New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-06-17

the boss disappearance with that OF
the engine which had been left stand
ing below the coal chutes, but the tive
things snapped themselves together
for me like the halves of an auto
matte coupling, and l couldn't wedge
them apart.
An engine-even a little old Allan
tic-type-is a pretty big thing to lose,
isn't it, Kirgan?" l asked.
Kirgan righted his chair with a
crash.
Jimmie, TTe sifted this blamed out
tit through an eighty-lmesh screen "
he growled. with all the devil-to-pay
that's goin' on over at the head
quarters, l didn't want to bother Mr..
Van Britt. and l haven't been ad-
vertisin' in the newspapers. But it's
a holy fact, Jimmie. The 'SiXteen's
gone !"
was trying to pry myself loose
from the notion that the loss Of the
engine and the boss disappearance
at about the same time were in some
way connected with each other. 1t
was no use; the idea refused TO let go.
Look here, Kirgan," | showed in;
''can YOU think of any possible reason
why Mr.. Norcross should write Mr..
Van Britt n letter saying that he had
quit and was going east on the mid
night train and hen should change
his mind and come down here and go
somewhere on that engineer
After | had said it, it sounded so
foolish that / wanted to take it back.
But Kirgan didn't seem TO look at it
that way.
"Well, I'll be shot! !" he exclaimed.
II never once thought of that! But
where the devil would he go? And
how would he get there without some
body finding out? And why in Sam
Hill would he do a thing like that,
anyway? Why, sufferin' Moses! if
he wanted to go anywhere, all he had
TO do was to order out his car and
tell the dispatcher. and go.
81 can't figure it out any better than
you can" | confessed. "Mr. Norcross
is gone, and the Ten-SiXteen is gone,
and they both dropped out between
ten and twelve o'clock on the same
night. Mart, ! don't believe Mr.. Nor
cross ven east at all, | believe,
when we find that engine, wen find
Kirgan got out of his chair and be-
gan to walk up and down in the little
space between his desk and the draw
ing-board. Besides being the best boss
mechanic in the West, he was a first
class fighting man, with a clear head
and nerve to burn. When he had got
as far rs he could 20 alone he turned
on me.
Jimmie, do you reckon this Red
outfit was far enough along in
It's scrap with the boss to put up Il job
10 pass him out of the game?" he de-
handed.
| told him 1t didn't seem to fit into
any twentieth-century scheme of
and past that | mentioned the
act that the Hatch people had taken
he back track and were now offering
o sell out and stop checking the
wheels of reform.
II know" he put In. "But I've been
'eadin' the papers, Jimmie, and 1t
lint all Red Tower, not by a jugful.
The big graft in this neck-a woods is
and the Red Tower gang Is
My set-a cogs in the bull-wheel. Mr..
torcross was gettin' himself mighty
'ointedly disliked; you know that.
The way he was amin to run things,
t was beginnin' to look as If maybe
he people of this state might wake up
ONE day and turn In and help him."
II know all about that" | threw In.
But where are you trying to land,
Right here. Mr.. Norcross was the
hole show. Take him out Of II and
he whole shootln'match would fall
pieces-as it's dom, right now.
hey didn't need to slug him or shoot
i'm up or anything like that: If 1t
)uld be made to look as If he'd
lmped the job, quit, chucked IT all
why, there you are. A new boss