The spectator., 1921-06-07
CHAPTER xill
What the Pilot Engine Found
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For time after the suicide of the off-trick-dispatcher the wreck epidemic paused Acting upon MT. Norcross' suggestion, Mir. Van Britt called his tralnmen In. crew at time. and gave them the straight tip; and after that the hoodoo died q natural death, and Il good many pairs of eyes all along the Short Line were keeping sharp lookout for the trouble-makers.
 In the meantime. Tarhell. still dig glng faithfully, managed 10 turn up few facts that were worth some thing In the Petrolte case he found lone prospector living in shack high up or the farther side of the canyon who told him that late in the evening of the day preceding the wreck he had seen two men climbing the slope from which the boulder had been dislodged. and that one of them was carrying q pick Also. further in- vestigation seemed to prove that the rail which the blow of the rock was supposed to have knocked loose had been previously weakened. either by drawing some of the spikes. or by unscrewing the nuts on the bolts at the joints.
 In another field. and this time under Riplev's instructions. our eX-cow- punch had been able 10 set and bait trap. By dligent search he had found the man Murphy the Clanahan henchman. who. under pressure, had given away ihe Timber Mountain plot which had climaxcd in the Kidnapping of the boss. This man had been de iiberately shot in Il har-room brawl and left for dead But he had crawled away and ha1 got out of town to live and recover at distant cattle ranch in the Timho"tar hills.
 When Tcrhell discovered him he had cut ont the booze. had grown beard, and was thlrstjng for vengeance. Tar bell brought him lack to Portal City, and presently there began to be de- velopments. Murphy knew all the ropes Tn a little time. Ripley. with Tarbeli's help. was loaded for bear. One chilly October afternoon the law yer came down to our office to tell Mir. Norcross thar the game was cor nered.
 "All you have to do now is to give the word" was the way Ripley wound up. You refused 10 do II on former occasion. because we couldn't get the men higher up. This time We can nail Clanahan, and good few of the political gangsterS and bosses Tn the other towns along the line. What do you say?"
 The boss looked up with the little horse. shoe frown wrinkling between his eyes.
 Can we get Hatch and Henckel?'
 No: not yet"
 Very well then you may lock nose papers up in your safe and we'll walt When you can see your way clear to a criminal trial. with Rufus Hatch and Gustave Henckel in the prisoners dock. we'll start the legal machinery: but not before"
 By now we were right on the eve of the state election. AS far as any
  free and clear of the political fight The boss had kept his promise to main tain neutrality and was still keep ing it.
 At the appointed time the big day dawned and the political wtnd-up held the center of the stage, So far as we were concerned. it passed of very quet- ly. Along in the afternoon the newspa- per offices began to put out bulletins and ny evening the result was no long CT doubtful For the first time in years the power of the political machine had been smashed decisively at the polls. and on the following morning the Mounialneer announced the elec- ton of Governor Burrell with safe working majority In both houses of the legislature for the Independents.
 y, ,vaS an tha third day after the