Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-07-10

to-day; empties are very scarce every
where now"
"rne4e always have been e,npte
here when they were wanted until
lately n ere's been no head or tail
to anything on t.is division for six
months.
I'm sotry that you have that i'm
preston"
That impression is very general"
declared The stockman. with an oath.
and IL you keep on discharging the
only men on this division that are
competent 90 handle break like this.
il is ikcly 60 continued"
Just "a moment" McCloud's finger
rose po.ntedly. My failure TO please
you IN caring for your stock IN an
emergency may Zoe properly a matter
Tor comment. Your opinion as TO the
way ] ann running this division is OF
course. your own. but don't attempt
20 criucise Tho retention or discharge
OF any man on ny pay roll"
Duunin- STROBE toward him. I'm
a shipper ON his line. when "a suits
me TO CRITICS. YOU or your methods.
or anybody else S. ] expect TO do So"
AtN '.N''i N'.A lII ..-M tones.
"But you cannot tel me how 10 run
my business, Numbered McCloud
leaning over the table I'm front OF him
As the TWO men glared az each 9TH
or Rooney T. oIsstj the door. HIS
surprise az Az situation amounted to
CONSERVATION IIe shuClcd TO the cor
ncr OF the room. and while McCloud
and Dunniug engaged holly again.
Rooney. from thc corner. threw shot
or his own. into tlc quarrel. ION
time" ne roir.I
The augry mon turned What's
on time asked NCCloud. CURLY.
Number ono she's in and chang
ing engines. told them you were go-
ing west" declared Rooney in so deep
tones that ls fiction would never
have been susrected.
Cunning. io emphasize, without a
further word his disgust for the situ-
alton aad bis contempt for the man
agement. tor, into scraps the pass
that had been livcn him. threw the
scraps on ga, floor. took a cigar from
his pocket ana hrhted Il: insoIence
could DO no acrc.
McCioud locked over az the dis.
patcher. mo / am not going west.
Rooney. - n you viii be good
enough TO stay here and find out from
this man just how this railroad OUGHT
20 De- run. : viii go 10 bed Ic can
ten YOU. the microbc seems 20 Do
working in his mind right now" said
McCioud. slammiug down the routop
OF his desk and With Lance Dunning
glaring at him. somewhat speechless.
he pat on PATS hat and walked out OF
the room.
IL was but one OF many disacreeabIe
Incidents due TO the loss OF the bridge.
Complications arising from the tie-up
followed him az every turn IL 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-
err dead than alive. back at Medicine
Bend ana iu the little dining room at
Marion's. Coming In az 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
a customer. Putting his head on The
table 10 wait a moment nature as
serted itself and McCloud fell asleep.
lie woke hearing voice that he had
heard In dreams. Perhaps no other
voice could have Weakened him. for he
slept for a few minutes a death-like
sleep. AT all events, Dicksie Dunning
was IL the front room and McCloud
heard her. She was talking with
Marion about the burning of Smoky
Creek bridge.
Every one is talking about Il vet"
Dicksie was saying II I had lost
my best friend / couldn't have felt
worse; you know, my father built IL.
rode over there the day OF the fire.
ana down into the creek. so / could
look up where Il stood. ] never
realized before how high and how
long II was; aud when / remembered
now proud father always was OF his
work there--Cousin Lance has often
told me- sat down right on the
ground and cried. How times have
changed In railroading, haven't theyg
Mr.. Sinclair was over just the other
night. and he said IL they kept using
TINS new coal in the engines thew
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? feel most Ike
tramp. He is coming froyn the west
with the stock train. II was due here
hours ago. but they never seem to
know when anything is TO get here the q
way things are run on the railroad
now. ! want TO give Cousin Lance
some mail before he goes through" |
The passenger trains crossed the
creek over the switchbacks hours ago.
and they say the emergency grades /
are hrst-rate," said Marion Sinclair. on |
the defensive. The stock trains must 1
nave followed right along. Your cousin /
Is sure to be here pretty soon. Prob |
ably Mr.. McCloue VIII know which 1
train he is on. and Mr.. Lee telephoned l
that Mr. McCloud would be over here !
at three o'clock for his dinner. He
ought TO be here now"
"oh. dear. then must goi"
But he can probably tell you lust |
when yOur couefu will he On