Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1909-08-11

ties. McCloud was not alone younger
and below Sinclair's height; his broad
Stetson hat flattened him somewhat.
His movement was deliberate beside
Sinclair's litheness, and his face,
though burned by sun and wind, was
boyish, while Sinclairs was strongly
| lined.
Just a moment" suggested Nc
Cloud, mildly, as Sinclair fastened
past the goods piled in the wagon
road. Whose team is that, Sinclair"
The road followed the right of way
| where they stood, and a four-horse
team of heavy mules was pulling a
loaded ranch wagon up the grade
when McCloud spoke.
Sinclair answered cordially. That's
my team from over on the Frenchman.
l picked them up at Denver. Nice
mules, McCloud, amt they? Give me
mules every time for heavy work If
had just hundred more of 'em the
company could have my job-wh2t?"
''Yes. What's that stiff they are
hauling?"
That's a little stuff mashed up in
the merchandise car; there's some to-
bacco there and little wine, guess.
The cases are all smashed"
Lets look at it,
ooh, 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 it?" 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 wrecking boss had be-
come animated.
Il always do something for my men
out Of wreck when l 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. l get the
value a 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 while? What? You haven't been
here long, McCloud," smiled Sinclair,
laying hand with heavy affection on
the young mans shoulder ASK any
man on the division who gets the
work out of his men-who gets the
wrecks cleaned up and the track
cleared. Amt that what you want?"
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-
partment 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 a lot
of money"
THAT was a mistake loading that
up; admit it; it was Karg's careless
ness"
Here is one whole case of cigars
and part Of another" continued Nc
Cloud, climbing from one wheel to
another of the wagon. There is a
thousand dollars in this load! l know
you've got good men, Sinclair. If
they are not getting paid as they
should be, give them time and half
or double time, but put it in the pay
checks. The freight loss and damage
account increased 200 per cent. last
year. No railroad company can keep
that rate up and last, Sinclair"
Hang the company! The claim
agents are a pack of thieves" cried
Sinclair Look here, McCloud, what's
pay check 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 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"
mot by a damned sight" exclaimed
Sinclair. He turned to his ranch driv-
er, Barney Rebstock. "You haul that
stuff where you were told to haul it,
Barney" Then: you and l may as
well have an understanding right
here" he said, as McCloud walked
to the head of the mules
"By all means, and I'll begin by
countermanding that order right now.
Take your load straight back to that
car" directed McCloud, pointing up
the track. Barney, a ranch hand with
a cigarette face, looked surlily at Nc
Cloud
Sinclair raised a finger at the boy
"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 no