Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-12-14

aud | donV l&oW what he's doing, but
! can guess"
Is that al?" said ridgcrwood
QoiD,'y.
No, it isn't That switch engine
dropped ouI two weeks ago last Tues,
day niSAt, I've been pryiug into this
locked up puzzle box every way could
th'AA Of ever since, uallock knows
where that engine went"
What makes you think soG"
IN tell you. Robinson. the night
crow engineer, was Il little late leaving
her that night, His fireman had gone
homo. and 50 had the yardmcu After
he had crossed the yard coming out he
saw man sncaking toward the shift.
err, keeping in the shadow Of the coal
cAuteS. He was just curious enough
10 want to know who II was, and he
made little sneak Of his own When
ne found IL was Hallock he went homo
and thought no more about il till got
him to talk"
lidgHrwood had gone back to the
pencil AMI the hlottiu@ pad and the
making of squares, but the motive.
Mace" he questioned without looking
up How could the theft or the de.
struction Of Il locomotive serve any
purpose that Hallock might have in
View"
McCloSkcy did not mean any disrc.
Spect to his superior officer when he re-.
torted; I'm no encyclopedia. There are
lots of things | don't know. But un-
less YOU call il off I'm going to know
few more Of them before quit"
Il don't call it OF. Mac. Find out
what you can, But can't believe
that Hallock is heading this organized
robbery and rebellion"
Somebody is heading II 20 n dead
moral certainty, Mr. lIdgerwood The
hcks are coming too straight and too
well timed"
Find tie man, if YOU can, and wen
eliminate him. And, by the way. IL 1t
comes to the worst how will Hep
burn, the town marshal, stand?"
The trainmaster shook his head
II don't know. Jacks got plenty OF
chhh' put bN was tlttltu Out pI Inc
shops and by the railroad vote If II
comes to showdown against the
men who elected him
THAT Is what | mean" nodded Lid
gerwood. 1T will come to a show
down sooner or later If we can't nip
the ringleaders. Young Rufford and
dozen more of the dropped employees
are threatening to get even. That
means train wrecking, misplaced
switches, arson-anything you like At
the first break there are going to be
some very striking examples made OF
all the wreckers and looters we can
land on"
Where had McCloskey fallen upon
the idea that this carefully Numbered
gentleman. who never missed his daily
plunge and scrub and still wore i'm
maculate linen, lacked the confidence
Of his opinions and convictions? The
trainmaster knew and he thought Lid
gerwood must also know that the first
blow of the vengeful ones would be
directed at the man rather than at
the companys property.
II guess maybe Hepburn will do his
duty when 1t comes to the pinch" he
said finally. And. the subject having
apparently exhausted itself. he went
about his business. which was To call
up the telegraph operator at Tlman-
yoni to ask why he had broken the
rule requiring the conductor and en-
gineer both of them. to sign train or
ders In his presence.
1t was after dark that evening when
Lidgerwood closed his desk on the pen
ciled blotting pad and CROPPED his way
down the unlighted stair to the Crows
Nest platform.
The day passenger from the east was
in, and the hostler had just coupled
engine 266 to the train for the night
run to Red Butte. Lidgerwood mark
ed the engines number and saw Daw-
son talking to Williams. the engineer
as he turned the corner at the pas
senger station end Of the building
Later when he was crossing the open
plaza separating the railroad yard