Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-05
CHAPTER XXI.
The Boss Machinist.

O44R4 Am .<A0As
The Boss Machinist. 4.
Miss Brewster evidently obeyed her In
structions precisely. since Van Lew came
almost Immediately to tap on the door
Of the superintendent private room.
Miss Eleanor said you wanted to see
me- he began. when Lidgerwood had ad-
mitted him: adding: II was just about
to chase out to see what had become OF
her."
The frank confession, Of solicitude was
not thrown away upon Lidgerwood. and
it cost him an effort to put the athlete
ON plane Of brotherly equality as q
comrade in arms. But he comprised It.
Eyes, asked her to send you up" he
replied. Then, II suppose you know what
we are confronting. Mr.. Van Lew?''
Mrs Brewster told us as soon as we
came back from the hills. Is it likely to
be serious?'
yes. l wish I could have persuaded
Mrs. Brewster to order the Nadia out OF
it. But she has refused to go and leave
Mr. Brewster behind.
II know" said Van Lew; I'VE have all
refused"
80 Miss Brewster has just told me-
frowned Lidgerwood. THAT being the
case, we must make the best of 1t. How
carr"
II have hunting rifle-a "A magazine;
and Jefferis has small armofy OF re-
volvers-boylike.'
Good! The defense Of the car. IL a
riot materialixes. will fall upon you two.
Judge Holcombe can't be counted in. I'll
give you all the help I can spare, but
you'll have to furnish the brains. l sup
pose I don't need to tell you not to lake
any chances?"
1,1S ovl 1od
Not. while the dear girl whom. God
willing I'm going to marry. is a member
of our car party. I'm more likely to be
0vercautious than reckless, Mr.. Lidger-
wood"
Here, in terms unmistakable, was a
deep grave in which to bury any poor
phantom of hope which might have sur
vived, but Lidgerwood did not advertise
the func raj.
"She is altogether worthy of the most
that you can give her, Mr.. Van Lew" he
said. gravely. Then he passed quickly
to the more vital matter. 1.-THE Nadia
will be placed on the short spur track at
this end of the building, close in. where
you can step from the rear platform of
to keep watch for you. but you must also
keep watch for yourself. II any firing
begins. get your people out quietly and
bring them up here. OF course, none OF
stray bullet to fear. but the side walls
of the Nadia would offer no protection
against that"
Van Lew nodded Understandings
Call 1t settled he said. shall use
my own judgment as to the proper mo-
ment to make the break. or will you pass
US the word?"
Lidgerwood took time to consider. Con-
ditions might arise under which the
Crows Nest would be the most unsafe
place in Angels to which to fee for
shelter.
Perhaps you would better sit tight un-
til / give the word he directed. after
the reflective pause. Then. In q lighter
vein: "All Of these careful prefigurings
may be entirely beside the mark. MIR.
that they were. And until the thing
actually hits us We may as well keep up
appearances. Don't let the women worry
any more than they have to-"
You can trust me for that, laughed
the athlete. and he went his way to be-
gin the keeping up of appearances.
At o'clock, just as Lidgerwood was
finishing the luncheon which had been
sent up to his Office from the station
kitchen, train 2O3 pulled in from the east;
ing train trailed up from the west bring
ing the "cripples" from the Little Butte
disaster. Not to leave anything undone,
Lidgerwood summoned McCloskey by a
touch OF the buzZer-puSh connecting Win
the trainmaster's Office.
mo word from Judson yet?' he asked,
when McCloskey's homely face appeared
in the doorway.
mo. not yet" was the reply.
Let me know when you hear from
him: and In the meantime l WISH you
would go downstairs and see IL Gridley
came in on BOB. If he did, bring him
and Benson up here and We'll hold a
council Of war. II you see Dawson, send
him home to his mother and sister. He
can report to me later, if he finds 1t safe
to leave his womankind."
The door of the outer Office had barely
closed behind McCloskey when that open
ing into the corridor swung upon Its
hinges to admit the master-mechanic. He
was dusty and travel stained, but nothing
seemed to stale his genial good humor.
well, well, Mr.. Lidgerwood. SO the
hoboes have asked to see your hand at
last, have they?" he began, sympathetic
ally. II heard Of 1t over in Copah. just
in good time to let me catch 20S. You're
not going to let them make you show
down, are your
NO" said Lidgerwood.
That's right; that's precisely the way
to stack it up. OF course. you know you
can count on me. I've got beautiful
lot of pirates over in the shops. but We'll
try to hold them level Then. in the
same even tone: '"They tell me we went
into the hole again last night over at
Little Butte. Pretty bad?'
Very bad; six killed outright, and as
many more to bury later on. / am told
by the Red Butte doctors"
Heavens and earth! The men are call
ing it broken rail; was it?'
"A loosened rail" corrected Lidger-
wood
The master-mechanic's eyes narrowed.
"Natural?" he asked.
mo, artificial"
Gridley swore savagely.
This things got to stop, Lidgerwood!
Sift It, sift it to the bottom. Whom do
you suspect?"
1t was a plain truth. though an unin-
tentionally misleading one. that the SUI
perintendent put into his reply.
II don't suspect any one, Gridley," he
began, and he was going on to say that
suspicion had grown to certainty. when
the latch Of the door opening from the
outer office clicked again and McCloskey
came in with Benson. The master-me-
chanic excused himself abruptly when he
saw who the trainmaster's follower was.
"I'll go and get something to eat he
said, hurriedly: latter which I'll pick UP
n