Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-10
CHAPTER VI.
Everyman's Share.

This switching-engine mystery opens
up q field that I've been trying to get
into for some little time, Mac" the super
intendent began, after the half hour had
elapsed and the trainmaster had returned
to the private ONCE. "Sit down and We'll
thrash 1t out. Here are some figures
showing loss and expense in the general
maintenance account. Look them over
and tell me what you think
"Wastage. you mean?' queried the train.
master. glancing at the totals in the
auditors statement.
THAT is what have been calling it; a
reckless disregard for the value of any.
thing and everything that can be includ
ed in a requisition. There is a good dea
Of that, know: the risht-of-way is lit
tered from end to end with good materia.
thrown aside. But I'm afraid that isn't
the worst OF it."
The trainmaster was nursing a. knee
and screwing his face into the reflective
scheme Of distortion.
Those things are always hard to prove
short OF military guard. for instance
you couldn't prevent Angels from raidine
the company's coal yard for it's cook
stoves: That's one leak and the others
are pretty much like it. If a company
employe wants to steal. and there isn't
enough common honesty among his fell
low-employes to hold him down, he can
steal fast enough and get away with it. -
by Titles. yes, but not in quantity
pursued LidgerwOOd.
Mony little makes a mickle.' as
my old grandfather used to say" Nc
Cfoskey went on "If everybody gets his
fingers into the sugar bowl
Iidgerwood swung his chair to face Nc
Closkey.
well pass up the petty thieveries for
the present and look a little higher" he
said. gravely. Have you found any
trace Of those two carloads of company
lumber lost in transit between here and
Red Butte. two weeks ago."
mo. nor OF the cars themselves. They
were reported as two Transcontinental
flats, initials and numbers plainly given
I'm the car record. They seem to have
disappeared with the lumber"
(Which means?" queried the superin-
terdent.
That the numbers, or the initials. or
both, were wrongly reported. 1t means
that 1t was a put-up job to steal the
lumber
EXACTLY. And there was a mixed car
load Of lime and cement lost at about
the same time, wasn't there?
Yes
Lidgerwood's swing chair righted itself
to the perpendicular with snap.
Mac, the Red Butte mines are looking
up a little, aud there Is good bit OF
house building going on in the samp just
nOW-teiI me. what man Iltu III i'it,
companys service would be likely To be
taking a flyer in Red Butte real estate?"
ct don't know OF anybody. Gridley used
to be interested in the camp. He went
i'm pretty heavily on the boom, and lost
out-so they all say. So did your man
out there in the pig-pen desk, with II
Jerk of his thumb TO indicate the outer
Office.
..They are both out of it,, said Lidger-
wood. shortly. Then, How about Sulli-
van. the west-end supervisor OF track ?
He has property in Red Butte, am
told" ~ I'LL. 49,.
docs il openly and brags about ii; carries
OF a set of bridge timbers now and then
for house stills. and makes joke of II
with ANYBODY who will listen
= ideerwOod dismissed Sullivan abruptly.
at Is an organized gang. and II must
have its members pretty well scattered
,hroush the departments-and have a
eood many members. too he SAID, con-
c,msivelv. THAT brings us 10 the disap-
rnarance of the switching engine again.
So one man made off with that single
handed Mac.
"It was this gang We arc presupposing
w. Gang that has been stealing lum-
hsr and lime and other material by the
carload.
..t believe we'll get to the bottom OF
nj, the footing on this switchine.eng1
hu.;ness' They have Overcome II this
time You can't put a locomotive In