The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-05-26
CHAPTER Vll.-Continued.
g.

told her about the wreck, and said
was afraid h" hadn't got back yet.
7 heard something that sounded like
a muA1rl and hH'f-impatirnt, "Oh,
dear" and then she went on. Il have
lust had Il phone message from Mr..
cantrpli, the editor Of the Noun
t0inepr. He called the house to try
TO find Major Kcndricli. He has heard
something which may explain about
Mr.. NorcroSs. He said he didn't want
70 put it on the Wirc."
That was enough for me. "Tll 90
right over to the MOuntainper office"
told her: and in just about two
shakes of dead lambs tail, was
standing at Mr.. CantreIl'S elbow in
his little den on the third floor Of the
newspaper building across the avenue.
Mrs. Macrac telephoned you" he
asked, puShiLs his bunch Of copy pa
per aside.
ayes; just a minute ago.
"TH give you what | have, and you
may do what you please with it. One
of our young meq1-Branderby-h
dscovered-in some way that he didn't
care to explain over the phOne-that
there was a plot of some kind con-
cocted in the back room Of a dive on
lower Nevada avenue on the night
Mr.. NOrcross disappeared. From what
Branderby says, | take it that the
Mot was overheard, in part, at least,
BY some habitue Of the place who was
too drunk to get it entirely straight
and Ineligible. The plotters were
four of Clanahan's men, and. as
Branderby got it, they were planning
to steal a locomotive. Do you know
anything about that?'
81 do. The engine was stolen all
right, that very night. Kirsan, our
master-mechanic, has known It was
gone, but he has been keeping quiet
in hopes he'd be able to find the en-
CINE without making any public stir
about it."
''rhe story, as it has been handed
on to Branderby, is pretty badly mud
died." the editor went on. "There
was something in it about an attempt
to wreck and rob the Fast Mail, and
something else about sending note
to somebody at the BuIard-a note
that would do the business was the
way it was put
"That note was sent to Mr.. Nor
cross!" | broke in eycitedly, taking a
running jump at the guess.
If you will wait unit, Branderby
comes in, he may be able to give you
/. more of the particulars" Cantrell was
beginning to say; but good GOSH
/. | couldn't wait. I was scared still
for fear I shouldn't be able to get
back to the round-hOuse before kirgan
started out on that engine-resculng
trip.
That's enough | gasped; I'm
gomez and tumbled down the two
flights of stairs and sprinted for the
railroad yard, reaching the round
house not, one half-second too soon.
Kirgan was there, with Gorcher and
two fremen. They had a light engine
out on the tank track and were Till
Ing her with water.
"They took Mr.. NorcrOss with them
on the Ten-Sxteen" was all / could
say and then | guess my late electric
Knockout cot in It's work to pay fof
the quick sprint down from the news
paper office, for | keeled over into
kirgan's arms and sort Of half falnted'
1t seemed.
Because, when | came to, right sood
again, Kirgan had me up on the ire
mans box, with an arm around me u
hold me there: Billy Gorcher was on
the other side of the cab, nigsling at
the throttle; and the light engine was
clicking it off about fifty miles all
hour on the straight piece OF track
between Portal City and Arroyo.