The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-08-12
THE TANNING OF
RED BUTTE WESTERN
Continued from Second Page

worse for wear They tell tough sto-
ries about him over in Copah."
"I'll 20 and run through my desk
mail and fill HaIlock up while you are
making ready" said the new super
intendent Call me when the train
is made up
Passing through the corridor on the
way to his private office back of Hal
locks room. Lidgerwood saw that the
wreck call had already reached the
shops. A big, bearded man with soft
bat pulled over his eyes was direct
ing the makeup Of a train on the re-
pair track
There was little time for the doing
of the preliminary work which Lidger-
wood had meant to do. In the midst Of
the letter sorting McCloskey called for
him
With a few hurried directions to
Hallock. Lidgerwood Joined the train
master on the Crows Nest platform.
The train was backing up to get its
clear track orders, and on the tool car
platform stood the big man whom
Lidgerwood had already identified pre-
sumptvely as Gridley.
McCloskey would have introduced
the new superintendent when the train
paused for the signal from the dis
patchers window. but Gridley did not
wait for the formalities.
"Come aboard, Mr.. Lidgerwood," he
called genially. TITS too bad we have
to give you q sweatbox welcome. II
there are any of IT'S crew left alive
you ought to give them thirty days
for calling you out before you could
shake hands with yourself"
Lidgerwood's impulse was to hold
all men at arms length until he was
reasonably assured of sincerity and a
common ground. But the genial mas
ter mechanic refused to be put on pro-
baton. Lidgerwood made the effort
while the rescue train was whipping
around the hill shoulders and plung-
ing deeper into the afternoon shadows
Of the great mountain range. The
tool car was comfortably filled with
men and working tackle, and for seats
there were only the blocking t1mbers,
the tool boxes and the coils of rope
and chain cables. Sharing a tool box
with Gridley and smoking a cigar out
Of Gridley's pocket case, 1idgerwood
found 1t difficult to be less than friend
~.
It was to little purpose that he re-
called Ford's qualified recommends.
ton Of the man who had New York
backing and who, in Ford's phrase,
was "brute after his own peculiar
fashion" Brute or human, the big
master mechanic had the manners of
gentleman. and his easy good nature
broke down all the barriers Of reserve
that his somewhat reticent companion
could interpose.
you smoke good cigars. Mr.. Grid.
ley" said Lidgerwood. trying. as he
had tried before. to wrench the talk
aside from the personal channel into
which it seemed naturally to drift
"GOOd tobacco Is one Of the few lux.
uries the desert leaves man capable
of enjoying. 1t is a savage life. Mr.
Lidgerwood. and if a man hasn't a
good bit of the blood of his stone age
ancestors in him the desert will either
kill him or make q beast of him
There doesn't seem to be any me-
dunn"
The talk was back again in the per
sonal channel. and this tisne Lidger
wood met the issue fairly
you have been saying that in one
form or another even since we left An
gels. Are you trying to scare me OF
Mr.. Gridley, or are you only giving me
friendly warning?" he asked.
The master mechanic laughed easily
| II hope l wouldn't be impuden
enough to do either on such short &C
Quaintance," he protested. But now
that you have opened the door perhaps
little man to man frankness won't bt
amiss. You have tackled pretty hare
proposition. Mr.. Lidgerwood."
Technically, you meanT
| mo, l didn't mean that, because L
your friends tell the truth about yol
you can come as near to making brick!
without straw as the next man. Blu
asks for something more than a goot
railroad officer. What will you d.
| when conductor or an engineer whom
you have called on the carpet curse
you out and invites you to go below :?
81 shall fire him." was the promp
rejotnder.
Naturally and properly. But after
ward? Four out Of five men in thi
human scrap heap you've inherite'
will lay for you with a gun to pla.
even for the discharge. What Them"
II Iidgerwood had been less absorb
ed In the personal problem he coul'
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