The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-01-08
The The Wreckers
Francis Lynde
Continued From YESTERDAY,

Na9so ktN*n h''s-~s<&Sf
you say n's Friday he began
abruptly. Whats been going on
since Monday night Jlmmier'
boiled n down for him into Just
as few words as pcasibie. about the
letter he had irft 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 willing TO believe Il. how
Mr.. Chadwick had been out Of
reach. how the railroad outfit was
Hopping around like a chicken with
Its head chopped Off. how President
Dunton had appointed a new gen
eral manager who was expected now
on any train. how Gorcher had dis
covered the lost 1915 on the old dis
used gravel pit track a mile below
US and. 10 wind up with. slipped
him Mr.. Chadwick's telegram which
had come Just as I was finishing
my supper In the Billiard Eriiiroom.
and those two others that had come
on the knock out night. and which
had been In my pocket ever since.
lie heard me thru without saying
a word. and when l gave him tho
kilograms he read them by the HIGHT
OF the gauge lamp-also without
saying anything. But when tho
men had the ~ rails replaced he
took hold OF things again with a
Jerk.
-KirEan. youri want 90 80 10
getting that dead engine out Of the
gravel pit yourself. Take one Of tho
fircmcn and go to II. It's short
mile and you can walk IL Jimmie
and I want TO Get back to Portal
City In . hurry. and Gorchcr will
take us And then to Gorcher.
Wen run To Banta ahead of No.
Is and get orders there Move 1--we
~. Billy: times precious.
The orders were carried cot pro
cisely as they were given kirgsn
took one OF the huskies and tranped
OFF In the darkness down the paain
line. and Gorcher. turning our en-
CINE on the " headed back east
This time he wasn't 80 awfully
careful OF the curves ard says a.
he had been coming up. and We
made Ranta at . record clip. While
he was In the Banta wire office. get.
ting orders for Portal City. Mr..
Nurcross took the time card out Of
Its cage In the cab and fell TO study
ing II by the light OF the gauge
lamp. Corcher came back pretty
soon with his clearance which gave
him tho right to run to Arroyo ~
first section Of No. 10.
The boss blew up Ike = Roman
candle when he saw tha, train or
der. II meant that we were 70
take the siding At Arroyo with the
freight that was Just behind US and
wait there for the wessbcund Fly
err tho Flyer being due In Portal
city from the east NJ s1s. and due
to leave there coming vest p,
ga didn't rsaltze ~ ths mo
ment Why the boss vas - sixziing
anxious To cut cut the dsiAy which
would b imposed On a. b ths wait
al Arroyo. but The anxiety vas
there. AL right
ba1ys rs - @tD - hWS ~
you've got 20 minutes 70 make II
against the Tfyer'1 having time.-
he ripped out Can you DO itr-
Gorchef said he could. II he didnS
have TO lose any more time getting
his order changed
Let her go- snapped ths boa
I'm taking al the responsibility
srN.s 49,. ~r.,~A f.~ CNxxher ana
the way ws hustled out Of the
Banta yard was . catuion- By the
time 20 hit the last set Of switches
the old ''Pacific-type- was iurchins
like a ship at sea- and once out on
tho long grASs-oountry tangents shc
went like = shot out Of . gun OF
course, with nothing to pun bat her
own weight she had plenty Of steam.
and all Gorcher~h had TO do was 70
keep her from choking herself with
too much of H.
He did IL TO the queens taste:
and In exactly eight minutes out Of
Banta we tore over the switches a,
Arroyo That len ~ 10 miles to
go. and IL minutes IN which to
make them II looked pretty easy.
and II would have been II the night
crew hadn't been switching in the
lower Portal City yard when We
finished the race and Gorcher was
whistiing for the town stop. There
was a holdout Of perhaps two min
utes whiis ne shifter was getting
cut Of our ny. and when we finally
went ciattgtng up thru the yard.
the Flyer few minutes Late, was
just pulling In from the opposite
direction.
A yardman let Us IN on ths spur
at the end of the headquarters
building, and the boss was off In
half q jiffy. Come along with me,
Jimmie" he commanded quickly.
and couldn't imagine why he was
In such q tearing hurry. Pushing
thru the platform crowd. made up
OF people who were getting off the
Flyer and those who were walt
ing TO get on. he led the way
straight upstairs to our offiees-
OF course. there was nobody there
ut that time Of night. and the place
was all dark until we switched the
electrics on There was q little lava
tory off the third room of the suite.
and Mr.. Norcroes went In and
washed bis face and hands. In a
minute or two he came out. put on
his office coat, gponcd up his desk,
lighted q cigar and nat down at the
desk as tho he had just come In
fyor, a late dinner AT the club And
still he had me guessing.
The guess didn't have 10 wait
long. while I was making bluff
at uncovering my typewriter and
getting ready for business there was
n heavy step In the hall. and q red
faced, portIy gentleman with fat
eyes and little close-cropped English
side whiskers came bulging in He
had a light top-coat on his arm. and