The Elk Mountain pilot., 1921-05-19
Continued from page three)

end of things he folded the message
and put it into his pocket. saying. sort
of Soberly:
"Graham. there are times when
SheiIa's intuhferences are mighty
neah uncanny; they are. for a fact.
you suppose it says?"
| OF course, the boss said he couldn't
suppose anything about 1t, and the
major went on.
"She tells me, in just seven words,
not TO let you go to Strathcona tonight.
Now what do you make of that? How
on top OF Gods green earth did she
know, away off yondeh at the capital,
that you were meaning to go to Strath-
coma tonight?"
Mr.. Norcross shook his head. Then
he said: There are wires-both
kinds-though I don't know why any
body should telegraph or telephone the
capital that expect to attend mine
owners meeting tomorrow morning In
the big gold camp. That's why I'm
going. you know"
But this warming the major In
| sisted. There's reason for it, Gra-
ham. as sure as you are bawn!"
| Again the boss shook his head.
| Between you two. you and Sheila.
| Tn due to acquire case of nerves.
| don't know what she has heard, but
/ ] can't afford to dodge a business ap-
pointment. Sheila has merely over
heard an echo of the threats that are
constantly being made by the Hatch
| sympathizers. It's the aftermath of
the election, but it's all talk. They're
down and out, and they haven't the
nerve TO strike back, now"
That ended matters at the club, and
the boss and | walked down to the
headquarters. The special, with Buck
Chandler, was waiting, and at the last
minute | thought ] wasn't going TO
get to go.
"Theres no need of your putting in
a night on the road. Jimmie said
the boss, with the kindly thought for
other peoples comfort that never
failed him But after had begged
little, telling him that he'd need some
body to take notes in the mine meet
ing. he said, "All right" and we got
aboard and gave the word to Maclise.
the conductor, to get his clearance
and go.
A few minutes later we pulled out
and the night run was begun. Like,
every other car the boss had ever
owned. the ''05" was fitted up as
working office, and since he had me
along. he opened up lot of claim
papers upon which the legal depart
ment was giving him the final say-so
| and we went to work.
For the next two hours | was so
busy that l didn't know when we
passed the various stations. At half
past nine. Mr. Norcross snapped a
rubber band over the last of the claim
files, lighted pipe, and told me
might 90 to bed If I wanted to; said
that he was going himself after he'd
had smoke. Just then, Chandler
whistled for n station, and, looking
| out of a window. saw that we We're
| pulling into Bauxite, the little wind
blown junction from which the Strath
coma branch led away into the north
| ern mountains.
! Wanting a bite of fresh air before
turning in. l got off when we made
the stop and strolled up to the en-
| CINE Maclise was in the office, get
ing orders for the branch, and
\ Chandler was squatting in the gang
way of the s15 and waiting. Up ahead
of us, and too far away for me TO
read. the number on her tender, there
was light engine. ! thought at first
| 1t was the pusher which was kept at
Bauxite to help heavy freights up the
branch grades. and wondered what
1t was doing out on the branch "Y"
and in our way.
whats the pusher out for. Buck?"
I asked.
| Chandler grlnned down at me.
you amt so much of railroad
man as you might be. Jimmie" he
said "Tliat amt the pusher. It's
our first section. runnin' light to
Strathcona."
Maybe Chandler was right, that
wasn't much of railroad man. but /
sawed the Short Line operating rules
well enough to know that 1t wasn't
usual to run light engine. deadhead-
ing over the road as section of
special. Also, l knew that Buck
knew II.
With that last little talk over the
club dnner-tabe fresh in mind, be-
gan to wonder, but instead of asking
Chandler any more questions about
the engine out ahead. I asked him If
l might ride piece with him up the
branch; and when he said "Sure," l
| climbed up and humped myself on the
fireman's box.
Maclise got his orders In due time
and we pulled out. noticed that
when he gave Chandler the word he
also made motions with his lantern
to the engine up ahead and 1t prompt
ly steamed away. speeding up until it