The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-10-20

looking for the actual point OF de
railment. When it WAS found II
proved Cranford's assertion - IN
part There was n gap In the rail
on the river side OF the line. Al
ono OF the joints the flsh.platea
were missing. and the rail ends
were sprung apart nidcwiae auf.
ficiently TO let the wheel flanEer
pass thru. Groner went down on
his hands and knees. with the Ian
tern held low. and made another
discovery.
This amt no happenso. Mr.
Lidgerwood." he said. when he got
up. "rho spikes are pulled"
Lidgerwood'a eyes were blood
shot. "Id like 10 ask you two men
aa men. what devil out OF hell would
set a trap like this for n train-load
OF uuoffending passengers"
Bradford's slow drawl dispelled
q little OF the mystery.
1T wasn't meant for Groncr and
his passengcr.wagons. ! reckon. In
tho natural run OF things. Il was
the 26G and tho servicc-car that
ought 20 We hit this thing first
20t bein' supposed TO be half
hour OF her schedule. II was
aimed for us, all right enough.
And II want meant 10 throw as
into tho hill. neither. n we'd Bit
IL Eoin' wekt. we'd be IN tho river
That's why II was sprung out In.
stead OF In"
When Lidgerwood go, back 10
the ssrvice-car. he was surprised
TO find Judson waiting for him.
Since you fired me an en-.
gineer." grinned Judson. I've ap'
pointed myself your private de
tectiye. ] Just dropped out here In
the wilds 10 make a report 10 you.
After Lidgcrwood had disposed
OF his passengers for the run back
10 Angels. he listened 60 the ex.
engineers report" aitting quietly
while Judson told him OF the plot
and OF tho plottcrs. Al tho close.
he sald grayely: you are sure u
was iiallock who got OFF OF the
night train nj Silver Switch
II was n test question. and the
engineer did not answer II OF
hand.
I'D say yes in n holy minute u
thore wasn't no blamed much else
tied outo II. MIR. LAdgcrwood. ]
vas sure. nj the time. that J, was
Haliock. All can say creaswise,
Is that I didn't get TO SEQ him race
TO face anywhere: in the gulch. OF
in the office. or any place else"
Yet you are convinced. In your
own mindT"
I am"
"You say you saw him and
F1emiEter get on the hand-ear and
pump themselves down the old
spur; OF course, you couldn't iden
tify either OF them from the top OF
the RIDGE"
That's a guess" admitted the
cx-engineer. frankly. "Ali ! could
see was that there were two men
on tho car. But IL fits In pretty
good: hear 'em plannin' what.
all they're going to do; folicr EN-
good BIT more'n halfway thru
the mine tunnel. hike back and
hump myself over the hill. and get
there IN time TO sec two men
some two men-rushin' out the
hand-car 20 20 somewhere. That
Amt court evidence. maybe. but
Two seen rorc'n one tury thatd
hang both OF 'em on H."
tadgerwood was frovning
thoughtfully.
Were far enough 20 put the
handouts onto Mr.. Pennington
F1emister any time you say" said
hudson. There was one little
thing that forgot TO put In the
report. when you get ready TO
take that missing switchengine
back, you'll find II choo-chcoin
away up yonder In FlemIsters ne~
power-houss that he's built out Of
boards made from Mr. Benson's
bridge tmbers."
Lidgerwood took a slender. gold
banded cigar from his dcsk-box
and passed tho box to tho ex-en
gineer.
Wen get Mr.. Pennington Elem
ister-and befors he IL very man,
hours older" he said. definitely.
It's q queer sort OF mlx.up. Mr.
Lidgerwood." Judson volunteered
lingering his cigar tonderly
KNOWN what's what. as some o
us do. you'd say them two'd neyel
get together. unless II was to GU
each Others throats."
Lidgerwood nodded. I've heart
there was bad blood between
them: II was about that building
and.loan business. wasn't IT."
"Shucks! no: that was only I
drop In tho bucket" said Judson
"Hallock was the original owner
Of the WRESTLER. Didn't 20,
know that"
NO"
"He was. and F1emister beai
him out OF II. Then. when he't
done that. he reached out and tool
Haiiock's wife-just to make II Q
clean sweep. was the way he brag
ged about IT,"
Heavens and EARTH" calculated
the listener. Then some OF the
hidden things began TO define
themselves in the light OF this as
founding revelation: Hallock's un
willingness 10 20 TO F1emister fol
the proof OF his innocence in tn,
building-and.loan matter; the In
vasion OF the service-car at Copal
by the poor demented creature
whose cry was still for vongeanc,
upon her betrayer. Truly. Elem
lister had many crimes TO answer
for. But the revelation made Hal
locks attitude all the more mys
FERROUS.
The early dawn OF the sum
mer morning was CRAVING ovei
the desert when the specia
drew into the Angels yard. Lidger
wood had the yard crew place tn,
service car on the same sidinf