Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1921-06-24
CHAPTER XII
wha4 a. pin Enalne Found


For a time after the suicide Of the
off-trick-dlspatcher the wreck epidemic
paused. Acting upon Mr.. Norcross
suggestion, Mr.. Van Britt called his
trainmen in, a crew at a time, and
gave them the straight tip; and after
that the hoodoo died a natural death,
and a good many pairs Of eyes all
along the Short Line were keeping q
sharp lookout for the trouble-makers.
In the meantime, Tarbell, still dig
cling faithfully, managed to turn up
few facts that were worth some
thing. In the Petrolite case he found
a lone prospector living In shack
nigh up on 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 a 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
unscrewlng the nuts on the bolts az
the joints.
In another field. and this time under
Ripley's instructions, our ex-cow-
punch had been able to set and bait
q trap. BY diIlgent search ne had
found the man Murphy, the Clanahan
heRchman, who, under pressure, had
given away the Timber Mountain plot
which, had climaxed In the kidnapping
.of the boss. This man had been de-
qiberately shot In bar-room Drawl
and left for dead. But he had crawled
away and had got out Of town to live
and recover at distant cattle ranch
IN the Limberton hills.
When Tarbell discovered him he had
cut out the booze, had grown a beard,
and was thirsting Cor vengeance. Tar
hell brought him back to Portal City,
and presently there began to be de-
yelopments. Murphy knew all the
zones. In little time, Ripley, with
Tarbeil's help, was loaded for bear.
one chilly October afternoon the law
yer came down to our office to tell
Mr.. NorcrOss that the game was cor
nered.
aAll YOU have to do now Is to give
the word" was the way Ripley wound
nm aYou refused to do 1t on q former
occasion. because we couldn't get the
men higher up. This time we can
nail Clanahan, and a good few OF the
politicaI gangsters and bosses In the
other towns along the line. What 40
you say?" ~.
The boss looked up with the little
horseshoe frown wrinkling between
his eyes. ~,
"Can we get Hatch and HenckelT
$40; not yet"
every well: then you may lock those
oapers up In your safe and wen wait.
when YOU can see your way clear to
criminal trial, with Rufus Hatch
and Gustave Henckel in the prisoners
dock wen start the legal machinery
INT not before"
By now we were right on the eve
If the state election. AS far as any
body could see. the railroad had stayed
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 wind-up held
the center Of the stage. So far as we
we're concerned, It passed of very quiet
". Along in the afternoon the newspa-
ner Offices began 70 put out bulletins,
ana BY evening the result was no long
er doubtful. For she first time In years
the power Of Che political machine
had been smasned decisively at the
nolls and on the following morning
the Mountaineer announced the cleo
tion Of Governor Burrell, with safe
working majofity In both houses OF
tbs legislature for the Independents.
& wss on the third day after me