The Tupelo journal., 1909-07-30
competent to handle ! break like this.

competent to handle I break like this,
It is likely to continued"
"Just a moment" McCloud's finger
-ose pointedly. MY failure to please
you in caring for your stock in an
emergency may be properly a matter
for comment; your opinion as to the
way / am running this division Is, Of
course, your own; but don't attempt
to criticise the retention or discharge
of any man on my pay roll"
Dunnins strobe toward him. I'm
a shipper on this line; when 1t suits
me to criticise you or your methods,
or anybody else's, l expect to do So"
he ~retorted in high tones.
But you cannot tell me how to run
my Eusiness!" thundered McCloud.
leaning over the table in front of him
AS the two men glared at each 9TH
err Rooney Lee opened the door. His
surprise at the situation amounted to
CONSERVATION. He shufled to the cor
ner of the room, and while McCloud
and Dunning engaged holly again,
Rooney, from the corner, threw a shot
Of his own into the quarrel. ION
tlme!" 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 go
ing west" declared Rooney 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 a cigar from
his pocket and lighted it; insolence
could do no more
McCloud locke v e at the dis
patcher. mo, I am not going west,
Rooney. But II ~0u will be good
enough to stay AeI 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
McCIoud, slamming down the roll-top
of his desk. And with Lance Dunning
glazing at him, somewhat speechless,
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. It seemed
as if 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 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
a customer. Putting his head on the
table to wait a moment, nature as
serted itself and McCloud fell asleep.
He woke hearing a voice that he had
heard in dreams. Perhaps no other
voice could have wakened him, for he
slept for a few minutes a death-like
sleep. At all events, Dicksie Dunning
was in 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 / had lost
my best friend 1 couldn't have felt
worse; you know, my father built it.
/ rode over there the day of the fire,
and down into the creek, SO I could
look up where it stood. / never
realized before how high and how
long it was; and when 1 remembered
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, l have been wait
ing in town three or four hours now
for Cousin Lance? / feel almost like
a tramp. He is coming from the west
with the stock train. 1t was due here
hours ago, but they never 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 the
creek over the switchbacks hours ago,
and they say the emergency grades
are first-rate," said Marion Sinclair, on
the defensive. "The stock trains must
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 l must go!"
But he can probably tell you just
when your cousin will be in"
Il wouldn't meet him for worlds!"
M -. q [7H&A--- ~hE