Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-05
THE TANNING OF RED BUTTE
WESTERN.
BY FRANCIS LYNDE.
tcsyyreA. b. os.isssz sons,
.'1 don't know. whyf'
Ransom 1saokoN of Mc(SIaekax-
BY FRANCIS LYND'
tosvyrisht. 1910. b. Charles serisser's soss.)

tsk
Benson looked at McCloskey.
Just as we came in he was standing
over you with q look In his eyes as II ne
were about to murder you. and couldn't
quite make up his mind as to the sim
plest way Of doing It. Then the look
the f1irt OF q nea's hind leg-at some joke
you were telling, took 1t.
Being careful and troubled about many
things, Lidgerwood missed the point Of
when he tried. just what it was that he
had been saying to Gridley when the in
terruption came. But the matter was
easily dismissed. Having his two chie'
neutenants before him. the superintend
ent seized the opportunity to outline tn.
plan Of campaign for the night. Nc
Closkey was to stay by the wires. with
Callahan to share his watch. Dawson,
when he should come down. was to pick
up a few Of the loyal enginemen and
take charge of the yards. keeping his eye
on the Nadia. At the first indication OF
an outbreak he was to pass the word to
Van Lew, who would Immediately trans
fer the priyate-car party to the second
floor Offices I'm the headquarters building.
THAT is ALL" was Lidgerwood's sum-
ming up. when he had made his DISPOSE
tons like careful commander-in-chief:
"all but one thing. Mac, have YOU seen
anything Of Hallock?''
NOT since the m1QOlc Oh the dIternOOu,
was the prompt reply.
And Judson has not yet reported"
mo"
..Well-this is for you. Benson-Mac al
ready knows 1t: Judson is out looking
for Hallock. He has a warrant for Hal
locks arrest
Benson's eyes narrowed.
Then you have fourd the ringleader
at last. have your" he asked.
Il am sorry to say that there doesn't
seem to be any doubt of Hallock's guilt.
The arrest will be made quietly. Judsoa
understands that. There is another man
that we've got to have. and there is no
time just now to go after him.
Who is the other MANI" asked Benson.
1T Is Flemister: the man who has the
stolen switching engine boxed up in a
power house built out of planks sawed
from your Gloria bridge timbers.''
Il told you SOL exclaimed the young
engineer. by Jove! I'll never forgive
you II you don't send him to the rock
pile for that. Lidgerwood!
Il have promised to hang him. said
the superintendent. soberly-'him and the
man who has been working with him.
And that's Rankin Hallock"" cut in
the trainmaster. vindictively. and his
scowi was grotesquely hideous. Can YOU
hang them. Mr.. Lidgerwood?'
Yes Flemister and man whom judi
son has identified as Hallock were the
two who ditched 204 at Silver switch last
night. The charge In Judson's warrant
reads, train wrecking and murder.
The trainmaster smote the desk with
his fist.
''Tll add one more strand to the rope
Hallock's rope" he gritted ferociously.
You remember what I told you about
that loosened rail that caused the wreck
in the Crosswater hills? You said Hal
shanks; he did go to Navajo. but he got
there just exactly four hours after 2O2
had gone on past Navajo. and he came
on foot, walking down the track from the
hills!"
Where did you get that?' asked Lid
From the agent at Navajo. 1 wasn't
satisfied with the way it shaped up. and l
did little investigating on my own
land let's go over this layout for tonight
again. I shall be out of touch down In
the yards. and I want to get 1t straight
in my head"
Lidgerwood went carefully over the de-
tails again, and again cautioned Benson
about the Nadia and its party. From
that the talk ran upon the ill-luck which
had projected the pleasure party into the
thick Of things; upon Mrs. Brewster's OBJ
LidgerwOOd most incOn-
sistently defended-and upon the proba-
bility of the presidents return from the
Copperette-also in the thick of things,
and 1t was close upon s o'clock when the
two Heutenants went to their respective
posts =
1t was fully an hour farther along. and
the tense strain of suspense was begin
ming to tell upon the man who sat
thoughtful and alone in the second-fioOr
Office Of the Crows Nest, when Benson
ran UP to report the situation in the
yards
Everything quiet SO far was the
ho hro, Nasx so
on the east spur, where the folks can slip
out and make their getaway, il they have
to. There are several little squads of the
discharged men hanging around, but not
many more than usual. The east and
west yards are clear. and the three Sec
tions Of the midnight freight are crewed
and ready to pull out when the time
comes. The folkses are playing dummy
whist in the Nadia; and Gridley is hold
ing the fort at the shops with the tough
lot Of myrmidons you ever
laid your eyes on"
Once again Lidgerwood was making
tiny squares on his desk blotter.
I'm thankful that the news of the
strike got to Copah in time to, bring
Gridley over on aO3." he said.
Benson's boyish eyes opened to their
widest angle.
Ibid he say he came in on two-three?"
he asked.
HE did
ven, Inat OQQ-OeVllSn OOQ. i was
on that train. and l rambled it from one
end to the other-which is a bad habit
have when I'm trying to kill travel-time.
Gridley isn't a man to be easily over
looked. Reckon he was riding on the
brake beams? He was dirty enough to
make the guess good. Hello. Fred"-this
to Dawson, who had at that moment let
himself in through the deserted outer; Of
fice-'we were just talking about your
boss, and wondering how he got here
from Copah on two-three without my
seeing him."
'.He didn't come from Copah." said the
craftsman. briefly. ''He came in with me
from the west on the wrecking train. He
was in Red Butte. and he had an engine
bring him down to Silver switch, where
he caught us just as we were pulling
out"
(To be continued tomorrow.)