Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-01

'Then 1 guess I may as well ride down
to my jumping-off place with my men;
you don't need us any longer. Make my
| adieux to Miss Brewster and the young
ladies' will you, please?
| Lidgerwood stood at the break in the
| track for some minutes after the retreat
! ing relief train had disappeared around
the steep shoulder of the great hill; was
ing once more sidetracked the service car
on the abandoned mine spur. came down
to ask for orders.
Wen hold the siding until Dawson
shows UP with the wrecking train" was
the superintendent reply. HE ought to
be here before long. Where are Miss
| They are all up at the bonfire. I'm
| Brewster and her friends?
| having the Jap launder the car little
| before they move in"
There was another interval or delay,
and Lidgerwood held aloof from the
| group at the fire, pacing q slow sentry
! beat up and down beside the ditched
| train. and pauslng at either turn to listen
sounded at length-a series OF shrill whis-
tie shrieks. distance softened. and pres
emily the drumming Of hasting wheels.
The craftsman was on the engine OF the
wrecking train. and he dropped on to join
the superintendent.
Not so bad for my part Of it this
time was his comment. when he had
looked the wreck over. Then he asked
the inevitable question: What did it?'
Lidgerwoqd beckoned him down the line
son examined 1t carefully before he rose
up to say: "Why didn't they spring It
the other way, il they wanted to make q
thorough job Of it? That would have
put the train into the river"
Lidgerwood's reply was as laconic as
the query. Because the trap was set
for my car. going west; not for the pas
senger. going east"
"Of course said the craftsman, as one
properly Disguised with his own lack OF
more searching scrutiny. in which the
headlight glare of his own engine was
helped out by the burning Of half q
dozen matches: Whoever did that knew
his business"
How do you know?
Little things. A regular spike-puller
clawbar was used-the marks of its heel
are still in the ties: the place was chosen
to the exact rail length-just where your
engine would begin to hug the outside OF
the curve. Then the rail is sprung aside
barely enough to let the wheel fianges
through and not enough to attra4t an en-
gineers attention unless he happened to
be looking directly at it and In good
light
The superintendent nodded. What is
your inference?" he asked.
only what / say; that the man knew
his business. He is no ordinary hobo; he
is more likely in your class. or mine"
gravel, and with the feeling that he was
wasting precious time Of Dawsons which
should go into the track clearing, asked
another question.
Fred, tell me-you've known John judi
son longer than I have, do you trust him
when he's sober?'
YES" The answer was unqualified.
Il think / do. but he talks too much.
He is over here, somewhere. tonight,
shadowing the man who may have done
this He-and the man-came down on
2O5 this evening. saw them both board
the train at Angels as it was pulling
out
Dawson looked up quickly. and for once
the reticence which was his customary
shield was dropped.
You're trusting me now, Mr.. Lidger-
wood-who was the man? Gridley?"
last man I should suspect!'
"All right: If you think so'
Don't you think so?
II was the draftsman's turn to hesitate.
I'm prejudiced." he confessed, at
length: II know Gridley; he is worse
man than a good many people think he
is-and not so bad as come others believe
him to be. IL he thought you, or BEN
son, were getting in his way-up at the
house. you know
Lidgerwood smiled.
You don't want him for brother-in-
law; Is that ii, Fred?
I'D cheerfuily help to put my sister in
her CONN. IL that were the alternative"
said Dawson. quite calmly.
Well said the superintendent, "he
can easily prove an alibi. so far as this
yesterday. You knew that, didn't your
"Yes. knew it. but
but what?"
1T doesn't count said the craftsman,