The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-10-19

rail on the river side Of the line.
At one OF the joints the fish
plates were missing, and the rail-
ends were sprung apart sidewise
spfficientlY>to let the wheel
flanges pass through. Groner
went down on his hands and
knees, with the lantern held low,
and made another discovery.
This amt no happen-so. Mr..
Lidgerwood," he said, when he
got up. THE spikes are pulled"
Lidgerwood's eyes were blood
shot. 'I'd like to ask you two
men. as men, what devil out of
hell would set trap like this for
a train-load of unoffending pas
sengers?"
Bradford's slow drawl dis
spelled a little of the mystery.
1T wasn't meant for Groner
and his passenger-wagons, l
reckon. In the natural run of
things, 1t was the 266 and the
service-car that ought to We hit
this thing first-204 bein' sup
posed to be half hour off her
schedule. 1t was aimed for us,
all right enough. And 1t wasn't
meant to throw us into the hill,
neither. If we'd hit it goin' west,
we'd be in the river. That's why
1t was sprung out instead of in"
When Lidgerwood got back to
the service car, he was surprised
to find Judson waiting for him.
Since you fired me as engi-
neer,. grinned Judson, I've ap-
pointed myself your private de-
tective. / just dropped out here
In the wilds to make a report to
you"
After Lidgerwood had disposed
of his passengers for the run
back to Angels, he listened to the
ex-engineer's report" sitting
quietly while Judson told him of
the plot and of the plotters. At
the close, he said gravely: "You
are sure it was Hallock who got
off of the night train at Silver
Switch?"
1t was a test question, and the
engineer did not answer it off
hand.
I'D say yes in a holy minute IL
there wasn't so blamed much else
tied onto it, Mr.. Lidgerwood. l
was sure, at the time, that it was
Hallock. All | can say. cross
wise, is that | didn't get to see
him face to face anywhere in the
gulch, or in the office, or any
place else
Yet you are convinced, in
your own mind?"
II am"
you say you saw him and
Flemister get on the hand car and
pump themselves down the old
spur: of course, you couldn't
identify either of them from the
top of the ridge?"
That's a guess" admitted the
ex-engineer, frankly. "All | could
see was that there were two men
on the car. But it fits in pretty
good: l hear 'em plannin' what
all they're going to do; foller 'em
good bit more'n halfway
through the mine tunnel; hike
back and hump myself over the
hill, and get there in time to see
two men-some two men-rushin'
out the hand-car to go some
where. That amt court evidence,
maybe, but, I've seen more'n one
jury thatd hang both of 'em on
it,"
Lidgerwood was frowning
thougkfully.
We're far enough to put the
handouts onto Mr.. Pennington
Flemister any time you say" said
Judson. There was one little
thing that l forgot to put in the
report; when you get ready to
take that missing switch-engine
back, you'll find it choo-chooin
away up yonder in Flemister's
new power-house that he's built
out of boards made from Mr.. Ben
sons bridge timbers."
Lidgerwood took a slender,
gold-banded cigar from his desk
box, and passed the box to the
ex-engineer.
Well get Mr.. Pennington
Fleminter-and before he is very
many hours Older" he said, def
nitely.