The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-08-11
THE Tanning Of
RED BUTTE WESTERN
By FRANCES LYNDE
Copyright 1910 by Charles Scribner' 5
Sons

| 1t was all over IN a moment There
| was time enough for Lidgeywood TO
| rush the little Tadasu to the forward
| vestibule, to fling him into space and
to make his own flying leap for safety
| before the crisis came. Happily there
| was no wreck, though the margin OF
| escape was the narrowest Williams
| stuck to his post In the cab Of the
| 266, applying and releasing the brakes
| and running as far ahead as he dared
| upon the loosened timbers Of the cul-
| vert, for which the section gangs slow
| flag was out Carter. the engineer on
the passenger train. jumped. but his
| fireman was OF better mettle and stay
| ed with the machine up to the moment
| when the shuddering mass OF iron and
steel thrust its pilot under the trucks
| Of Lidgerwood's car.
| 1t was an excellent opportunity for
eloquence OF the explosive sort. and
when the dust had settled the track
ind trainmen were evidently expect
ing the we'll deserved tongue flashing.
| But In crises like this the new super
intendent was at his self contained
| best Instead of swearing at the men,
he gave his orders quietly and with the
brisk certainty of one who knows his
trade. The passenger train was to
keep ten minutes behind its own time
until the next siding was passed. max
| ing up beyond that point If its running
orders permitted. The special was to
proceed on 2O1's time to the siding in
question, at which point 1t would side
track and let the passenger precede 1t.
Bradford was In the cab Of 266
when Williams eased his engine and
the service car over the unsafe Gull
vert and inched the throttle open for
the speeding race down the hill curves
toward the wide valley plain of the
Red desert.
Turn it loose, Andy" said the big
engineman when the requisite number
of miles of silence had been licked OF
by the space devouring wheels
What all do you think Of Mr.. Col
lars and Cuffs by this timer"
Bradford took leisurely minute to
white a chewing cube from his pock-
ct plug.
"Well. first dash out O. the box l al
lowed he was some locoed. He jumped
me like Jack rabbit for takin' clear
ance right under Jim Carter's nose
that away. Then we got down to
business, and was just beginnin' to
get on to his gait little when tho
green flag butted In"
"Gait f1ts the laundry part Of himT'
suggested Williams.
ut does and it don't. II that little
tailor made man don't get his finger
mashed or somethin' and have to go
home and get somebody to poultice 1t
things are goin' to have spell of
Happenings on this little old cow trail
of railroad. That's my ante"
Think he's got the sand, Andy?'
said Williams.
This time you've got me goin'."
was the slow reply. Il amt so blamed
sure One kind O sand he's got to q
dead moral certainty When he saw
what was due TO happen back yonder
at the culvert he told me 49, all right
but he took time to hike up ahead and
yank that Jap cook out O. the cal
kitchen before he turned his own little
handspring into the ditch"
THAT kind of sand is all right IN
Gods country. Andy but out here
you got to know how to fight with
pitchforks and such other tools al
come handy. The new boss may be
that kind of scrapper, but he sure
don't look it,
NO." agreed Bradford. Illuminating
thoughtfully.
Williams, brawny and broad chested
leaned against his box.
lied better have nerve or gel
some," he commented. "Tother wayl
It's him for an early wooden overcoa1
and q trip back home In the express
car"
The special was now On the siding
> Back In the service car Lidgerwoot
was sitting quietly in the doorway
smoking his delayed after breakfas
cigar and timing the upcoming passen
ger train, watch in hand. Carter wa!
ten minutes. to the exact second, be
hind his schedule time when the trail
Numbered past on the main track, ant
Lidgerwood pocketed his watch with ,
smile Of satisfaction. It was the frs
small victory In the campaign for re
form.
Later, however, when the specia
was once more in motion westward
the desert laid hold upon him with thu
grip which first benumbs. then breed
dull rage and finally makes men mad
There were no signs Of life, no cat
tie upon the distant hills. no lounger
On the station platforms. Lidgerwoo,
had crossed this arid. Hfeless plail
twice within the week on his prelim
mary tour of inspection, but bot
times he had been in the Pullman
with fellow passengers to fill the near
er field OF vision and to temper tn
awful loneliness of the waste. Now
however, the desert with its heat, 1t
stiffness. its vacancy its pitiless bar
renness. claimed him as its own. 81
| wondered that he had been impatien
with the men II bred
1t was past noon when the shril
whistle Of the locomotive signa1ed tn
approach to the division headquarters
and he was thankful that the builder
Of Angels had pitched their tents an
driven their stakes In the desert
edge rather than In its heart
Truly Angels was not much to
the nkful for. as the exile from the cas-
regretful1v admitted when he locke