Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-06
the effort while the rescue train was
whipping around the hill shoulders and

the effort while the rescue train was
whipping around the hill shoulders and
plunging deeper into the afternoon
shadows of the great mountain range.
men and working tackle. and for seats
there were only the blocking timbers. the
| tool boxes and the coils Of rope and
chain cables. Sharing tool box with
Gridley and smoking cigar out OF Grid
ley's pocket-case. Lidgerwood found it
difficult to be less than friendly.
1t was to little purpose that he re-
called Tord's qualified recommendation OF
the man who had New York backing.
and who. in Ford's phrase. was a brute
| after his own peculiar fashion," Brute or
human the big master-mechanic had the
| manners of a gentleman. and his easy
good nature broke down all the barriers
of reserve that his somewhat reticent
companion could interpose.
You smoke good cigars, Mr.. Gridley,''
said Lidgerwood. trying. as he had tried
| before. to wrench the talk aside from the
personal channel into which 1t seemed
| naturally to drift
Good tobacco is one of the few lux
ur1es the desert leaves a man capable OF
enjoying. You haven't come to that yet,
but you will. 1t is savage life, Mr.
Lidgerwood. and If a man hasn't a good
DIT of the blood of his stone-age ancestors
in him. the desert will either kill him or
| make beast of him. There doesn't seem
| to be any medium
The talk was back again in the per-
| sonal channel. and this time Lidgerwood
! met the issue fairly.
You have been saying that in one
form or another. ever since we left
angels: are you trying to scare me on
MT Gridley. or are you only giving me a
friendly warning?" he asked.
The master-mechanic laughed easily.
Il hope l wouldn't be impudent enough
to do either. on such short acquaintance, .
he protested. But now that you have
opened the door, perhaps little man-to.
man frankness won't be amiss. You
Mr.. Lidgerwood."
Technically, you mean?"
mo, l don't mean that, because ii
your friends tell the truth about you
you can come as near to making bricks
! without straw as the next man. But the
| Red Butte Western reorganization asks
for something more than a good railroad
| officer"
I'm listening" said Lidgerwood.
| Gridley laughed again.
What will you do when a conductor
or an engineer whom YOU have called or
| the carpet curses you out and invites
| you to go to helf?"
| Il shall fire him. was the prompt re-
joinder.
| Naturally and properly; but afterward
Four out Of five men in this human
scrap heap you've inherited will lay FOL
you with gun to play even for the dis
charge. What them"
| 1t was just here that Lidgerwood, star
ing absently at the passing panorama OF
| shifting hill shoulders framing itself in
| the open side door of the tool car. missed
point. If he had been less absorbed
| in the personal problem he could scarcely
have failed to mark the searching
scrutiny in the shrewd eyes shaded by
| Gridley's soft hat
y don't know" he said. half hesitantly
Civilization means somethtng-or II
| cd
desert, Mr.. Gridley. suppose there is
some semblance Of legal protection in
Angels. as elsewhere. isn't there?"
The master-mechanic's smile was toll.
Grant.
Surely. We have a town marshal and
| a justice of the peace; one Is a black
smith and the other the keeper of the
general store"
ply was not thrown away upon his Ms
| tener, but Lidgerwood held tenaciously
] to his own contention.
THE inadeQuacy of the law, or of its
barbarism." he protested. 1.-The dis
charged employee. in the case you are sup
posing. might hold himself justified in
| shooting at me; but It l should shoot
back and happen to kill him. 1t would be
murder. We've got to stand for some
thing, Mr.. Gridley. you and I who know
the difference between civilization and
savagery."
Gridley's strong teeth came together
with little snap.
Certainly" he agreed, without q shade
NJ hesitation. adding. I've never car
,ied n gun and have never had to. Then
he changed the subject abruptly, ana
when the train had swung around the
last of the hills and was threading its
tortuous way through the great canyon,
he nroposed q change of base to the rear
platform. from which Chandlers marvel
! Of engineering skill could be better seen
The wreck at Gloria siding proved to
ha a very mild one. as railway wrecks go.
hroken hange under box car had de-
rallied the engine and q dozen cars. and