The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-03-21


II the end the order vas given t,
start the special again, but TO side
track as soon as Brown was out o
sight.
Then the traffic manager smiles
again and went of to bed It wal
probable that Brown had taken a lat
er train and seeing the special o.
a siding had dropped of to investi
gate. BY morning he should be il
town and the road would be free t6
forget the train for couple Of days
When the traffic manager came t.
his Office and found a message lying
on the desk It ran. Delayed al
Stepney. Please wire to clear in ae
cordanee with agreement with Mr.
Burton. B. B. Brown
What's he doing down there? de-
manded the traffic manager Of the
stepney operator.
Sitting on a girder and looking at
a girls picture" was the somewhat
surprising reply. He's got enough
grub to last him to the North Pole and
he won't bulge"
The girls picture told the story.
Turtle was in love. Burton had told
him that the prompt delivery Of the
steel meant hissquick promotion Pro
motion meant an early marriage and
a brown-eyed girl lent fresh endurance
to the Turtles grip.
Turtle had made out regular con.
tract with the agent where the cars
had been located to run special to
Harvale, where the T. C. & s. began.
There was no getting away from the
contract and though the office sent out
man to help the local officials. Tur.
tie stuck to his seat on the girder and
looked at the picture whenever things
seemed especially hard.
In the end the road gave in. The
constant rain Of kilograms signed "B.
B. Brown" that fiuttered down upon
the traffic managers desk, like the
constant dropping Of water upon 4
stone, wore down that oficiars pa.
tience and at last word was sent to
get the special of the system as soon
as possible.
Late the next morning, the train
pulled into the Jersey City yards and
the traffic manager, happening to be
on that side Of the river, went down
to have look at "B. B. Brown"
Turtle greeted him warmly. 4 was
just going to wire you" he explained.
1T seemed that / can't get float to
reach the up State system before to-
night That's the better part Of day
gone to waste You know we have
none too much time. VIII you please
tell them to fix me up"
Freight must wait its regular turn
in the yards" explained the trafnc
manager
But I have contract" Turtles
blue eyes were innocently confding
He had written the contract himself
and the agent had signed it on the
strength Of the two letters Turtle had
shown. The traffic manager read it
carefully.
did Paulding make this out?" he
demanded. Turtle shook bis head.
He was rather busy, so ] wrote.
for him." he explained HE just
signed it.
The traffic manager regarded him
closely, but the pale blue eyes were
gazing with mild interest over the
navy yard. and the manager did not
argue
IN have the yard master get you a
float" he said sharply, as he turned
away
He was as good as his word and
what was more important, he explain,
ed over the wire to the M. & @. Of
ficials the text Of Turtles contract,
after firing the signer BY telegraph.
THE fellow may be a fool" he said
wrathfully, but he's contract SO
worded that If we don't hurry him
through, he can make row that will
hurt us with the commission. Better
pack him through. If you don't you'll
get a million kilograms a day from
him"
So It happened that when the new
connection was made, the special was
rushed through to HarYale on pass.
enger schedule and backed onto the 4.
G. & s. side track.
Turtle climbed down from the car
and limped over to where Burton was
gravely executing Jig ii celebration
Of the victory.
II got EN- here" he reported. eThe
next time 90 after steel, though, I'm
going to carry an air pillow. They
tried to tire me out By refusing to let
me ride ii the caboose. and I've had to
SIT on Orders until rye got the prints
Of the rivet holes on me.
Good boy" commended Burton. Il
knew you could do it. Graves, Of the
A. & W.. called me up and wanted to
know Il devised that contract and /
told him no. What was it?"
Turtle passed over the slip Of paper
z made It good and strong while I
was about Il" he said. "You see the
agent hadn't been tipped of that those
letters I carried were subject to snA-