Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1921-08-05

/ me TO hold me on, just as Klrgan ha(
sat on the way up, and never opened
his head except once to ask me wha
was the matter with my wrapped-uE
hand. When I told him, he made nj
comment, and didn't speak again unit
we had stopped on the leg Of the "Y'
to let hirgan and his three helpers
put the borrowed rails back into place
You say it's Friday" he began alb
ruptly. WHAT'S been going on since
Monday night. Jimmle2"
l boiled it down for him into Just
as few words as possible; about the
letter he had left for Mr.. Van Britt
how everybody thought he had re-
signed, how Mrs. Shella and the major
were two Of the few who weren't will
ing to believe 1t, how Mr.. 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 new general manager who was ex-
pected now on any train, how Gorchpr
had discovered the lost 1915 on the
old dlsused gravel-pIt track q mile be-
low US, and, to wind up with, l slipped
him Mr.. Chadwick's telegram which
had come just as | was fnishinA 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 heard me through without say
ing word and when l gave him the
kilograms he read them by the light
Of the gauge lamp-also without say
ing anything. But when the men had
the "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
pit yourself. Take one Of the fremen
and 60 to 1t. It's a short mile and
you can walk in. Jimmie and I want
to get back to Portal City in a hurry,
and Gorcher will take US And then
to Gorcher: "We'll run to Banta ahead
Of Number Eighteen and get orders
there. Move lively, Billy; times pre-
| cious.'
We made Banta at q record clip,
While he was IN the Banta wire office.
getting orders for Portal City, Mr.. Nor
cross took the time-card out of its
cage in the cab and fell to studying
~ by the light Of the gauge lamp.
Goroner came back pretty soon with
his clearance, which gave him the
right to run to Arroyo as first section
OF Number Eighteen.
The boss blew up like Roman
candle when he saw that train order.
1t meant that we were to take the
siding at Arroyo with the freight that
was just behind us and wait there
for the Westbound "Flyer," the Flyer"
being due in Portal City from the east
at 9:15, and due to leave there, com
ing west, at 500 l didn't realize at
the moment why the boss was SO
sizzling anxious to cut out the delay
which would be imposed on us by tile
wait at Arroyo, but the anxiety was
there, all right.
Billy it's eighteen miles to Portal.
and you've got twenty minutes to make
It against the Flyers leaving time"
he ripped out Can you do it?"
Gorcher said he could, If he didn't
have to lose any more time getting
his order changed.
Let her go" snapped the boss
I'm taking all the responsibility"
That was enough for Gorcher. and
the way we hustled out of the Banta
yard was a caution. In exactly eight
minutes out of Banta we tore over the
switches at Arroyo. That left us ten
miles to go, and twelve minutes in
which to make them. It was easy.
A yardman let US in on the spur at
the end Of the headquarters building
and the boss was off in half a iifry
Come along with me, Jimmie" he
commanded quickly, and l couldn't
imagine Why he was in such tearing
hurry. Pushing through the platform
crowd, made up of people who were {
getting off the Flyer" and those who
we're waiting to get on, he led the way S
straight upstairs to our offices.
OF course there was nobody there r
1t that time of night, and the place a
vas all dark until we switched the a
dectries on. There was a little lava a
DRY off the third room of the suite. e
md Mr.. Norcross went in and washed S
lis face and hands. In minute or c
wo he came out, put on his office "
DAT, opened up his desk, lighted s
igar and sat down at the desk as a
hough he had just come in from a h
ate dinner at the club. And still he il
ad me guessing.
The guess didn't have to wait long n
While was making a bluff at uncov- to
ring my typewriter and getting ready II
Or business there was heavy step ly
the hall, and red-faced portly eJ
with fat eyes and little al
Iose-cropped English slde-whlskers ri
anne bulging in. He had a light top nS
)at on his arm, and his tan gloves
ere an exact match for his spats n
Good evening" he said, noddlng 81
'rt of brusquely at the boss. I'm ha
oking for the general managers Of "a
e." or
You've found It," said the boss, OF
isply. mn
The tan-gloved gentleman looked fo
st at me and then at Mr.. Norcross. re
"You ere tho cbiof olo,.l- o., Il