The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-05-16
CHAPTER u.
At Smoky Creek.

kaTE, Sfnclair's crew foreman. came
running over to him from a pile of
merchandise that had been set off the
right of way on the wagon road for loot.
That's the superintendent car COM
! ing, amt it, Murray" he cried, looking
[ across the creek at the approaching
train.
What of it," returned Sinclair.
Why. we're just loading the team"
The incoming train, an engine with a
way car, two flats, and the Bear Dance
derrick, slowed up at one end of the
wreck while Sinclair and his foreman
talked. Three men could be seen get
/ ting out of the way Car-McCloud, the
superintendent, and Reed Young, the
| Scotch roadmaster. and Bill Dancing
A gang of trackmen filed slowly out
after them.
The leaders of the party made their
way down the curve, and Sinclair, with
Karg, met them at the point McCloud
asked questions about the wreck and
the chances Of getting the track clear
and while they talked Sinclair sent
Karg TO get the new derrick into
action. Sinclair then asked Nc
Cloud to walk with him up the
track to see where the cars had
left the rail The two men showed in
contrast as they stepped along the ties.
McClOud was not alone younger and
below Sinclair's height; mis- broad Stet-
son hat fiattened him somewhat. His
movement was deliberate beside Sin
clair's Iitheness, and his face, though
burned by sun and wind, was bOyish,
while Sinclair's was strongly lined.
Just a moment" suggested McCloud,
mildly, as Sinclair FASTENED past the
goods piled in the wagon road. Whose
team is that. Sinclair" The road fol-
lowed the right of way where they
stood. and fOur-hOrse team of heavy
mules was pulling a loaded ranch wa
gon up the grade when McClOud spoke.
Sinclair answered cordially. That's
my team from over on the Frenchman.
picked them up at Denver. Nice
mules. McCloud. amt they? Give me
mules every time for heavy work. If I
had just a hundred more of 'em the
company could have my jOb-what2"
Yes. What's the stuff they are haul
ing2"
That's a little stuff mashed up in
the merchandise car: there's some to-
bacco there andA little wine, guess.
The cases are all smashed"
Let's look at it
ooh, there's nothing there that's any
good McCloud."
Let's 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
good story about the mules coming
from Denver amt it," he muttered.
Young unwilling to commit himself.
stopped to light his pipe. When he and
Dancing joined Sinclair and McCIoud
the talk between the superintendent
and the wrecking boss had become ami
mated
Il always do something for my men
out of a wreck when I can: that's the
way I set 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 salvage
out of it, anyway. I get the value
dozen times over in quick work. Look
there" Sinclair pointed TO where the
naked men heaved and wrenched in the
sun. Where could you get white men
TO work like that if you didn't jolly
them along once in a while2 What?
You haven't been here long. McCloud,
smiled Sinclair, laying a hand with
heavy affection on the young mans
shoulder. Ask any man on the divi-
sion who gets the work out of his men
who gets the wrecks cleaned up and
the track cleared. Amt that what you
want 90
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 depart
ment won't stand for this looting: that
is the whole story. Here are ten or
twelve cases Of champagne on your