Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-02
THE TANNING OF RED BUTTE
WESTERN.
BY FRANCIS LYNDE.
Copyright 1910 By Charles cibner


CHAPTER XIX.-Continued.
1--WE told you this. Fred. because. II
the man we saw were Hallock. he'll prob
ably turn up while you are at work:
Hallock. with Judson at his heels. You'll
know what to do in that event?'
Il guess so-keep a sharp eye on Hal
lock and make Judson hold his tongue.
I'll do both.''
That's ALL said the superintendent.
Now I'll have Bradford pull us up on
baby crane ahead: then you can pull
down and let us out"
The shifting took some few minutes
and more than a little skill While it was
in progress Lidgerwood was I'm the serv-
ice car, trying to persuade the young
women to go to his stateroom for little
rest and sleep on the return run. In the
midst OF the argument the door opened
and Dawson came In. From the instant
OF his entrance 1t was plain that he had
expected to find the superintendent alone;
that he was visibly and painfully en-
barrassed.
Lidgerwood excused himself and went
quickly to the embarrassed one. who was
still anchoring himself to the door knob.
What is it, Fred?'' he asked.
"Judson-he has just turned up, walk
ing from Little Butte, he says, with q
pretty badly bruised ankle. He is loaded
to the muzzle with news of some sort,
and he wants to know il you'll take him
with you to An The craftsman. fac
ing the group under the Pintsch globe at
the other end of the open compartment
stopped suddenly and his big jaw grew
rigid. Then he said, in an awed whisper
God! let me get out of here"
Tell Judson to come aboard, said
Lidgerwood; and the craftsman was
twisting at the door knob when Miriam
Holcombe came swiftly down the COM
partment.
wait. Fred" she said, gently. Il have
come all the way out here to ask my
question, land you mustn't try to stop
me-are you going to keep on letting 1t
make us both deso'ate-for always? She
seemed not to see or to care that Lidger-
wood made q listening third.
Dawson's face had grown suddenly hag-
gard. and he. too, ignored the superin-
tendent.
''How can you say that to me, Mir
iam?' he returned almost gruffiy. Day
and night I am paying, paying, and the
debt never grows less. II 1t wasn't for
my mother and Faith - but 1 must
go on paying. ! killed your brother"
"No," she denied. that was an acci-
dent for which you were no more to
blame than he was; but you are killing
me-
Lidgerwood stood by, manlike. because
he did not know enough to vanish. But
compartment to drag him out OF the way
of those who did not need him.
You'd spoil it ALL il you could.
wouldn't youY' she whispered. in fine
feminine rage; land after I have moved
heaven and earth to get Miriam to come
out here for this one special blessed mo-
ment! Go and drive the others into a
corner and keep them there"
Lidgerwood obeyed, quite meekly; and
when he looked again Dawson had gone
aud Miss Holcoinbe was sobbing COM
fortably in Eleanor's arms.
Judson boarded the service car when 1t
was pulled up to the switch; and after
Lidgerwood had disposed of his passen-
gers for the run back to Angels, he lis
tened to the ex-engineer's report, sitting
quietly while Judson told him of the plot
and of the plotters. At the close he said.
gravely: You are sure 1t was Hallock
who got OF the night train at Silver
switch and went up the old spur"
1t was a test question, and the en-
gineer did not answer it offhand.
I'd say yes in holy minute II there
wasn't so blamed much else tied on, to
1t. Mr.. Lidgerwood. I was sure, at the
time, that it. was Hallock; and besides,
/ heard him talking to Flemister after
ward. and I saw his mug Swallowed out
on the window curtain. just as I've been
telling you All / can say crOsswtse Is
that didn't get to see him face to face
anywhere; in the gulch, or in the office.
or in the mine, or any place else.
"Yet you are convinced in your own
mind?''
II am''
"You say you saw him and F1emister
get on the hand car and pump them
selves down the old spur: OF course, you
couldn't identify either Of them from the
top Of the ridge?
That's a guess" admitted the ex-en-
gineer. frankly. "All I could see was
that there were two men on the car. But
ii fits in pretty good: / hear 'em plannin'
what all they're going to do; foller 'em
a good bit more'n half way through the
mine tunnel; hike back and hump myself
over the hill. and get there in time to see
two men-some two men-rushin' out the
hand car to go somewhere. That amt
more'n one jury that'd hang both of 'em
on it."
but the third man. Judson; the man
you saw beating with his fists on the
bulkhead air lock-whO was he?" persist
ed LidgerwOOd.
Now you've got me guessin again. If
I hadn't been dead certain that I saw
Hallock go on ahead with Flemister-but
1 did see him; saw 'em both go through
the little door, one after the other, and
heard it slam before the other dub turned
up. No." reading the question In the SUI
perintendent's eye, mot drop, Mr.. Lid
gerwood: / amt touched not, tasted not,
mr. handled not-'r leaStwise not to drink
any," and here he told the bottle episode.
which had ended in the smashing OF
Flemister's sideboard supply.
Lidgerwood nodded apprOvingly when
the modest narrative reached the bottle
smashing point.
.That was fine, john" he said. using
the ex-engineer's Christian name for the
first time in the long interview. IF
you've got 1t in you to do such a thing
as that, at such time, there is good
hope for you. Let's settle this question
once for all-all I ask Is that you prove
up on your good intentions. Show me
that you have quit, not for day or
week, but for all time, and l shall be
only too glad to see you pulling passenger
trains again. But to get back to this
crime of tonight: When you left FIem-
ister's Office, after telephoning GOodloe,
you walked down to Little Butte sta
tion?'
Eyes: walked and run. There was no
body there but the bridge Waterman.
Goodloe had come on up the track to hnd
out what had happened"
"And you didn't see F1emister or Hal
lock again.
NO"
"Flemister told us he got the news by
phone, and when he said 1t the wreck
was no more than an hour old. He
in that time. Where could he have got
the message. and from whom
Judson was shaking his head.
s.He didn't need any message-and he
didn't get any. I'd put 1T up this way:
After that rail joint was sprung open
they'd go back UP the old spur on the
hand car. wouldn't they? And on the