The Calumet news., 1911-07-22

/
A u Ing, and l believe him this
time. But this job I've given him isn't
pulling trains"
"No, and If you have cooled OF
enough you may remember that | have
not yet disapproved your action.
don't disapprove. Give him anything
you like where n possible relapse on
| his part won't involve the lives of other
| people. Is that what you want me 10
say?"
Il was hot" said the trainmaster,
grufIly apologize. We've got none
| too many friends TO stand by us when
the pinch comes, and we were losing
them every day you held out against
Judson."
I'm still holding out on the original
count. Judson can't run an engine
for me until he has proved conclu-
sively and beyond question that he
has quit the whisky. Whatever other
work you can find for him"-
McCloskey slapped his thigh. "By
Why on top Of earth didn't | think of
him before? He's the man to keep
tab on Hallock."
But now Lidgerwood was frowning
again.
81 don't like that, Mac. It's dirty
business to be shadowing man who
has right to suppose that you are
trusting him. / can't do it."
you mean you won't do 1t. l re-
spect your scruples, Mr.. Lidgerwood.
But it is no longer n personal matter
between you and IIallock The COM
pany's interests are involved"
Without suspecting 1t the trainmas-
ter had found the weak joint in the
superintendent armor. For the com
pany's sake the personal point of view
must be ignored.
"It Is such n despicabe thing" he
protested, rs one who yields reluctant
ly. "And If, after all, Hallock is in
nocent"-
"That Is just the point" insisted
McCloskey. "If he is innocent no harm
will he done, and Judson will become
a witness for instead of against him."
"Well," said Lidgerwood and what
more he would have said about the
conspiracy was cut off by the shrill
whistle of dOwncoming train.
That's Williams with the special"
he announced when the whistle gave
him leave. "Is your flag out?"
"Sure. It's up around the hill with
n safe man to waggle it,"
al lx.f
Williams swung cautiously around the
hill with the private car. In obedience
TO Lidgerwood's uplifted finger the
brakes were applied. and the Nadia
came to full stop, with its observa-
ton platform opposite the end of the
wrecklng track.
A big man in n soft hat and loose
box dust coat. with twinkling little
eyes and Il curling brown beard that
covered fully three-fourths OF his face,
stood Mt the handrail.
"Hello, Howardr' he called down to
Lidgerwood. "By George, I'd totally
forgotten that you were out here!
What are you trying to do? Got so
many cars and engines that you have
to throw some of them awayf"
Lidgerwood climbed up the embank-
ment TO the track, and McCloskey
carefully let him do It alone. The
"Hello, Howardw had not been thrown
away upon the trainmaster.
at looks n little that way, I must ad-
NIT, Cousin Ned. We tried pretty hard
to get 1t cleaned up before you came
along, but we couldn't quite make It.
Coming over to camp with us awhile?
If you are hope you carry your com
mlssary along. Angels will starve you
otherwise"
Don't tell me about that tin canned
tepee village, Howard. / know. I've
been there before. How are we doing
| over in the Timanyoni foothllls-get.
ting much ore down from the Copper
cite? Climb up here and tell me all
| about ii, or, better still, come on across
the desert with us. They don't need
you here"
The assertion was quite true. With
| Dawson, the trainmaster, and an un-
| derstudy Judson for bosses, there was
no need of fourth. Yet intuition or
whatever masculine thing IL Is that
stands for intuition prompted Lidger-
wood to say:
81 don't know that ought to leave.
I've just come out from Angels, you
| know"
| But the president was not TO be de-
| MED.
| "Climb mp here and quit trying to
find excuses. Well give you better
luncheon than you'll get out of the
dinner pals, and If you carry your
self handsomely you may get dinner
invitation after we get in. That ought
TO tempt any man who has to live In
Angels the year round"
Iidgerwood marked the persistent
plural of the personal pronoun. and n
great fear laid hold upon him. None
the less. the presidents invitation was
n little like the king's-it was I'm some
sense n command. Lidgerwood mere
ly asked for moments respite and
went down To announce his intention
to McCloskey and Dawson. Curiously
enough. the craftsman seemed to be
trying to Ignore the private car. His
back was turned upon It, and he was
gloOming out across the bare hills.