The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-10-19
CHAPTER TX.
At Silver Switch.

Like that of other railroad Of
fieials whose duties constrain
them to spend much time in
transit, Lidgerwood's desk work
went with him up and down on
the two divisions, and before
leaving his office in the Crows
Nest to go down to the waiting
special, he had thrust bunch OF
letters and papers into his pock et.
1t was his surreptitious trans
ference of the letters ! to the
closed service car desk, observed
by Miss Brewster. that gave the
presidents daughter an opportu-
nifty to make partial amends for
having turned his business trip
into a car party.
Listen a moment, all OF you,
she called. I'VE mustn't forget
that this isn't a planned excur-
sion for us; it's a business trip
for Mr.. Lidgerwood. We must
make ourselves small, according
ly, and not bother HIM"
And so for an industrious hour
Lidgerwood scarcely realized he
was not alone. For the greater
part of the interval the sightseers
were out on the rear platform,
listening to Miss Brewster's
stories of the Red Desert. She
was in the midst of one of the
most blood-curdling when Lidger-
wood. having worked through his
bunch of papers, opened the door
and Joined the platform party.
But there was little chance for
speech, even il the overawing
grandeurs of the stupendous crew
ice, seen in their most impressive
presentment as alternating vistas
of stark, moonlighted crags and
gulches and depths of blacklist
shadow, had encouraged it. The
hiss and whistle of the air brakes,
the harsh. sustained note of the
shrieking wheel flanges shearing
the inner edges of the rail heads
on the curves, and the suffering
roar of 266's safety valve were
continuous.
Suddenly the roar of the echo
Ing canyon walls died away, and
the train came to a stand at Tim
anyoni, the first telegraph station
in the shut-in valley between the
mountain ranges. A minute or
two later the wheels began to re-
volve again, and Bradford, the
conductor, came in. More NAV
erick railroading, he said, dis
gustedly. "Timanyoni had his
red light out, and when l asked
for orders, he said he hadn't any
thought maybe we'd want to
ask for 'em ourselves, being as
we was running wild"
so he thoughtfully stopped us
to give us the chance!" snapped
Lidgerwood, in wrathful scorn.
What did you do" 20
ooh, as long as he had done it
had him call up the Angels dis
patcher to find out where we
were at. We're on 20fs time
you know-ought to have met her
here" .AiD
"Why didn't we?" asked the
superintendent. itt .''i'
"She was late out OF Red
Butte; broke something, and had
to stop and tie 1t up. Lost a hall
hour maxim her getaway.
Then we reach LittfB aBptte
before 204 gets there1 hat
lit?" A1if
That's about the way thu night
dispatcher has it ciphered @odt. y
well, tell your engineer to
watch for 204's headlight, and II
he sees IL, to take the siding at
Silver Switch, the old Wire Sill
yer spur"
Bradford nodded, and went for
ward to share Williams watch in
the cab of 266.
Twenty minutes farther on the
train slowed again, made a mo-
mentary stop, and began to
screech and grind heavily around
sharp curve.
Where are we nowf" asked
Miss Brewster.
"At Silver Switch" replied