Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-05-10
FOURTH INSTALLMENT
CHAPTER ~.

When Helen Holmes took the day
q key at Signal the little office had al
ready passed from the quiet kind to
the remorselessly active kind of those
small way stations that drive limo
cent men mad. Two rival lines main
tanning large construction camps and
getting all their supplies through Sig
nal station, were engaged in race to
build a mountain cut-off-and con-
siderable one. Despite all the help
Lyons, the overworked agent, could
give Helen, she found the tasks of her
day about all that her strength would
compass.
Nor could Helen, situated as she
was, escape occasional Office visits
from Seagrue, whose activity as head
of the opposition construction camp
was undated. Going over to the sta
ton one day to watch his men unload
a shipment of material, he stepped
into the office ostensibly to make in
quiries-in reality to steal few min
utes with Helen Holmes, whom he
found busy, but alone.
Seagrue spoke blandly; 81 hear
you're becoming quite a railroad ex-
pert" She made no effort to reply.
Getting really clever at the key, Ly-
ons says" Helen, entering waybills,
went on with her writing. by the
way asked Seagrue, evenly, amy
word this morning from our steam
shovel?"
She looked toward the windcw-the
focal freight train had just pulled in.
ut may be out there now, on No. 80.
Seagrue seemed in no haste to in
yestigate, and Helen had almost lost
hope of any diversion in that direc-
ton, when the office door opened and
George Storm walked in.
He was just out of his engine cab,
and deliberate and composed as usu-
ally, but his eyes. lighting to greet
Helen, cooled when he saw Seagrue.
Storm nodded curtly toward him and
was greeted in kind. Then the stall
wart engine man turned his attention
to Helen, and Seagrue was soon made
to feel the pangs of being distinctly
third in the situation and without an
anesthetic.
And the best of it all is" said
Storm at length to Helen, this is my
last run on local freights. / am as
signed tonight to the Limited"
Helen lifted her eyebrows in sur
prise: Some run they're giving
you'll"
Seagrue took the CHI ace to Join sar-
castically in: Right in line for chief
of motive power. Ell, Storm"
Storm was not to be disturbed. He
only regarded Seagrue calmly for a
moment. Then he turned gocd-natur-
eddy to thank Helen. While soldier
ing agreeably at this task, his fire.
man intruded on the scene long
enough to remind him they were wait
ing for him to get out. Storm, with
an expression of disgust at the inter-
ruption, nodded gruffly to the fireman,
concluded his talk with Helen and
walked out. Helen rose to go out On
the platform also. Seagrue intervened
to distract her attention. 1t was use
less. She must deliver a message, she
said, to the conductor, and Seagrue,
peeved, was left to stay with himself
or unwillingly to follow. He followed !;
but even then it was only to find him
self watching Storms good-bys waved
to Helen from the cab. And she saw
them, too; nothing escaped her at
tentiOn.
Rhinelander, in charge of the Tide
water line camp, was pushing Seagrue
closely in the construction race and
as the head of big crew of men i'm
bued with his own spirit was laugh
ing at obstacles that made Seagrue's
head ache; and with equipment actu-
ally somewhat inferior was forging
daily ahead of his rival. But the mail
now brought him note from the
chairman of the executive committee
of his board that almost paralyzed his
activities.
"Oceanside.
Dear Rhinelander: Our survey
party advise that they cannot relic
cate the pass over the Superstition
range. Unless you can furnish sur
vey Of the cutoff pass before the
first. our people viii withdraw their
financial support. BOWERS
Amos Rhinelander, sitting at his
dusty and Uttered desk, stared at the
abrupt communication. Bowers was