The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-07-12


coat in region where shirt sleeves
predomlnated was n close huttoneo
gamblers frock. and his hat. In the
country of the sombrero and the sort
felt. was a derby. He rose and thrust
out a hand. great jointed and knobbed
like laborer's.
you're Mr.. Lidgerwood. take itY'
said he. fitting the derby to the back
OF his head. "Come to tell me to pack
my VT and get out9'
"Not yet, Mr.. McCloskey." laughed
Lidgerwood. getting his first real
measure of the man In the hearty
hand grip. ION the contrary. I've
come to thank you for not dropping
things and running away before the
new management could get on the
ground"
The administers rejoinder was out
spokenly blunt. 1--WE nowhere to run
TO, Mr.. Lidgerwood, and that's no
Joke. Some OF the backcappers VIII
be telling you presently that L was
train dispatcher over I'm Gods country
and that / put two trains together.
It's your right TO know that it's true
"Thank you. Mr.. McCloskey." said
Lidgerwood simply. THAT sounds
good to me. And take this for your
self-the man who has done that once
doesn't do II again. That Is one thing.
and another is this-we start with a
clean slate on the Red Butte West
ern. No man in the service who will
turn I'm and help us make real rail-
road out of the II. r. w. need worry
about his past record. 1t won't be
dug up against him"
"Thats fair, more than fair" said
the trainmaster, land wish l could
promise you that the rank and file Will
meet you halfway. But I can't. The
road has been running itself for the
past two years and more"
81 understand" said Lidgerwood,
and then he spoke of the careless dis
patching.
"That will be Callahan, the day
man." McCloskey broke in wrathfully.
"But that's the way of It, When we
get through the twenty-four hours
without killing somebody or smashing
something i thank God and put a red
mark on that calendar over my desk"
"Well. we won't go back of the re-
turns" declared Lidgerwood.
The door leading into the room be-
yond the administers Office opened
squeakily on dry hinges. and a chatter
ing of telegraph instruments heralded
the incoming of a disreputable looking
office man. Seeing Lidgerwood. he
ducked and turned TO McCloskey.
Bradford. reporting In. had given his
own paraphrase of the new superin-
tendent's structures on Red Butte
Western dispatchlng.
"Seventy-one's in the ditch at Gloria
siding" he said. speaking pointedly to
the trainmaster. "Goodloe reports It
from Little Butte-says both engine
men are in the mixup. but he doesn't
know whether they are killed or not"
"There you arew snarled McCloskey.
wheeling upon Lidgerwood "They
couldn't lot you get your chair warmed
the first day.
Lidgerwood might blamelessly have
turned over the trouble call TO his
trainmaster. But he took command at
once.
"Go and clear for the wrecking train
and have some one I'm your office notify
the shops and the yard" he said brisk
ly, compelling the attention of the dis
patcher And when Callahan was
gone: "Now. Mac. get out your map
and post me. I'm a little lame on
geography yet. Where is Gloria sid
ing?"
McCloskey found blue print map
Of the line and traced the course Of the
western division among the foothills
to the base of the Great Tlmanyonis
and through the Tlmanyoni canyon TO
parklike valley. At point midway
of the valley his stubby foreflnger
rested.
That's Gloria" he said. "and here's
Little Butte. twelve miles beyond"
Good ground?" queried Lidgerwood
"As pretty a stretch as there is any
where west Of the desert. don't
know what excuse those hoboes could
find for piling a train in the ditch
there"
"We'n hear the excuse later" said
Lidgerwood. "Now. tell me what sort
of wrecking plant we have"
THE best In the bunch" asserted
the trainmaster. "Gridley's is the one
department that has been kept up to
date and In good fighting trim. We
have one wrecking crane that will pick
up any of the big freight pullers. and a
lighter one that isn't half bad"
"Who Is your wrecking boss?"
"Gridley-when he feels like going
out. He can clear main line quicker
than any man we've ever had"
HE will go with us today?'
Il suppose so. He Is in town, and
he's-sober"
The new superintendent caught al
the hesitant word.
Drinks. does hep"
mot much while he Is on the lob
But he disappears periodically and
comes back looking something the
worse for wear They tell tough sto
| Ties about him ovnr I'm Copob