The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-10-17
CHAPTER Nv.
The Killer

| VINO goes east Oh zVz To-Day
Lidgerwood asked McCloskey one
morning, two weeks later.
1T is Judson's run, but he lis
laying off,"
What is the matter with him
sick?"
mo; just plain drunk"
Fire him. | won't have a single
SOLITARY man In the train service
who gets drunk. Tell him So"
"All right; one more stick OF
dynamite, with a cap and fuse in
lit, turned loose under foot"
prophesied McCloskey, gloomily.
"Judson goes"
"And what have you found out
about that missing switch-en-
lgine?"
Nothing yet. I'm hunting for
proof"
us that all?" said Lidgerwood.
mo, 1t isn't! That switch en-
CINE dropped out two weeks ago
last Tuesday night. Hallock
knows where that engines WENT"
What makes you think so?"
"I'll tell you. Robinson, the
lnigh-crew engineer. was a little
late in leaving her that night
His fireman mad gone home, and
, so had the yardmen. After he
had crossed the yard, coming out,
he saw man sneaking toward the
shifter, keeping In the shadow of
the coal chutes. When he found it
, was Hollock, he went home and
thought no more about 1t till
got him to talk"
Lidgerwood worked like a dog
that day. 1t was after dark when
, he closed his desk and CROPPED his
way down the unlightedssstair to
the Crows Nest PLATFORM. He
, hurried up to the mesa and toward
, the hotel. 80 ~
> His hand was on the latch Of
the yard gate when a man rose
, out Of the gloom. In the twink
. ling of an eye the night and the
. starry dome of 1t were effaced for
! the superintendent in a flash of
red lightning.
When he began to realize again
McClosky was helping him to his
; feet.
> What was it?" Lidgerwood
I asked, still dazed and half blinded.
4 "A man tried to kill you,', said
McClocky in his most mater-of-
: fact tone. II happened along Just
in time to joggled his arm. That,
and your quick drop did the bust
| ness. Not hurt are your"
I Lidgerwood was trying to
steady himself.
, NO" he returned, mastering the
chattering teeth by the supremest
a effort of will. Thanks to you,
| guess-I'm-not hurt. Who was
the mani"
1 ut was Rufford. He followed
you from the Crows Nest"
/ "Rufford, you said; you mean
a the discharged telegraph opera
tor?
4 Worse luck" said Mac. ut
: was his brother, Bart, the fellow
r they call The Killer"
Barton Rufford, ex-distiller of
Illicit whisky In the Tennessee
| mountains was a man of distinc-
tion in the Red Desert, q cold
blooded murderer, with an appal-
ling record.
. The day after the shooting JUDD
son, the discharged engineer, call
ed on McClosky.
+, WELL" growled the trainmas-
ter. Come back to tell me you've
sworn off? That won't go down
with Mr.. Lidgerwood. When he
fires, he means it."
. What is the boss to do about
this flare-up with Bart Rufford ?"
asked Judson. 1--WE been think
ing. While I'm laying around
with nothing much to do. l be-
,lieve I'll keep tab on Bart for a
: little spell. l don't like him much
: |anyhow."
4 McClosky shrugged his shout
Iders.
"Are you with us, Johni" he
asked cautiously.
II amt with Bart Rufford and
the tin-horns," said Judson.
i Then I'll tell you a fairy tale"
: |said the trainmaster, lowering his
, voice. ,"Mr. Lidgerwood went to
Jake Schleisinger. who had to try
twice before he could remember
that he was a justice of the peace,
: and swore out a warrant for Ruff
ford's arrest, on a charge Of as
sault with intent to kill. When
he'd got the warran' Schlesinger
protesting all the while Bart'd
kill him for issuing 1t. Mr.. Lidger-
wood took 1t to Jeck Hepburn, the
constable, and told him to serve It.
Jack backed down so fast that he
fell over his own feet. Said tolask
him anything else under heaven
J and he'd do it-anything but
THAT" 80
Judson turned on his heel and
left. Summing up the astounding
thing afterward, those who could
, recall the details and piece them
together traced Judson thus -
All Angels saw him staggering
up and down Mesa avenue, STUN
bl ing into and out of the many
saloons, and growing. to all APP
pearances, more hopelessly ire
Isponsible with every fresh STUN
BILE. This was his condition when