The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-09-23
CHAPTER XXI.
STORM SIGNALS.


the arrival OF the service car from the
west, the proof being freshly typed
telegram which Operator Dix found
impaled upon his sending hook when
be came on duty in the dispatchers Of
fee at Z O'Clock in the morning.
The message was addressed to Leck-
hard, superintendent of the Pannikin
division of the Pacific Southwestern
system, at Copah. 1t was in cipher.
and it contained two uncodified words
Fort and "McCook" small
circumstances set Dix to thinking.
Fort McCook being the army post.
twelve miles as the crow Ties, down
the Pannikin from Copah.
Now. Dix was not one of the rebels.
On the contrary, he was one OF the
few loyal telegraphers who had prom
ised McCloskey to stand by the Lidger-
wood management in case the rebel
lion grew into an organized attempt 70
tie up the road. But the young man
had for his chief weakness pry1ng
curiosity which had led him In times
past to experiment with the private Of
ed the key to it.
Hence, a little while after the send
ing of the Leckhard message, Gala
han, the train dispatcher. hearing an
emphatic Gee whiz!' from Dix's cor
ner, looked up from his train sheet to
say, what hit you. brother!
Nothing" said Dix shortly. but Cal
ho% ha hQSfilv
folding and pocketing the top sheet OF
the pad upon which he had been writ,
Ing. Dix went OF duty at II, his sec.
ond trick beginning at In the after
noon. 1t was between 8 and when
McCloskey. having strengthened his
defenses In every way he could devise.
raped at the door of his chiefs sleep
ing room. Fifteen minutes later Lid
gerwood joined the trainmaster in the
private Office.
81 couldn't let you sleep any longer"
McCloskey began alphabetically. land
l don't know but you'll give me what
for as 1t is Things are thickening up
pretty fast"
"Put me In touch" was the com
mandL
"An right TIL begin at the front
end Along about 10 o'clock this
morning Davidson, the manager of
the Copperette, came down to see Mr..
long song and dance about the tough
trail and the poor accommodations for
a pleasure party up at the mine. and
the upshot of it was that Mr.. Brew
ster went out to the mine with him
alone. leaving the party in the Nadia
here"
Lidgerwood let it go at that for the
moment The thing was done. and it
could not be undone. McCloskey went
on with his report. his hat tilted to the
bridge of his nose
Taking it for granted that you mean
to fight this thing to a cold finish. I've
done everything | could think Of
Thanks to Williams and Bradford and
a few others like them, we can count
on a good third of the rainmen. and
I've got about the same proportion Of
the operators in line for US. Taking
| advantage of the twenty four hour no.
tice the strikers gave US, I've scat
tered these men Of ours east and west
on the day trains to the points where
the trouble will hit US at IL o'clock
tonight"
''Goodr' said Lidgerwood briefly.
How will you handle it?'
''It will handle itself, barring too
| 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 in and
keep the ball rolling. and on every
| train in transit at that time manned
| by men we're not sure Of there will
be relief crew of some sort dead
heading over the road and ready to
| fall in line and keep 1t coming when
the other fellows fall out"
| Again the superintendent nodded his
| approval The trainmaster was show
| ing himself at 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 to know" said McCloskey. his
homely face emphasizing his perplex-
/ ity. They say the shopmen are
against US. and II that's so we're out
numbered here six to one l 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 bit OF bad luck He go,
| the main line cleared early this morn
| ing. but in shifting his train and the
| 'cripples' on the abandoned spur q
culvert broke and let the big crane
of. He has been all day getting ii or
/ again. but he'll be in before dark-se
Goodloe says"
And how about BensonY' queried
| Lidgerwood.
Hes on 2O3. I caught him on the
other side of Crosswater and took the
liberty of signing your name to {
wire calling him in"
That was right With this private
/ car party on our. hands we may neei
| every man we can depend upon
i wish Gridley were here He could han
die the shop outfit I'm rather surpris
ed that he should be away. He mus
have known that the volcano wa.
about ready to spout"
"Gridley's q law to himself" said tn.