The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1921-04-29


were couple of hunks built against
he log WALL On what had once been
| the counter of the cOmmissary there
was a lot of canned stuff and box.
of crackers that had Been broken open,
and on a bench by Tie door there was
bucket of water and a tin cup.
The boss was sitting up in one Of
the hunks. and he was still tearing OF.
| language iii strips at Us when we
closed on him He recognized Kirgan
! first, and then Gorcher I guess he
couldn't see me very well because
was holding tie lantern. When
he found cut who we were, he
stopped swearing aad got up out of
the bunk to put his hand on Mart
Kirgan's shoulder. That was the
only break he made to show that he
was q man, like tie rest of US. The
next minute he was the big boss
again, rapping out his orders as if he
had Just pushed his desk button TO
call US in.
you've got an engine here, I sup
pose?' he snapped, at Krgan Then
IVwe'll get out of this quick, What day
of the week is it,"
/ told him it was Friday, and by
his asking that, ] knew he must have
been so roughly handled that he had
lost count of time. The next order
was shot at the two firemen.
"You boys kiclSthat packing-boX to
pieces. and then pull the straw out OF
| that bunk and touch match TO it.
Wen make sure that they'll never
lock anybody else up in this ID dog
hole"
The two young husllies obeyed the
order promptly. In half minute
the dry slab stuff that the hunks were
built of was ablaze and the boss
herded us to the door, and minute
or so later we were all climbing into
the cab of the waiting engine.
We had to run so slowly down the
old track. to-. the "Y" that there was
plenty of Glance for the boss TO talk,
if he had Wanted to. But apparently
he didn't Swant to- He sat on the
freman's scat, with; an arm back OF
me 10 hold PIC on, tist-as Kirgan had
sat on tlyfI..Ssy np' and never e,, opened sl
was The. ssGt6T with my 'wrapped-up
hand. W.Eef Il told him. he made no
comment, fQhd- didn't speak again until
we had S{jnpsd ens ting leg of the ~"
to let KffIgap Aand his three helpers
put the B1ffoWel rails back>into place.
you tsayGfs, Friday" he began alb
ruptlYa.'sWhat been going on since
Monday pfglfer Jfnnie.?@
| btGefyit down for him into just
as .Nsgds..a possible; about the
letter he had left for Mr.. Van Britt,
how everybody thought he had re-
signed. how Mrs. eSheila and the major
were two Of the few Who weren't will
ing to believe IL, how AMr. Chadwick
had been. out OF reach, how the rail-
road outfit. was Hopping around like a
chicken with its head chopped off,
how President Dunton had appointed
a rev. general manager who was ex-
pectef now on any train, how Gorcher
had discovered The lost 1016 on the
old dlSUsed gravel:pit track a mile be-
low. us, and, to wind up with, slipped
him Mr. Cnadwick's telegram which
had come Just. rs was finishing my
supper in the Billiard grill-room, and
those. tWo others that had come on
the Knockout night, and which had
been in MY pocket ever since.
He sheard me through without say
ing a word. and when l gave him the
teIegrams he read them by the light
Of tie gauge lamp-also without say
ing anything. But when the men had
:he "Y' rails replaced he took hold
OF things again with a jerk.
"Kirgan. you'll want TO see to get
ting that dead engine out of the gravel
nit yourself. Take ore of the firemen
and &c TO it. It's a short mile and
sou can walk in. Jimmie and I want
to get back to Portal City in a hurry.
ana Gorcher will take u.s. And then
to Gorcher: Wen run to Banta ahead