The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-01-11
The Wreckers
Francis Lynde
Continued rrcm ycstcrdAsi

lets have NJ he directed
Ripley briefed the general rftua
ton AS Il stood on the night Of the
engine theft In . few tsrve sen
tenees. Aside from the f1sht on Red
Tower Consolidated, the new rail-
rnaa policies were threatening 70
upset all the time .honorcd political
traditions OF the maehlnesoserned
state. An election was approaehlaE,
and the railroad vote and Influence
must be whipped into lima A. the
Eraf,ers viewed Il. the threatnned
revolution was q one man severn
ment. and II that man could he ~
moved ths danger would vanish.
Beyond that he gave the story
OF the facts. 30 far as they had been
ferreted cut by Taresll The orders
had apparently come from political
headquarters In the state capital.
but the execution details had been
turned oyef 10 ctanahan. the poliih
cal boss OF Portal city, cianahan's
gaRssters ana crooks had been al
work for some time before the plo,
climAxed. They had tapped eur wires
and were thus enabled TO intercept
cur messages and keep In touch.
The plot itself was simpla At a
certain hour OF given night an
Anonymous letter was 10 he sent 10
Mr.. NorcrnsS telling him that a
gang OF noted train robbers was
stealing an engine from the Portal
City yard for the purpose OF run
ming down the line and wrecking
the Fast Malt which often carried
bullion express car. II the boss
should fall for it--as he did. when
tho time came--ane 60 In person TO
stop tho raid. he was to be over.
powered and spirited away. a forsed
letter pvFporsinx 20 be q notice Of
hts resignation was 10 be left for
Mr.. Van BTits, and a fake telegram,
making the same announcement
was 10 be sent TO President punton
IN New York. Sothlns Was LET,
indsnnits but the choosing Of this
night
Il suppose Hatch was 20 give tho
word aid the boss. who had been
listening soberly while the lawyer
talked.
THAT b me Inference Any night
when yo1 were In town would an
swer. The cnslns sto be stolen was
the one which brings the srath'
coma accommodation In at sje each
eyeplng, and which always stands
over NIGHT IN The same placs--on
The spur below the coal chutss
Hence IT. was siwAys availahle.
Hatch probably gave the word altar
his talk with you. but the time was
made cvsn more proplt!ous hy the
arrival Of two tslsxralns, the oas
from Mr.. Caldwell. and the ens
from Mr.. D0nton. both Of which
they douhtiszs intercepted ~ nsAnz
Of the tapped wue&"
Mr.. Norcrn<s looked up quickly.
-Ripiey. did Dunton know What
vas going to 10 done to msr-
''Oh. think not II wasn't AZ AL
necsssary that he should be taken
In on u lie has been opposinx
POUR policsss all aloax. and had
Just sent you . pretty savags call.
down. tie didn't want you Ia the
FIRST place. and he has bean anxious
TO set rid Of you ever sinca THIS
plottsrs knew very well What he
would % II hs should get . wtr-
which purportsd TO be your resisna,
tbon He would appoint another
man. quick. and all they would
have 20 DO would be to make surs
that you we're well off stage. and
would stay off until the other mar
could taks hold
1T worked cut mhs . ehssw.' al
mitted tbs boss, with . wry smile
Il haven't been talking much about
the details, partly BECAUSE wantee
10 find out u this young fellow. Tar
bell. was az good a. the ma lor's
Recommendation Of him. and partly
because I'm honestly ashamed RIP
ley. Any man Of my are and en-
perience who would swallow bait
hook. and line AZ l did that night
deserves 10 get all thai r. comma
TO him.
"You can tel me nos. can't pour
queried the attorney.
-oh. yes. you have II an--or prae
,icaliy all fen for the Anonymous
letter about the Mail holdup, ans
while don't rattle very easily
ordinarily. that WIS one time wher
] lost my. head, just for the mo
menL The obvious thing 20 dol
any attention whatever was To b.
paid to the anonymous warning
WAS 10 telephone the police and ths
round-house. did neither because
! thought II might be too slow. The
letter was urgent. Of course; IT said
that Black Ike Bradley and his gang
we're already In the railroad yard
preparing 10 steal the engine"
so you made a straight shoot for
the scene Of setionY'
IT did: down the hack streets and
across the lower end OF the plaza
AS II appesred--or rather an II was
made TO APPEAR was barely IN
time. There we're men al the en-
CINE, and when I sprinted across
the yard they were ready 10 move
IL out TO the main line. yelled at
them and ran in
You must have been beautifully
ratified; to go up against a gang Of
thugs that way. alone and TN
armed was the hwyer's comment.
Il was" the boss confessed sober.
~. "Of course. I didn't have a ghost
Of q show Three Of them tackled
me the moment I came within
reach. got one OF the three on
the point Of the jaw. and they had
TO leave him behind: but there we're
enough more Of them Before !
fairly realized what was happening.
they had me trussed up like q
Christmas turkey. gagged with my
own handkerchief, and loaded into
the cab Of the engine. From that
on. II was ali plain sailing
Then they took you TO the old