevens"
 Looks like all day for you, doesn't 1t? No matter: guess can help you out''
 Where the merchandise cars lay, below the switch. the train crew knew that a tramp had been caught At intervals they heard groans under the wreckage. which was piled high there. Sinclair stopped at the derrick and the freight conductor went on 10 where his brakeman had enlisted two of Sinclairs giants to help get out the tramp. A brake beam had crushed the mans legs, and the pallor of his face showed that he was hurt internally but he was conscious and moaned soft ly. The n-en had started to carry him to the way car when Sinclair came up, asked what they were doing, and ordered them back to the wreck. They hastily laid the tramp down. But he wants water" protested brakeman who was walking behind, carrying his arm in sling.
 ''Water!" bawled Sinclair. Have my men got nothing to do but carry tramp to water? Get ahead there and help unload those refrigerators He'll find water fast enough. Let the damned hobo crawl down to the creek after it"
 The tramp was too far gone for re sentiment; he had tainted when they laid him down, and his halfglazed eyes, staring at the sky. gave no evi dence that he heard anything.
 The sun rose hot, for in the Red desert sky there is rarely cloud Sinclair took the little hill nearest the switch to below his orders from running down among the msn when ever necessary to help carry them out Within 30 minutes. though apparently no impression had been made on the great heaps of wrenched and splin tered equipment, Sinclair had the jot in hand.
 The freight conductor, Stevens afraid of no man. had come up tc speak to Sinclair and Sinclair, with smile, laid a cordial hand on his shoulders. Stevens. it's all right. TT -1 l.