The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-10-18
CHAPTER VII.
A Girls Whim.

LldRerw0Od was not making the
conventional excuse when he gave
deskful of work as a reason for
not accepting the invitation to
dine with the presidents party in
the Nadia. He worked at head
quarters straight through until 7
o'clock in the evening.
WAS there anything special in
today's mail?" he said at last to
his secretary, Grady, to whom he
trusted routine correspondence.
"Only this" answered Grady,
turning up letter marked "im-
mediate"
The letter was from Flemister.
All things considered, 1t was a
little puzzling. Flemister's letter
was distinctly friendly.
The occasion for the neighbor-
illness arose upon an extension
right of way involvement. A
ranchman named Grofield was
fighting the extension. The
ranchman, SO the letter stated,
had passed through Little Butte
early in the day. on his way to
Red Butte. He would be return
ing by the accommodation late in
the afternoon, and would stop at
the WRESTLER mine, where he
had stabbed his horses. If Lidger-
wood could make 1t convenient to
come over to Little Butte on the
evening passenger train from An
gels, the writer of the letter
would arrange to keep Grofield
overnight, and the right of-way
matter could doubtless be settled
satisfactorily.
Lidgerwood looked at his
watch. It was too late to catch
205, the evening train. He would
be obliged to order out the ser
vice car and go special.
He turned to Grady, saying:
"Wire Mr.. Pennington Flemister,
at Little Butte, that | am coming
out with my car, and should be
with him by IL o'clock. Then
call up the yard office and tell
Matthews to let me have the car
and engine by $40, sharp"
Then Lidgerwood left the Of
flee and walked quickly to the
Nadia, persuading himself that he
must, in common decency, tell the
president that he was goinG
away.
The presidents private car was
sidetracked on the short spur at
the eastern end of the Crows
Nest. and when Lidgerwood
reached it he found the observa-
ton platform fully occupied.
"Hello, Mr.. Lidgerwood, Is that
your" called Van Lew. 81 thought
| you said this was a bad mans
country. We have been out here
| for a solid hour, and nobody has
shot up the town or even whooped
a single lonesome war-whoop."
at does go to bed pretty early
hat part of 1t which doesn't
stay UP pretty late" laughed Lid
gedwood. Then he came closer
aid spoke to Miss Brewster. II
am going west in my car, and /
don't know just when I shall re-
turn. Please tell your father
that everything we have here is
entirely at his service. IL you
don't see what you want, you are
to ask for it,"
Twill your run take you as far
as the Timanyoni Canyon?"
Eyes; through it, and some lit
tie distance beyond"
you have just said that we are
to ask for what We want. Did
you mean it,"
Surely" he replied unguard-
eddy.
"Then we may as we'll begin at
once" she said coolly; and turn
ing quickly to the others: ooh, all
you people; listen a minute, will
you? Hush, Carolyn! What dc
you say to a moonlight ride
through one OF the grandest can
yons in the west in Mr.. Lidger-
woods car? 1t will be something
to talk about as long as you live.
Don't all speak at once, please
But they did. There was an
instant and enthusiastic chorus
of approval.
Sorry" announced Lidger-
wood, II shall have to anticipate
the Angels gossip a little by tell
ing you that we are in the midst
of a pretty bitter labor fight. l
can't take you over the road to-
night"
"Why not?" inquired Eleanor.
Because it may not be entirely
safe"
"Nonsense!" she flashed back.
what could happen to us on a
little excursion like this?"
81 don't know, but I wish you
would reconsider and remain with
the Nadia"
81 shall do nothing Of the sort, "
she said, wilfully. And then, with
totally unnecessary cruelty, she
added: "Is it a return of the old
malady? Are you afraid again,
Howard?"
The taunt was too much. Flea
nor had won. She and her friends
climbed aboard the service car