The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-08-01

1T will handle itself. barring 700
many broken heads. At midnight In
every important office where a striker
throws down his pen and grounds his
wire one of our men will walk I'm and
keep the ball rolling, and on every
train I'm transit at that time manned
by men we're not sure OF there viii
be q relief crew of some sort dead
heading over the road and ready tc
fall In line and keep it coming when
the other fellows fall out"
Again the superintendent nodded his
approval The trainmaster was show
ing himself Mt his loyal best.
THAT brings us down TO Angels and
the present. Mac. How do we stand
here?"
THAT'S what I'd give all my old
shoes 20 know" said McCloskey, his
homely face emphasizing his perplex-
ity. "They say the shopmen are
against us, and IL that's so we're out
numbered here six to one. | can't find
out anything for certain. Gridley is
still away, and Dawson hasn't got
back. and nobody else knows anything
about the shop force"
"You say Dawson isn't in? He did
not have more than five or six hours
work on that wreck. What is the mat
teri"
"He had a bit OF bad luck. He got
the main line cleared early this morn.
ing. but in shifting his train and the
'cripples' on the abandoned spur a
culvert broke and let the big crane
or. He has been all day getting It on
again, but he'll be in before dark-so
Goodloe says"
"And how about BensonT queried
Lidgerwood.
Hes on 203. l caught him on the
other side of Crosswater and took the
liberty of signing your name to a
wire calling him in."
"That was right. With this private
car party on our hands we may need
every man we can depend upon.
wish Gridey were here. He could han.
die the shop outfit. I'm rather surpris'
ed that he should be away. He must
nave hllOWn tiiC NCiNHhO was
about ready to spout"
"Gridley's a law to himself" said the
trainmaster. Sometimes / think he's
all right. and at other times | catch
myself wondering il he wouldn't tread
on me like was n cockroach If hap
pened to be in his way"
Having had exactly the same feel
ing and quite without reason, Lidger
wood generously defended the absent
master mechanic.
"This is prejudice, Mac. and you
mustn't give it room. Grldley's all
right. We mustn't forget that his de
partment thus far is the only one that
hasn't given us trouble and doesn't
seem likely to give us trouble. wish
could say rs much for the force
here in the Crows Nest"
"With a single exception. you car
cleaned house. There is only one man
under this roof at this minute who
won't fight for you at the drop Of tho
hat"
"And that one ISL"
The trainmaster jerked his head to
ward the outer Office. TITS the mar
out there, or who was out there wher
I came through-the one you and
haven't been agreeing on"
"IIallock? Is he hereT
"Surei He's been here since early
this morning"
"But how Lidgerwood's thoughts
went swiftly backward over the events
of the preceding night. Judson's story
had left Hallock somewhere in tn,
vicinity OF the Wire Silver mine ant
the wreck at some time about mid
night or little past, and there hat
been no train in from that time OF
until the regular passenger, reachin,
| Angels at noon. 1t was McCloske!
who relieved the strain of bewilder
ment.
"TIow did he get hereY you wer,
going to say. You brought him from
somewhere down the road on you
special. He rode on the engine will
Williams"
Lidgerwood pushed his chair bacl
and got up. 1t was high time for
reckoning OF some sort with the chic
clerk.
as there anything else. Mac2" b
asked, closing his desk.
"Yes, one more thing. The griev
ance committee Is in session up at tn
Celestial. Tryon. who is heading II
sent word down n little while ag
that the men would wreck every dol
lars worth OF company property Il
Angels IL you didn't counterman'
your wire of this morning to Superin
tendent Leckhard"
1T haven't wired Leckhard."
"They say you did. and when I ash
ed 'em what about 1t they said you
know"
The superintendent hand was o.
the knob Of the corridor door
"Look It up in Galatians Office" h
said. "If any message has gone {
Leckhard today didn't write It."
| When he closed the door of his pr
vate office behind him Lidgerwood
purpose was to go Immediately to III