Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-06-11

tlc IuIlN
II know It. And what happened
Why, that old trestle squeaked and
shook and gave every evidence Of be-
Ing about to buckle In the center. My
engineer threatened to quit II sent
him In again."
Every well. I suppose I'll have to
wait until the swltch-engine comes
out of the shop" Bryce replied re.
slgnedly, and hung up. He turned Il
troubled face TO Ogllvy. "Check.
mated" he announced. whipped to
a FRAGILE. The colonel is lying, Buck,
and I've caught him at 1t. AS mat
ter of fact, the mogul didn't kick those
flats mat all The switch-engine did
and know 1t. Now Tn going to
send man over to snoop around PEN
nIngton's roundhouse and verify his
report about the switch-engine being
In The shop"
He did st. Half an hour later the
messenger returned with the informa-
tion that not only was the switch-en-
CINE not In the shop but her fire.
box had been overhaued the week be-
fore and was reported to be in ex-
cellent condition.
"That settles It." Buck Ogllvy
mourned. "1'he Colonel Is as suspicious
as n rhino. He doesn't know anything,
but he smells danger just the same"
"Exactly. Buck. So he Is delaying
the game until he can learn something
definite" He drummed Idly on his
desk for several minutes. Then:
"Buck, can You run a locomotive"
with one hand, old man."
"Fine business Well, guess wen
put In that crossing tomorrow night.
The switch-englne will be In the round
house at Pennlngton's mill tomorrow
night, so we can't steal that; but we
can steal the mogul. I'll just send
word up to my woods boss not to
have his train loaded when the mogul
comes up late tomorrow afternoon to
hau, 1t down to our log landing. OF
course, the engine crew won't bother
to run down to Sequoa for the night
that Is, they won't run the mogul
down. They'll just leave her at our
log landing all night and put up for
the night at our camp
"But how do you know they will put
up at your camp all night, Bryce"
"My men will make them comfort
nble, and 1t means they can lie abed
until seven o'clock instead of having
TO roll out at five o'clock, which would
be the case II they spent the night at
this end Of the line. There Is a slight
grade at our log landing. know
that. because the air leaked out of
the brakes on log train | was on
short time ago, and the train ran
lway with me. Now, the engine crew
will set the airbrakes on the mogul
md leave her with steam up to throb
Ill night; they'll not blow her down,
FOR that would mean work firing her
IN the morning. Our task. Buck. will
be to throw off the alrbrakes and let
her glide silently out of our log land
ng. About a mile down the road
we'll stop, get up steam, run down TO
he junction with the main line, back
N on the Laurel Creek spur. couple
onto those fiat cars and breeze mer-
lily down to Sequola with them.
They'll be loaded waiting for us; our
men will be congregated In our dry
,ard just off Water street near r,
Waiting for lis TO arrive with the rails
and bingo-we go to It. After we
lrop the fats. well run the engine
,ack to the woods, leave 1t where we
ound 1t, return a-hylng. You can get
'ack in ample time to superlntend the
uttlng of the crossingw
Spoken like a man!'' quoth Buck
)gilvy. you're the one man I'm this
World for whom I'd steal locomo-
I've. 'At-a-boy!"
Had either Of the conspirators
nown Of Pcnnington's plans to enter
ain Mayor Poundstone at dinner on
night, 1t is probable they
'ould not have cheered until those
at cars were out of the woods.
Mayor Poundstone and his wife ar
Ived at the Pennington home in Red.
'ood boulevard at six forty-five Thurs
ay evening. 1t was with profound
,eling of relief that his honor lift
the lady from their modest little
flivver," for once inside the Penning-
m house, lie felt, he would be free
'om peculiarly devilish brand of
ersecution inaugurated by his wife
bout three months previously. Mrs.
oundstone wanted a new automobile.
nd she had entered upon cam
align of nagging and complaint, hop
g to wear Poundstone's resistance
own to the point where he would be
Hing to barter his hope of saliva.
on In return for a guarantee of peace
! earth.
II feel like perfect fool, calling ,
Jon these people In this filthy rattle
APP" Mrs. Poundstone protested.
Mayor Poundstone paused. "In
tvs name, woman" he growled,
ak about something else. Give me
lie night of peace. Let me enjoy my :
nner and this visit"
IT can't help It," Mrs, P retorted
It'll asperity. She pointed to Shirley :
,mner's car parked under the porte =
chere. IF ! had sedan like that
could die happy. And 1t only cost q
lrty-two hundred and fifty dollars
II paid six hundred and fifty for the q
ttletrap, and couldn't afford thnt," 8
almost whimpered. 'You were v
nnv with n until was ajacfod h