Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1921-12-22

7 knew II couldn't be anybody but Mrs
Sheila. at that time of night, and ]
saw seventeen different kinds of bloody
murder looming up again when ]
tagged along after the boss on the
trip down the hall TO onr offices.
The guess was right. both ways
around. II was Mrs. SheiIa, and she
had the major with her. And the air
OF the private Office was so thick with
tragedy that IT made the very cleo
tries look dim and ghostly. Mrs.
Sheila didn't have a bit OF color in
her face, and her eyes had a big hor-
ror In them that was enough to make
your flesh creep.
l won't attempt to tell all that was
said. partly by the good old major and
partly by Mrs. Sheila. But the glst of
it was this Golllngwood had con-
tInued his booze fight in his rooms at
the Billiard until he had worked him
self up to the crazy murder pitch
Then he had gone on the warpathss
hunting for Hatch. He learned that
Hatch and a bunch of his Red Tower
hackers had gone 10 Strathcona on a
mining deal. and had started TO drive
TO the gold camp in an auto to get his
man.
Before leaving Portal City he had
written a letter to Mrs. Sheila. tell
Ing her what he was going to do. and
that when he got through with IT.
she would be free. The letter, which
had beer left at the hotel. had Jeen
delayed In delivery-had. in fact. just
been sent ont TO the majors house by
the night clerk who had found 1t.
Long before the story could get II.
self fully told. the different gaps In
IT were filling themselves up for me
and for Mr.. N~orcross, as well, / guess.
When Mrs. Sheila came to the auto
drive part OF it. the boss whirled and
shot an order at me.
Jimmie, chase into the dispatcher'S
office and find ont the name OF the
man who chartered that following en-.
CINE !" he snapped and went on the
run. remembering that In the strike
excitement and hustle it hadn't oc-
CURED 10 anybody TO ask THE mans
name or that of the particular mime
owner who had chartered the special
train.
Donohue got the Strathcona opera
tor In less than half a minute after
l fired my order at him. and the an
came almost without a break
'Charter of special train was TO X.
of Portal City, and of engine
416 to man named CoIlingwOou.
Gosh hut this did settle I'll + didn't
back 10 the office with the news
flew. 1t was like firing a gun amongst
The three who were waiting. but Ii
mad TO be done. The major groaned
said. a0h, good God" and Mrs.
sheila sat down and put her face in
Ter hands. The boss was the only
who knew what to do and he did
[: vanished Ike a shot In the direc-
Ion OF the dispatcher's office.
In about fifteen of the longest min
lies I ever lived he came back, shak-
ng his head. / knew what he had
zen doing. or trying 10 do. There
vas one night telegraph station on !,
he branch-at a minlng-camp half /.
fay down the grade on Slide Noun /.
ain-and he had been trying to get :
zord there to stop the Wild engine. :
"He has either bribed or bullied :
is engine crew." he told the major. !
wired and had q stop signal set !.
Or them at the Antonio mine, but !.
hey overran 1t. going at full speed !,
the hill :
1t was plain enough now what Col ;.
ngwood was trying to do. The muir y
pr mania had got a Arm hold of Its !,
Collingwood knew that !.
was on the special. and he was
DING to chase that one-car train until :,
made a stop somewhere and then :
into II for blood. After Mr.. :
torcross had talked hurriedly for a ),
mute or two with the major he went :
ack to the dispatcher's room and !,
went with him. )
The boss grabbed up an official !,
me-card and began to study It hur- !
and to jot down figures. ] won. !,
red II he wasn't tempted-just the
asst little bit In the world, yeu know. :,
Here was q thing itself up-a thing !
II which be wasn't In the least re- =,
'onsible-and IL 1t should work out to =,
e catastrophe that nobody seemed to !,
able to prevent, the chief OF the :,
alters, and probably a number of =
3 nearest hackers. would be wiped :,
I the books; and Collingwood's death. =
hich. In ell human probability. was :.
Iually certain, would set Mrs. Sheila :.
ee. .
He must be thinking Of 1t. | argued =,
couldn't be a human man and not
thinking of IT. But he never
ppped his hasty figuring for q single -
slant until he-broke on to bark out Z
Htrx~H who VIA standing by =
quick. Mari / want 4 Hight en-. Z.
ne. and somebody TO run III Jump :.
= II. HssB :.
Kirgan. big and aforementioned at r.
ost times. was on like q shot. Then -
Q boss hurried back down the haii =,