Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-03
THE TANNING OF RED BUTTE
WESTERN.
BY FRANCIS LYNDE.
b. suibneFs
BY. FRANCIS LYNDE,
Copyright. 1910. hy Charles sezibnsr's sess)

CHAPTER Xxx.
Storm Signals.
Though Lidgerwood had been up for the
better part of two nights and the day in
tervening. - was apparent to at least
one member of the headquarters force
that he did not go to bed Immediately
after the arrival Of the service car from
the west: the proof being freshly typed
telegram which Operator Dix found inn
paled upon his sending hook when he
came on duty in the dispatcher's ONCE at
Z o'clock in the morning.
The message was addressed to Leck-
hard, Superintendent of the Pannikin DE-
vision of the Pacific Southwestern sys-
tenn, at Copah. 1t was in cipher. and It
contained two uncodided words--"F0rt
and "McCook," which small circumstance
the army post. twelve miles as the crow
flies, down the Pannikin from Copah.
Now Dix was not one OF the rebels. Ofl
the contrary, he was one Of the few loyal
telegraphers who had promised McCios-
key to stand by the Lidgerw0od manage
ment in case the rebellion grew into an
organized attempt to tie UP the road But
the young man had. for his chief weak
ness, a prying curiosity which had LED
him, in times past. to experiment with
the private office code until he had nnaiIy
discovered the key to 1t.
Hence, a little while after the sending
of the Leckhard message. Callahan, the
train dispatcher, hearing an emphatic
Gee whiz!'' from Dix's corner, looked
up from his train sheet to say. What
hit you, brother?
Nothing" said Dix. shortly. but Cal
lahan observed that he was hastily fold
ing and pocketing the top sheet OF the
pad upon which he had been writlng.
Dix went off duty at IL. his second, trick
beginning at in the afternoon. 1t was
between 3 and when McCloskey, hav-
ing strengthened his defenses In every
way he could devise, raped at the door
of his chiefs sleeping room f1rteen
minutes later Lidgerwood Joined the
trainmaster in the private once. y.
II couldn't let you sleep any longer, .
McCloskey began, alphabetically. and l
don't know but you'll give me what-lor
as it is Things are thickening up pretty
fast
put ME in touch.'. was the command
.Ail right. I'll begin at the front end.
Along about 10 o'clock this morning
Davidson. the manager of the Copperette,
came down to see Mr.. Brewster. He gave
the president a long song and dance
about the tough trail and the poor &C.
commodations for q pleasure party UP at
the NINE and the upshot of 1t was thar
Mr.. Brewster went out to the mine with
him alone, leaving the party In the
Nadia here"
Lidgerwood said Damn and let it go
at that for the moment. The thing was
done. and it could not be undone. Nc
Closkey went on with his report, his hat
tilted to the bridge of his nose.
Taking it for granted that you mean
to fight this thing to q cold finish. I've
done everything l could think of. Thanks
to Williams and Bradford. and few
others like them, We can count on q
good third of the trainmen; and I've got
about the same proportion OF the oper-
ators in line for us. Taking advantage
of the Neutrality-suspicious. notice the strik-
ers gave us, I've scattered these men OF
ours east and west on the day trains to
the points where the trouble win hit us
at IL o'clock tonight"
"Good!' said Lidgerwood. briefly.
"How will you handle it,"
broker heads. At midnight. in every inn
portant Office where a striker throws
down his pen and grounds his wire, one
of our men will walk In and keep the ball
rolling. And on every train in transit at
that time, manned by men we're not sure
Of there will be a relief crew of some
sort, deadheading over the road, and
ready to fall in line and keep 1t coming
when the other fellows fall out.
Again the superintendent nodded ms
approval. Inc 1TdlnmdSteT was SIIoWlHS
himself at his loyal best.
That brings us down to Angels and
the present, Mac. How do we stand
here?"
That's what I'd give all my old shoes
to know said McCloskey. his homeiy
say the shopmen are against us. and II
that's SO we're outnumbered here six to
one 1 can't find out anything for GER
TAIN Gridley is still away. and Dawson
hasn't got back, and nobody else knows
anything about the shop force.
"You say Dawson isn't in? He didn't
have more than five or six hours work
on that wreck. What is the matter?'
"He had a bit of bad luck. He got the
main line cleared early this morning. but
in shifting his train and the 'crippies' on
the abandoned spur a culvert broke and
let the big crane off. He has been all
day getting it on again, but he'll be In
before dark-so Goodloe says"
And how about Benson?' queried Lid
gerwood.
other side of Crosswater, and took the
liberty of signing your name to wire
calling him in"
THAT was right With this private
car party on our hands we may need
every man we can depend upon | wish
shop outfit I'm rather surprised that he
should be away. He must have known
that the volcano was about ready to
spout
"Gridleys law to himself" said the
trainmaster Sometimes / think he's all
right. and at other times I catch myself
wondering il he wouldn't tread on me
like I was a cockroach. il / happened to
be in his way"
Having had exactly the same feeling.
and quite without reason, Lfdgerwood
generously defended the absent master
mechanic.
THAT is prejudice. Mac. and you
mustn't give it room. Gridley's all right.
We mustn't forget that his department,
thus far. is the only one that hasn't
given us trouble. and doesn't seem likely
to give us trouble. I wish l could say
as much for the force here In the Crows
Nest
with a single exception. you can-to-
day." said McCloskey. quickly. I've
cleaned house. There Is only one man
under this roof at this minute who won't
fight for you at the drop Of the hat"
"And that one is-?
The trainmaster jerked his head to-
ward the outer office. ITS the man out
thereon who was out there when I
came through; the one you and I haven't
been agreeing on"
'.HallOck? Is he here?"
Sure; he's been here since early this