The spectator., 1921-05-10

sat on the way up, ana never opened his head except once to ask me what was the matter with my wrapped-up hand. When told him, he made no comment. and didn't speak again until we had stopped on the leg of the "I to let Kirgan and his three helpers put the borrowed rails back into place.
 You say it's Friday" he began ab- ruptly What's been going on since Monday night. Jimmie?'
 boiled 1t down for him into just as few words as possible; about the letter he had left for MT Van Britt. how everybody thought he had re- signed. how Mrs. Sheila and the major were two of the few who weren't will ing to believe 1t. how Mir. Chadwick had been out of reach, how the rail- road outfit was Hopping around like chicken with its head chopped off. how President Dunton had appointed new general manager who was eX- pected now on any train. how Gorcher had discovered the lost 10l6 on the old disused gravelpit track a mile be- 
 him Mir. 'Chadwick's telegram which had come just as l was finishing my supper in the Bullard grill-room, and those two others that had come on the knockout night. and which had been in my pocket ever since.
 He heard me through without say ing word and when l gave him the telegrams he read them by the light of the gauge lamp-also without say ing anything. But when the men had the "Y" rails replaced he took hold of things again with jerk.
 "Kirgan, you'll want to see to get ting that dead engine out of the gravel pit yourself Take one of the tiremen and go to It. It's q short mile and you can walk in. Jimmie and l want to get back to Portal City in hurry. and Gorcher will take us. And then to Gorcher: wen run to Banta ahead of Number Eighteen and get orders there Move lively, Billy; times pre- eious."
 We made Banta at a record clip While he was in the Banta wire office. getting orders for Portal City, Mir Nor cross took the time-card out of it's cage in the cab and fell to studying it by the light of the gauge lamp Gorcher came back pretty soon with his clearance, which gave him the right to run 10 Arroyo aS first section of Number Eighteen.
 The boss blew up like Roman candle when he saw that train order. It meant that we were to take the siding at Arroyo with the freight that was just behind us. and wait there for the westbound "Flyer." the "Flyer" being due in Portal City from the east at 9:l5, and due to leave there, com ing west, at 9.20. l didn't realize at the moment why the boss was so sizzling anxious to cut out the delay which would be imposed on us by the there. all right.
 Billy, it's eighteen miles to Portal. and you've got twenty minutes 10 make it against the Flyers leaving time he ripped out. Can you do it?"
 Gorcher said he could, if he didn't have to lose any more time getting his order changed.
 Let her go." snapped the boss. "fm taking all the responsibility"
 That was enough for Gorcher, and the way we hustled out of the Banta yard was q caution. In exactly eight minutes out of Banta we tore over the switches at Arroyo. That left us ten miles to go, and twelve minutes in which to make them. IL was easy. A yardman let us in on the spur at the end of the headquarters building, and the boss was off in half a jiffy. Come along with me, Jimmie" he commanded quickly. and l couldn't imagine why he was in such a tearing hurry. Pushing through the platform crowd. made up of people who were getting off the "Flyer" and those who were waiting to get on. he led the way straight upstairs to our offices.
 Of course, there was nobody there at that time of night, and the place was all dark until we switched the electrics on. There was little lava tory off the third room of the suite, and Mir. Norcross went in and washed his face and hands. In a minute or two he came out, put on his office coat, opened up his desk, lighted a cigar and sat down at the desk as though he had just come in from a late dinner at the club. And still he had me guessing.
 The guess didn't have to wait long. While l was making bluff at uncov- ering my typewriter and getting ready for business there was heavy step in the hall. and red-faced. portly gentleman with fat eyes and little close-cropped English side-whiskers came bulging in. He had light top coat on his arm, and his tan gloves were an exact match for his spats.
 "Good evening"" he said, noddiag sort of brusquely at the boss. I'm loalinp for inc general mana0er'S of-