Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-11-09

/ hlEher brand OF courage to 40 over
to Angels and mauhandle the Red
Butte Western as division OF the
/ L. :, w. than II would TO face dozen
highwaymcn If every individual one
of the dozen had the drop on YOU"
lidgerwood left his chair and began
! to pace the narrow limits OF the pri-
vate office, five steps and n turn.
You mean that you are still giving
me the chance to make good over yon.
/ der In the Red dcScrt-aftcr what
have told you?"
II do, only I'll make II more bind
ing. II was optional with you before;
it's sheer necessity now. You've got
to go"
In the end Lidgcrwood yielded as
the vice presidents subjects common
/ ly did
I'm 80 II you stin insist upon It."
was the slowly spoken decision.
"rhere will doubtless be plenty Of
trouble, and l shall, probably show the
yellow streak-for the last time. per
hapS. It's the kind of an outfit to kin
Il coward for the pure pleasure Of IT,
R II l III not HnStHkCn,
A busy hour had elapsed when the
vice president concluded his outline
sketch OF the Red Butte Western con-
ditions.
"of course you know that You will
have a free hand, We have already
cleared the decks for YOU As IN In
dependent road the Red Butte line
had the usual executive organization
In miniature, Operating the line MS n
branch OF the Il. s, w. system, we can
simplify the organization ut Angels
/ We have consolidated the auditing
and traffic departments with our Colo
RADIO lines headquarters at Denver.
This will leave you with only the oper-
ating, telegraph, train service and en-
gineering departments to handle from
Angels With one exception. your au,
thority will be absolute; you viii hire
and discharge rs YOU see at, and there
will be no appeal from your decision"
THAT applies to my own depart
ments-the operating. telegraph. train
service and engineering. But how
about the motive power?" asked the
new incumbent.
'Therc lies the exception, and wish
It didn't Gridley, the master mo
chanic. will be nominally under your
orders, of course. but II It should
come to blows between you you
couldn't fire him. In the regular rou-
tine he will report to the Colorado
lines superintendent OF motive power
at Denver. But In quarrel with you
he could make still longer arm and
reach the +, s. w. board OF directors
In New York"
'How Is that?" inquired Lidger-
wood
ITS a family affair. He Is wild
over. and his wife was n sister of the
Van Kensingtons He got his Job
through the family influence. and he'll
hold II In the same way. hut you are
not likely to have any trouble with
him. He is II brute in his own pccul.
lar fashion, but when It comes TO
handling shopmcn ana keeping the
engines In service he can't be beat"
THAT Is all ] shall ask of him."
said the new superintendent ANY
thing else?" looking at his watch.
"Yes; one other thing, Rankin Hal
lock. the man you will find holding
down the headquarters Office Mt An,
gels, was Cumbcrley's chief clerk. and
long before Cumbcrlcy resigned he
was the real superintendent OF the
Red Butte Western in everything but
the title and the place on the payroll.
Naturally he thought he ought to be
considered when we climbed into the
saddle. and he had already written to
President Brewster asking for the
promotion In fact. He happens to be
a New Yorker. like Gridley, and. again
like Grldley. he has friend nj court.
] had to turn him down I nm telling
you this so you'll be easy with him
as easy as you can. | don't know him
personally. but II you can keep him
on
~ shall be only too glad to keep him
II he knows his business and will
stay" was Lidgerwood reply. Then,
with another glance at his watch:
Shall we go uptown and get dlnner2
Afterward you can give me your no
ton In the large about the future cx-
Timanyoni, and I'll order out the serv-
ice car and nm engine and go to my
place. A man can die but once, and
maybe | shall contrlve to live long
enough 10 set few stakes for some
better fellow to drive. Let's co.
At 10 O'Clock that night engine 2G6.
Williams engineer ana BInckmar fire
man. was chalked up on the Red Butte
Western roundhOusc bulletin board to
go west at midnight with the new su-
perintendents service car, running as
n special train.
When he heard the new superin-
tendent's name williams rose up to
his full height Of six feet two. flung
his hands upward with gesture that
was more expressive than many oaths
and said collars and Guns"