Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-21

of his time swapping grievances with the
rebels; and he is out of town and within
a few miles of here, as you know, when
this a: wreck. happens. If all that isn't
enough to earn him a. little suspicion,
II know; l can't argue the case with
you Mac. But I can't do it,
You mean. you won't do 1t. l respect
your scruples. Mr.. Lidgerwood. But 1T is
no longer a personal matter between you
and Hallock-the company's interests are
involved"
Without suspecting it the trainmaster
had found the weak joint in the superin-
tendent's armor. For the company's sake
the personal point of view must be ig-
nored.
1T is such despicable thing he pro-
tested, as one who yields reluctantly.
And if, after all, Hallock is inno--
Closkey. IF he is innocent, no harm will
be done. and Judson will become wit
ness for instead of against him.
We'll" said Lidgerwood. and what
more he would have said about the con-
spiracy was cut off by the shrill whistle
of a homecoming train. That's Will
liams with the special he announced,
when the whistle gave him leave. lis
your flag out?''
Sure. It's up around the hill, with q,
safe man to waggle it,.
Lidgerwood cast an anxious glance to-
ward DawsOn's huge derrick-car. which
was still blocking the main line. The
hoist tackle was swinging free. and the
jack beams and Outriggers were taken in.
Better send somebody down to tell
Dawson to pull up here to your tempo
rary siding, Mac" he suggested; but
Dawson was one of those priceless help
ers who did not have to be told in detail
He had heard the warming whistle and
already had his train in motion.
BY a bit Of quick shifting the main line
was cleared before Williams swung cav
tiously around the hill With the priva.e
car. In obedience to LidgerwoOds Up
lifted finger the brakes were applied nd
the Nadia came 20 a full stop. with its
observation platform opposite the end of
the wrecking track.
A big man. in a soft hat and loose box
dust-coat, with twinkling little eyes and a
curling brown beard that covered fully
three fourths of his face, stood at the
hand rail-
Hello, Howard" he called down to
Lidgerwood, BY George. I'd totally
forgotten that you were out here. What
are you trying to do? Got SO many cars
and engines that you have to throw some
Of them away?'
Lidgerwood climbed up the embank-
ment to the track, and McCloskey care
fully let him do it alone. The Hello.
Howard had not been thrown away,
upon the trainmaster
1T looks little that way. l must ad-
nit. Cousin Ned" said the culprit who
hftu dHSW cIcu So iSduIiS " HIS SihAStioh
name. I'VE tried pretty hard to get it
cleaned up before you came along, but we
couldn't quite make it,"
"Oho! tried to cover it up. did you?
Afraid I'd fire you? You needn't be. My
job as president merely gets me passes
over the road. Ford's your man: he's the
fellow you want to be scared Of.
Il am laughed Lidgerwood. The big
mans heartiness was always infectious.
Then: Coming over to camp with US
aWhilec II | hone YOU carry
your commissary along. Angels will
starve you. otherwise"
Don't tell me about that tin-canned
tepee village. Howard-I know I've been
there before. How are we doing over in
the Timanyori foot hills? Getting much
ore down from the Copperette? Climb
up here and tell me all about 1t. Or.
better still. come on across the desert
with us. They don't need you here.
The assertion quite true. With
Dawson. the trainmaster and an uEder-
study Judson, for bosses. there was no
need of a fourth. Yet intuition, or what
ever masculine thing it is that stands for
intuition. prompted Lidgerwood to say:
Il don't know as | ought to leave. I've
just come out from Angels, you know"
But the president was not to be denied.
Climb up here and quit trying to find
excuses. Well give you better lunch
con than you'll get out of the dinner
pals; and If you carry yourself hand
somely you may get dinner invitation
after we get in. That ought to tempt
any man who has to live in Angels the
year round.
ITO be continued tomorrow.)