The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1921-04-29
CHAPTER
Al Sand Creek siding

AS general proposition, don't be.
lieve much In the things called
'hunches." But there are exceptions
to all rules, and we certainly uncov-
cred the biggest one of the lot-the
boss and 1.-The night we left Port
land and the good old Pacific coast.
1t was this way. We had finished
the construction work on the Oregon
Midland; and were on our way to the
train. when had one of those queer
little premonitory chills you hear so
much about and knew just as well as
could be that we were never going
to pull through to Chicago without get
ting JOLT Of some sort. The reason
If you'll call 1t reasen-was that,
Just before we came to the railroad
station, the boss walked calmly under
q ladder standing in front of new
building; and besides that, 1t was the
thirteenth day of the month, FRI
day, and raining like the very mis-
chief.
Just to sort Of toll us along, may
be, the fates didn't begin on us that
night. They waited until the next
day, and then proceeded to shove us
In behind q freight-train wreck at
Widner, Idaho, where we lost twelve
hours. 1t looked as IL that didn't
amount to much, because we weren't
due anywhere at any particular time.
The boss was on his way home for a
little visit with his folks in Illinois,
and beyond that he was going to meet
a bunch of Englishmen in Montreal,
and maybe let them make him general
manager of one OF the Canadian rail-
roads.
SO Mr.. Norcross was in no special
hurry. and neither was I. had been
confidential clerk and shorthand nan
for the boss on the Midland construc-
ton, and he was taking me along part
ly because he knows a cracking good
stenographer when he sees one, but
mostly because was dead anxious to
go anywhere he was going.
Bot, II II hadn't been for that
twelve-hour layout we would have
caught the Saturday night train on
the Pioneer Short Line, instead Of the
train Sunday morning, and there
would have been no meeting with
Mrs. Sheisa and Maisie Ann; no tele-
gram from Mr.. Chadwick, because it
wouldn't have found us; no hold-up
at Sand Creek siding; In short, nothing
would have happened that did hap
pen.
It was on Sunday that the joft be-
gan TO get ready to land on us. Right
soon after breakfast. with the help Of
. little Pullman berth table and me
and my typewriter. Mr.. Norcross
turned our section into business office.
saying that now we had good quiet
day, we'd clean up the million or so
odds and ends OF correspondence he'd
been letting 20 while we were tussllng
for the Midland right-of-way through
the Oregon mountains
From where he sat debating to me
the boss was facing forward and now
and then an absent sort OF look came
Into his eyes while he was talking of
bis letters, and Il puzzled me because
n wasn't like him. One OF the times
after he had given me q full grist Of
letters and had gone on 10 smoke
while typed a few thousand lines
from my notes 10 catch up. I made
. discovery. There were two people
m Section Five Just ahead OF US. a
young woman and q girl OF maybe fif-
teen OF %. and the Pullman was the
old.faahloned kind. with low seat
backa I pat a up that Ia those alb
sent-eyed intervals Mr.. NoFcross had
been studying the hack Of the young
eomans neck. was measurably sure
"a vMsn't ihe little girls.
Along IN the forenoon made an ex.
cuae % 60 and Get 4 drink Of water
Gun &c fhe forward rooleF, and ON the
way back | took q good square look
o. our nelshhorn m Number Five. The
ypung woinan Vas pretty enough 70
starr = stopped eloek-onlx pretty
iNut jnni ne Werd either; there
wasn't any eord. when you come right
DIVA - h. AID tie little girl VAS
Simply . rGafh-a niee. douny. rosy
rcacht chanAy. fesndfaeed. sunny.
haITrf iriIT; aitt neaf little turned.
~ nost aaa IS eaFl e teyish laugh.
ne eyes lAat fsIrIg aaTed ne world
A fhG G1f11f ga = dinner ~.
NorIl0M IoIt re = sIFzn ~ ne ma.
fNIH1 1n1 rm - 9.<s away la me
...... - "a. - - H.