The Elk Mountain pilot., 1921-04-28
It Wasn't the Voice Of Any Dead Man

were couple of hunks built against
the log wall. On what had once been
the counter of the commissary there
was lot of canned stuff and box
Of crackers that had been broken open.
and on bench by the door there was
bucket of water and tin cup.
The boss was sitting up in one of
the hunks, and he was still tearing off
language in strips at US when we
closed on him. He recognized Kirgan
first and then Gorcher. guess he
couldn't see me very well because
l was holding the lantern. When
he found out who we were. he
stopped swearing and 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 a man, like the 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. l sup
poser" he snapped. at Kirgan. ''Then
we'll get out of this quick. What day
of the week is it?"
l told him 1t 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 kick that packing-box to
pieces and then pull the straw out of
that bunk and touch match to 1t.
Well make sure that they'll never
lock anybody else up In this id dog
hole"
The two young huskies obeyed the
order promptly. In half minute
the dry slab stun that the hunks were
built of was ablaze and the boss
herded us to the door. and a 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 chance for the boss to talk,
II he had wanted to. But apparently
he didn't want to. He sat ON the
freman's seat. with an arm back of
me to hold me on, just as Kirgan had
sat on the way up, and never opened
his head except once to ask me what
was the matter with my wrapped-up
hand. When / told him. he made no
comment. and didn't speak again until
we had stopped on the leg Of the ~
to let Kirgan and his three helpers
put the borrowed rails back into place
you say it's Friday" he began alb
ruptly. Whats been going on since
Monday night, Jimmie?"
I boiled 1t 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. Sheila and the major
were two Of the few who weren't will
ing to believe It, 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
new general manager who was ex-
pected now on any train. how G0rcher
had discovered the lost 1016 on the
old disused gravel-pit track mile be-
low us, and. to wind up with. 1 slipped
him Mr.. Chadwick's telegram which
had come just as was finishing my
supper in the Bullard 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 a word. and when l gave him the
kilograms he read them by the light
of the gauge lamp-also without say
Ing anything. Bur when the men had
the ~" rails replaced he took hold
Of things again with jerk.
"Kirgan. you'll want to see to get
ting that dead engine out of the gravel
pit yourself. Take one of the firemen
and go to 1t. It's short mile and
you can walk in. Jimmie and want
to get back to Portal City in hurry.
and Gorcher will take u.s." 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 a record clip.
While he was in the Banta wire office,
getting orders for Portal CITY Mr. Nor.