Omaha daily bee., 1916-01-24
1-Bedlam Was Let Loose.

Those ties"-Seagrue looked significantly
at his tool-"must never reach Rhine
lander"
With a great deal Of thought and very
brief expressions. the two conferred apart.
What they worked out no one knew. But
few moments later Seagrue' gave Spike
a liberal supply, Of money and Spike left
the hut. Calling to CapelIe. Seagrue re-
sumed his abuse
Spike, without delay, hastened to Signal
station, bought ticket from Helen and
took the local passenger train for Ocean
side. He had the day and the night be-
fore him to figure out schemes to pre-
vent the delivery OF the ties to Rhine
lander, and by morning he had more than
one ready.
The easiest one ne tried first, and he
might have been seen in the morning
early, in the out-freight yards at Ocean
side watching the makeup of the freight
train that was to take the four cars of
ties to Signal. He kept in the background
every moment, but had continually within
his eye the preparations to get the train
under way. When at length the brake
man entered the caboose to place the
waybills on the desk. Spike watched him
closely, only taking care TO get away be-
fore he was observed himself Sneaking
up toward the head end ne caught sight
of the conductor, and to avoid him lodged
! in between two box cars. But the con-
ductor had seen him and seeming knave
summoned a yard policeman. The two
descended on Spike with scant ceremony.
The detective dragged him from his hid
ing place, questioned him, warned him,
and marching him off shot him out or
the yards on a goose step. But Spike, as
strong for resources as cat for lives.
had only begun to work when he was
ordered to "beat it," He did beat 1t, but
to such good purpose that he got down
to the bridge ahead of the freight train.
When the train drew near, Spike handiy
boarded the head end.
Some moments later the hind end brake
man, sitting on the caboose. saw a tramp
In the door of a box car. The brakeman
started forward to investigate and had
he been able to see all that occurred just
a moment later, he would also have seen
the tramp clinging to the side of a car of
ties removing Rhinelanders name from
the billing card and substituting therefor
the name OF Seagrue.
One after another of the billing cards
on the four cars of ties Spike manipu-
lated In the same way. In the meantime
the two brakemen, one of whom had
caught a glimpse of him, were consulting
as to how to get him. But by the time
they had made their plans and were
ready for a forcible laying on Of hands
Spikes work was DONE Watching the
4 trainmen walk forward, he dropped lightly
from the last car and waiting for the
eaboose, which was empty, swung up by
the hand rail and went inside the car He
grabbed the waybills from the rack box
and examined them. Finding those for
the cars OF ties, he carefully erased
Rhinelander's name from each OF them
and taking his time inserted Seagrues
Having done what struck him as an arts
tic job on these. he replaced the bills and
climbing into the eupola looked outside.
It was then by good foetune that the
conductor and one OF the two brakemen
spotted him. To get back quick they
tagged the engineer-the train was going
at pretty good clip-and started for the
side. But this suited Spikes own game
for as the train slowed he dropped of
and the crew. thinking themselves well
rid OF a nuisance, sgnaled their engine
man ahead.
The train was running not far from
Beaman when Spike left it. and sinking
into the woods adjoining the right-of-way
he made his way as fast as he could VI
TO the Beaman telegraph office. where he
sent this message 10 Seagrue:
Changed the two ties you thought
Rhinelander wears for two that suit
Seagrue."
Say. where Is the nearest livery stable
in this place. mister?" Spike asked the
agent.
He hardly waited TO hear the answer
given him before he was on his way out
OF the office. And without losing a min
ute he got a horse where he had beer