The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-08-18

CHAPTER vi.
EVERY MANS SHARE.
"THIS switching engine mystery
opens up field that I've been
trying to get into for some
Il little time, Mac" the super
intendent began after half an hour
had elapsed and the trainmaster had
returned to the private Office.
"Wastage. you mean? queried the
trainmaster.
'That is what have been calling
it-a reckless disregard for the value
Of anything and everything that can
be included in requisition. There is
a good deal Of that, know. The right
Of way is Uttered from end to end with
good material thrown aside. But I'm
afraid that isn't the worst of it,"
The trainmaster was nursing a knee
and screwing his face into the ref1ec-
tive scheme Of distortion.
''Those things are always hard to
prove. If company employee wants
to steal and there isn't enough COM
mon honesty among his fellow employ
ees to hold him down he can steal
fast enough and get away with it,"
"By Titles, yes, but not in quantity"
pursued Lidgerwood we'll pass up
the petty thieveries for the present
and look little higher. Have you
found any trace Of those two carloads
Of company lumber lost In transit be-
tween here and Red Butte two weeks
ago?'
mo, nor of the cars themselves.
They were reported as two trans
plainly given in the car record. They
seem to have disappeared with the
lumber"
(Which means?' queried the super
intendent.
THAT the numbers or the initials, or
both, were wrongly reported. 1t means
that it was a put up job to steal the
lumber"
Exactly. And there was a mixed
carload Of lime and cement lost q,
about the same time. wasn't thereY'
yes"
Lidgerwood's swing chair righted it.
self to the perpendicular with a snap.
ut Is an organized gang, and it
must have its members we'll scattered
and have good many members, too, )"
he said cOnclusively. THAT brings us
to the disappearance Of the switching
engine again. No one man made of
with that single handed. Mac"
Hardly"
Il believe We'll get to the bottom of
all the looting on this switching en-
| CINE business. They have overdone 1t
this time. You can't put locomotive
in your pocket and walk off with it.
But the object, Mr.. McCloskey-
what possible profit could there be in
the theft of locomotive that can nei-
Their be carried away nor converted
into salable junk?"
The trainmaster shook his head
1--WE stewed over that till I'm threat
ened with softening Of the broin." he
confessed
Never mind. You have a compare
| lively easy job" Lidgerwood went on
! THAT engine is somewhere this side
| Of the Crosswater hills. Copah hasn't
| seen 1t. It is too big to be hidden I'M
| der bushel basket Find it and
! you'll be hot on the trail Of the car
! load robbers
| McCloskey got upon his feet as II
! he were going at once to BERN the
| search. but Lidgerwood detained him.
| Hold on. I'm not quite through
| yet. There is another matter Some
/ years ago there WAS a building and
| loan association started in Angels, the
| ostensshle object being 10 help the rail
| road men TO own their homes As
understand It. the railroad company
| fathered ii. or at all events some o.
/ the officials took stock IN it When i
! died there was considerable deficit
/ together with a f. lure on the part O.