The Dolores star., 1921-10-14
CHAPTER V
And Saran Came Also

And Saran Came Also
"I saw your office lights from the
street" was the way the Red Tower
president began on me, and his voice
took me straight back to the Oregon
woods and lumber camp where the
saw-filers We're at work. where is
Mr.. NorcrossT"
l told him that Mr.. Norcross was
uptown. and that l didn't suppose he
would come back TO the office again
that night. now that 1t was so late.
my name is Hatch. of the Red
Tower company" he grated, after a
minute or two. You're the one they
cali !'odds, aren't your"
1 admitted 1t. and he went on.
'Nurcross brought you here with
him from the West. didn't he? What
pay are you getting here?'
1t was on the tip of my tongue to
cuss him out right there and then
and tell him it was none Of his busi-
ness. But the second thought (Which
isn't always as good as it's said to
bel whispered to me to lead him on
and see how far he would go. So
told him the figures ,f my pay check.
I'm needing another shorthand
man, and | can afford to pay good
bit more than that" he growled
They tell me you are well up at the
'op In your trade. Are you open to an
,ffer?"
let him hav ve It straight then. Not
from you" l said.
"And why not from meT'
Here was where l made my first
bad break. All of sudden l got SO
angry at the thought that he was ac-
tually trying to buy me that couldn't
see anything but red, and I blurted
out, Because don't hire out to work
for any strong-arm out1t-not If
know lit"
For q little while he sat blinking
at me from under his bushy eyebrows
and his hard mouth was drawn into
a straight line with a mean little
wrinkle coming and going at the cor
ners Of 1t.
When he got ready to speak again
he said, you're only boy. You want
to ret on In the world, don't you?
Tn offering you good chance: the
best you ever had. You don't owe
Norcross anything more than your
1ob. do you?"
Maybe not"
That's better. Put on your hat
and come along with nee. want to
show you what can do for you In a
better field than railroading ever was.
Or ever will be. It'll pay you" and
be named a figure that very nearly
made me fall dead out of my chair.
OF course, 1t was. all plain enough.
The boss had him on the h'a with that
kidnaping business. with me for a
witness. And he was trying to fi1 the
witr ess.
II guess we needn't beat about the
bushes any longer, Mr.. Hatch" l said,
bracing up to h.n. Il haven't told
tie sheriff. or anybody but Mr. Nor
cross. what saow about a certain
little train hoid-up that happened a
few weeks ago down at Sand Creek
siding; but that Isn't saying that I'm
not going to-
II I had had the sense of a field
mouse, I might have known that l
was no match for such a man; but
hs.3-.. the sense-lacked 1t good and
hard.
You're like your boss" he said
shortiy. You'd go long distance out
OF your way to make an enemy when
there is no need of it. That hold-up
business was a joke, from start to
finish. don't know how you and Nor
cross came to get in on it; the joke
was meant to be on John Chadwick.
The night before, at little dinner we
were xiv,ng him at the railroad club,
he sffd there never was a railroad
bold-up that couldn't have been stood
OF. A few of us got together after
ward and put up a job on him; sent
him over to Strathcona and arranged
to ksve him held up on the way back"
"Mr Chadwick didn't take it. as a
Joke!" I retorted.
"I know he didn't; and that's why
we're all anxious now to dig a hole
AID bury the thing decently. Perhaps
We had all been taking drop too
nuch at the club dinner that night"
At that 1 swelled up man-size and
kicked the whole kettle of fat into
u IRE.
"Of course, 1t was q jokeI" rip
I'D out. "And your coming here to-
alsht to ~ to hire me away from Mr..
Nrrcrs.ss Ia Gn0ther. The woods ara
foil Of good sAorthanl men, Mr.. Hatch,
hut for The pr~Dsaa think I shall
stay dEss wAsrs s0--wAere a court