Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-07-22

"Oh, there's nothing there that's
any good, McCloud."
Lets look at it."
AS Bill Dancing and Young walked
behind the two men toward the wagon,
Dancing made extraordinary efforts to
wink at the roadmaster. That's a
good story about the mules coming
from Denver, amt III" he muttered.
Young, unwilling to commit himself,
stopped to light his pipe. When he
and Dancing joined Sinclair and Nc.
Cloud the talk between the superin.
tendent and the wreckirg boss had be.
| come animated.
II always do something for my men
out OF wreck when can; that's the
way / get the work out of them" Sin.
clair was saying. "A little stuff like
this,' he added, nodding toward the
( wagon, comes handy for presents.
and the company couldn't get any sal.
wage out Of It. anyway. set the
value dozen times over in quick
work. Look there" Sinclair pointed
to whore the naked men heaved and
wrenched in the sun. Where could
you get white men to work like that
II you didn't jolly them along once
In a while? What? You haven't been
here long. McCloud," smiled Sinclair,
laying hand with heavy affection on
the young VANS shoulder. ASK any
man on the division who gets the
work out of his mon-who gets the
wrecks cleaned up and the track
oil ;,'t Lot
Certainly. Sinclair; no man that
ever saw you handle a wreck would
undertake to do it better"
Then what's all this fuss about"
We've been over all this matter be.
fore. as you know. The claim de-
nartment won't stand for this footing;
that's the whole story. Here are ten
or twelve cases of champagne on your
wagon-soiled a little, but worth lot
of money"
That was a mistake loading that
up; l admit II; II was Karg's careless
ness"
Here IS orc whole case of cigars
and part Of another" continued Nc
Cloud, climbing from orc wheel to
another Of the wagon There is q
thousand dollars in this load, | know
you've got good men, Sinclair. II
they are rot getting paid ms they
should be. give .hem time and half
or double time. but rut It In the pay
CHECKS. The freight loss and damage
account incr eased 200 per cent. last
year. No railroad company can keep
that rate up and last Sinclair"
Hang the company. The claim
agents are pack of thieves" cried
Sinclair Look hero. McCloud, what's
pay cheek to man that's sick. com.
pared with bottle of good wine?"
When one of your men Is sick and
needs wine, let me know" returned
McCloud "I'll see that he gets It.
Your men don't wear silk dress ,s, do
they?" he asked. pointing to another
case of goods under the drivers seat.
Have that stuff all hauled back and
loaded into box car on track"
Not by damned sight" exclaimed
Sinclair. He turned to his ranch driv-
er, Barney Rebstock you haul that
stuff where you were told to haul 1t,
Barney" Then: You and l may as
well have an understanding right
here" ne said, as McCloud walked
to the head Of the mules.
by all means. and III begin by
countermanding that order right now.
Take your load straight back to that
car directed McCloud. pointing up
the track. Barney, ranch hand with
cigarette face, looked surlily at Nc.
Cloud
Sinclair raised a finger at the bow.
You drive straight ahead where told
you to drive. l don't propose to have
my affairs interfered with by you or
anybody else, McCloud. You and
can settle this thing ourselves" he
added. walking straight toward the
superintendent.
Get away from those mules"
yelled Barney at the same moment.
cracking his whip.
McCloud's dull eyes hardly lightened
as he looked at the driver. Don't
swing your whip this way. my hoy"
he said, laying hold quietly of the near
bride
Drop that bridlc!" reared Sinclair.
III drop your mules in their tracks
II they move oSe foot forward Dan.
cling. unlock those traces" said Nc.
CloId, pefcmptorily. Dump the wine
out CT that wagon box, Young" Then
he turned to Sinclair and pointed to
tho wreck. Get back to your work"
The sun marked the five men rooted
for an instan! on the hillside. Dan.
cling jumped at the traces, Reed Young
clambered over the wheel, and Sin.
clair, livid, faced McCloud. With a
bitter denunciation OF interlopers.
claim agents, and fresh" railroad men
generally, Sinclair swore he would not
go back to work, and a case Of wine
crashing to the ground Infatuated him.
He turned on his heel and started for
the wreck. Call off the mem" he yelled
to Karg at the derrick. The foreman
passed the word. The derrickmen,
dropping their hooks and chains In
some surprise, moved out of the wreck
age. The axmen and laborers gathered
around tho foreman and followed him
toward Sinclair.
Boys" cried Sinclair. we've got
new superintendent, college guy.
You know what they are; tho com.
pany has tried EN- before. They
draw the salaries and wc do the work.
This one down here now Is making his
little kick about the few pickings we