Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-05-20

and Dunning engaged holly again.
Rooney, from the corner. threw shot
OF his own into the quarrel. ION
time!" he roared.
The angry men turned. whats
on timer" asked McCloud, CURLY.
Number One; she's In and chang.
ing engines. told them you were 60
Ing west" declaredRooney in so deep
tones that his fiction would never
have been suspected.
Dunning, to emphasize, without a
further word, his disgust for the stu.
alton and his contempt for the man.
agement, tore into scraps the pass
that had been given him, threw the
scraps on the floor. took cigar from
his pocket and lighted it; insolence
could do no more.
McCloud looked over at the dis.
patcher. "No, am not going west,
Rooney. But If you will be good
enough to stay here and find out from
this man just how this railroad ought
to be run, l will go to bed. He can
tell you; the microbe seems to be
working in his mind right now" said
McCloud, slamming down the roll-top
OF his desk. And with Lance Dunning
glaring at him. somewhat speeches.,
he put on his hat and walked out OF
the room.
1t was but one OF many disagreeable
incidents due to the loss of the bridge.
Complications arising from the tie-up
followed him at every turn. 1t seemed
as II he could not get away from trou.
BILE following trouble. After 40 hours
further Of toll, relieved by four hours
of sleep, McCloud found himself, rath.
er dead than alive. back at Medicine
Bend and In the little dining room at
Marion's. Coming in at the cottage
door on Fort street, he dropped into
a chair. The cottage rooms were
empty. He heard Marion's voice in
the front shop; she was engaged with
customer. Putting his head on the
table to wait a moment, nature as.
serted itself and McCloud fell asleep.
He woke hearing voice that he had
heard In dreams. Perhaps no other
voice could have wakened him. for he
slept for few minutes death-like
sleep. At all events Dicksie Dunning
was III the front room and McCloud
heard her. She was talking with
Marion about the burning of Smoky
Creek bridge.
Every one is talking about 1t yet"
Dicksie was saying. IF l had lost
my best friend l couldn't have felt
| Foil hill
rode over there the day Of the fire
and down into the creek, so 1 could
look up where 1t stood. I never
realized before how high and how
long it was; and when l remembered
how proud father always was of his
work there-Cousin Lance has often
told mel sat down right on the
ground and cried. How times have
changed in railroading, haven't they!
Mr.. Sinclair was over Just the other
night, and he said If they kept using
this new coal in the engines they
would burn up everything on the di
vision. Do you know, have been wait
ing in town three or four hours now
for Cousin Lance? I feel almost like
a tramp. He is coming from the west
with the stock train. 1t was due here
hours ago, but they never seem to
know when anything is to get here the
way things are run on the railroad
now. I want to give Cousin Lance
some mail before he goes through
"The passenger trains crossed tn.
creek over the switchbacks hours ago
and they say the emergency grades
are flrst-rate," said Marion Sinclair, or
the defensive. THE stock trains mus
have followed right along. Your cousin
Is sure to be here pretty soon. Prob
ably Mr.. McCloud will know which
train he is on, and Mr.. Lee telephoned
that Mr.. McCloud would be over here
at three o'clock for his dinner. He
ought to be here now"
"Oh, dear, then must go!"
But he can probably tell you JUS
when your cousin will be in"
Il wouldn't meet him for worlds!"
"You wouldn't? Why, Mr.. McClout
Is delightful"
ooh, not for worlds, Marion! 70,
know he is discharging all the best O
the older men, the men that hav,
made the road everything 1t is, and O
course we can't help sympathizins
with them over our way. For my part
l think 1t is terrible, after man ha,
given all Of his life to building up
railroad, that he should be thrown GU
to starve in that way by new man
ayers, Marion"
McCloud felt himself shrinking
within his weary clothes. Resentmen
seemed to have died. He felt too ex
hausted to undertake controversy
even il it were to be thought of, ant
1t was not.
Nothing further was needed to com
plete his humiliation. He picked up
his hat and with the thought Of get
ting out as quietly as he had come in.
In rising he swept tumbler at his
elbow from the table. The glass broke
on the floor, and Marion exclaimed
What Is that?" and started for the
dining ROOM
1t was too late to get away. Nc
Cloud stepped to the portieres of the
trimming room door and pushed them
aside. Marion stood with hat In her
hand, and Dicksie, sitting at the table
was looking directly at the intruder us
he appeared in the doorway. She saw
in him her pleasant acquaintance OF
the wreck at Smoky Creek, whose
name she had not learned. In her sur.
prise, she rose to her feet. and Marion
spoke quickly: ooh. Mr.. McCloud, is
| Il ynu2 I did MT haar ,,o,, coma IL, I,