Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-02-15

Ute aCu We ~soU A.n
FlemtSter, lei me tca luu ~,.,t. ta,n& -
don't cave amy moro Ia, ~, aNu ate
the numbering dewitt who pu,Ird the
spikes on that rail reached cut. I'm
consciously perhaps, but none the less
certainly, after Il life chat | would
safeguard AT the price ut my own
Because hr did that IN Sp,ud tie last
dollar ot The fortune my tlthrr lett
me. II nccdut. IN finding tNat man and
hau&iuE hm"
II WAS the needed tlick of The whip
for the shaken nerve ot the mine
owner
"Ah." said he, Il am sur" every one
viii applaud that discrimination, MIR.
lidGcrwood applaud II and help YOU
10 see II through" And then. quite
as calmly: II suppose YOU wilt 40
back from here with your special,
won't Nouf You can't gct down to
Little Butte until the track is repaired
and the wrek cleared Your going
back will make nv difference in the
riGht ot WAY matter. can arrange
for Il meeting with GroIirld Ut any
time in Angels jf YOU prefer"
Yes" said ttdgrrwoad ahSeutly. ~
am going back from here
"lhcn guess | may MS well ride
down to my jumping on place with
my mon Won don't need us amy long
cr Make my adieuS TO Miss Brew
strr and the young ladies. will YOU.
pleasNg"
ltdgrrwood stood NJ the break IN the
track for some minutes after the re
treating relief train he'd Disappeared
around the steep shoulders OF the great
hill was still standing there when
Bradford, having once more sidetrack
ed the service car on the abandoned
mine spur, came down to ask FOR or
derS
Wen hold the siding until Dawson
shows up With the wrecking train"
was the SUPPLEMENTARY reply. lie
ought to I've here before long Where
are Miss brewster and her friendsH'
"Thcy are all up nj the bonfire, I'm
having the Jap laundcr the car little
before they move in"
There was another interval OF delay,
and l.idgcrwood held aloof from the
group AT the fire, pacing n slow sentry
beat up and down beside the dltchcd
train and rausing NJ either turn 10
listen for the signal Of Dawson's com
ing II sounded At length n series OF
shrill whistle Shrieks, distance soften
ed and presently the drumming of
hasting wheels
The craftsman was on the engine OF
the wrcckIng train, and he dropped or
to Join the superintendent,
mot so bad for my part OF II this
time" was his comment when he had
looked the wreck over Then he asked
the inevitable question, What did itT'
Lidgerwood heckoned him down the
line and showed him the sprung rail
Dawson examined II carefully before
he rose up to say: why didn't they
spring II the other way If they wanted
to make thorough job Of III That
would have put the train into the
river"
Lidgerwood's reply was as laconic
as the query Because the trap was
set for my car going west, not for the
passenger going east"
"Of course" said the craftsman ns
one properly Disguised with his own
lack OF perspicacity Then, after an
other and more searching scrutiny, In
which the headlight glare OF his own
engine was helped out by the burn
ing of half a dozen matches, whoever
did that knew his business"
How do you know2"
Little things A regular spike puller
claw bar was used The marks of its
heel are still In the ties. The place was
chosen To the exact rail Iength-just
where your engine would begin to hug
the outside of the curve, Then the rail
is sprung aside barely enough to let
the wheel tlanges through and not
enough to attract an engineers atten
ton unless he happened to be looking
directly at 1t and In good light"
The superintendent nodded what
is your inferenceY' he asked
"Only what say-thnt the man knew
his business He il no ordinary hobo
He is In your class or mine"
Fred. tell me-you've known John
Judson longer than ! have-do you
trust him when he's sober
Yes" The answer was unqualified
II think do. but he talks too much
He Is over here somewhere tonight
shadowing the man who may have
done this IIe-and the man-came
down on 205 this evening, | saw them
both board the train at Angels as It
was pulling out.
Dawson looked up quickly, and for
once the rcticence which was his Gus
tomary shield was dropped.
You're trusting me now. MIR Lid,
gerwood Who was the mun-Grld
leyl"
"Gridleyf No Why. Dawson, he Is
the last man | should suspectr
AZ