The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1922-07-13
Just in Time
BY WALTER J. DELANEY
"a. 1920. Western Newspaper Union.

II was through belonging TO the same
church guild and being acquainted
with Norma Ellis that Veita Linn Sc
cured her first position. Work and
earning had become a necessity with
Veita for her father was past bust
ness activity and she and her younger
brother Howard willingly stepped into
the breach. Miss Ellis was a daugh-
ter of the manager of the railroad
yards at Lupton. She had grown to
very much admire and esteem the
modest, helpful young girl, who did
her part in sewing. creche work and
visiting sick and poor, and Miss Ellis
I looked interested and encouraging
when Veita spoke of looking for a
| position.
This is my brother, Howard, Miss
Linn" she said TO Veita some DAYS
later when they met a well appearing,
pleasant looking young man who ac-
knowledged the Introduction almost
cordially.
Norma has told me about your am
| bition to do for Yourself" he spoke,
land I will be glad to assist you. We
have place open in the switch yards
as timekeeper. The office force is full
and that is all that offers just now"
81 shall be glad of any employment
to get started" said Veita.
letter came to Veita next day from
the superintendent of the yards asking
her to call at his office. He explained
to her the duties required of her,
which consisted in the occupancy Of
an office in a low one-story building
almost in the very center of the busy,
busting yards Here she was to be
from eight in the morning until four in
the afternoon, checking over the tick
cts given to the makeup and switch
ing force and keep record of the
same and make a regular weekly re-
port. The work was not arduous:
there was constant activity about her
and the pay was good Within a week
Veita thoroughly understood the rou-
tine. was pleasant with the grimed
workers who brought her their tickets
and the yard men made favorite OF
her and welcomed her presence among
them.
Howard Ellis passed her little box
of an office several times a day and
always halted for moment or two
to speak a friendly word. One day
at noon he found her outside strolling
for exercise along some dead track
way and engaged her in general con-
versation.
"Were you ever In locomotive
cab, Miss LlDn?" he asked. mo? Nat
urally not. There is an idle engine on
the circle rail and the way clear for
dash around the yards. Come, | am
going to teach you how to operate
the clumsy old machine, just to show
YOU how simple II Is"
Veita passed a .tnl half hour
In such pleasant company and she
was quite proud when, after Ellis had
instructed her as to handling the lever,
she was able to make quite a dash
nm her own Initiative. She was proud
of her newly acquired accomplishment
and II stood her In good stead later
and nightly affected her future.
II was late afternoon one day week
after that. There had been some trou-
BILE among. the workers and only half
work was being accomplished. Veita
had nothing to do until quitting time
and sat looking from the open once
window when she gave great start.
She had observed car labeled pow
der standing since morning near the
end of short switch ending In a deep
Cumming Dit half filed with water
and had overheard switchman re-
mark that it was pretty dangerous
stuff 70 have among the great mass
NJ freight on other tracks.
AT little distance from 1t was
small switch dummy. steam mp, but
no one in charge for the time being.
Bevond It were half hundred men
,usv among the regular lines of cars.
gotta had noticed Ellis giving direc-
ions among them.
In an instant. pale Of face and
,,iyorjnp in every limb, Veita sprang
n her feet. She did not use the door
row hut hurried out through the win
low for the powder car was all on fire
Underneath. The result of stray
mark of fire or the act Of some dis
,runtled workmen. at any moment
vide. fatal peril might overcome all /,
: the explosive material stored In the
ar was ignited /