Y

WRECKERS

ay FRANCIS LYNDE

Triff BOS8 IS BACK ON THE JOS.

- n.■». T - .— ami M« secretary, Jimmy uodda, are manwnad at Bai.A creek aiding trllh a youn* lady. 3h^l» Macrae, 1“* *®* u -Ma!>la Ars. Ueeeen. they wllrww. a peculiar train hoMS^ 1 ear k Norcrow reoofnlaea the » that ■ fl Sf fl'^ooial matnate, whom he wae to meet at Portal City. fc lR 'i>i D04,1 * I .^ , " ca ^ Chede'kk. iTie latter otter* Norcroa# the manaaament vt the Ptooocr Short TJne. which !a In the hand, of eeuK-m •peculeura'hWMlm. by Breckenyldva iHia on, president c< the line. Ho*era.», |earn!n« that hlutla W •S* pU rv,<! " o'- f ri i «.r s converaation bettS? ad^t r,r ' aJ ai7 flneocier*. In yhlch “* y . * d ? tt .: eo * at ^f tt:r ., ln Chatlwlek * kldnapIr.B. their object twin* to K e«p Ohadaick frpm attendlnit a me»Un« of dlrer.ture to reorganize the Pioneer au«a*- ^ corporatlt». Horrroa. forma the la wrapony He heglna to manlfeet a deep SffifrDi? im \ M th “ RbelL -'- '* married, but Hvln*

CHAPTER VIf.—Centlnurtf.

I told her about the wiftek, «.n<l said I waa a&hld tie hadn't; got back yet. I beanl -aocioUtta# that aotmded Ukr a mu fried and balMmpatlvnt, “Oh, dear!’’ and ther she went on. “I have I Jntt had a phone message from Mr. Cantrell, the editor of the Mountaineer. He called the house to try to flnd Major Kendrick. Be has heard . aotnethlng which may explain about Mr. Norcro*a. He aalrt be didn't sraat

to out It on the wire.'’

Ttii. was enough for me. Til go right over to the hfot'titsinow office," I toW her; and in lust about two ■hakes of a dead lamb's tall, I was standing at Mr. Cantrell's elbow In

Klrgan's arms and sort of half faliued.

"Thar* Was a Plot of Some Kind." his little den on the third floor of the newspaper building across the avenue, "Mr*. Macrae telephoned yon?" he asked, pushing bis bunch of copy paper aside. “Ye*; Just a mlnut» ago ” Tit give you what 1 have, and yon my do wha! you please with it On-> of our young men—Branderhy—has discovered—In soma way that he didn't lire to explain over the phone—that there was a plot of some kind concocted In the back room of a dive rn lower Nevada avenue on the night Mr. Norcross disappeared. From what Rranderby says, I take It that the plot was overheard, In part, at least, by some imbiioe of the place who was too drunk to get it entire!;- straight and loteUtgtble. The plot tent were four of CUinutmn'B men, and. as Braaderby got It, they we; to Steal a locomotive. Oe anything about thatr

It

Because, when I came to, right good 3£<iln, Kirgan had me up on the fireman's box, w*tb an arm around me to hold me there: Billy Go ruber was on the other side of -he cab, nlggll ig at the throttle; and the ligut engine was clicking It off about fifty miles an hour on the straight piece of trark between Ports! city and Arroyo. CHAPTER Vlll A Close Call At the “Y" aiding we stopped--with-out going on to the grovel track where Gorcher had neen the liw HJ10—and Kirgan and I got off with u lantern. This we* because, on the way down. I bad managed to «•!) the hig roasterxnechamc about the Cantrell talk, though I hadn't succeeded In making him believe that it accounted for Mr, Norcross’ drop-out Just the same he humored me by having Billy Gorcher stop, and now he wae trying to make me take It sort of slow and easy as we tumbled out tow-*r-! the stem of the Y.” That was Klrgan's way. He was as hard as nails with a gang of men, but he cou'.d be as soft-hearted ns any woman when a fellow wgs alt In. And ho knew 1 wasn't half -‘at myself yet, physically, 'Pont get too much hope up, Jimmie,’’ he was saying, as we humped along around the -rooking track of the "Y." “We ain’t goln'^to find anything out yonder bnt a rusty loggia’ track and that broken roll connection. Yon see, I've bee t here before, and I know." He was as right ns could in'. When we reached the end of the “Y" there was the broken connection. Just as he’d said. The old saw-mil! track war still there, lee ding oir in the dark up the gulch, but tlu two switch rails had been taken out and the switch Itself was as rusty as If It hadn't been used In years. 'What you heurd from Mr. Cantrell may have been all true enough,” Kirgnu said, while X stood swallowing hard and staring down at the broken rail connection, "only It didn't have anything to do with tl.e big ‘hiks. Them thugs was probably ptannhi' to wreck the Stall, all right, and they came down here to do it. The Lord only knows why they didn’t do it; p'raps there wasn't time enough, after they'd got the 'Sixteen in on the gravel track." I only Ju« about half heard what ; he was euying. He b id the lantern, and Its light fell squarely upon a jl cross-tie # foot or two beyond when- !

| Uw vugliK' headlight showed ns the remain* *-f the old scw-mil! cump lying In a little pocket-like valley tretn the sides of vrntdh nil the mill timber had been cut. The Camp long de;eru-'. There were doeen shacks of all sixes and and with a single exception they srara all dilapidated nnd dismantled, some with to* roofs falling In. The on* exception wts the stout log l uilding which had probably served a* the mill-gang coiBmbw»ry and Wore. The tie* at this end of the line wore so rotten with age that ot r ccglne wai; orinding a good half of them to powder as ahe edged up, and a little Mow the switch that had formerly led In to-the mill, Kirgan gave Gorcher

th stop signal

Aft< • w v had piled off, 'acre wasn't any question ralrod a* to what v.o should do. Kirgan t-ud taken a hammar from Gorcher'a tcol-box. and he was the one who 1*4 the way straight ncrctes the Utile creek and up the hill to the oon’mlssary. When we reached the ’ Hiding w* found the windows all boarded up and the door fastened wit!; a strong and a bright new brass pauloek—the

new thin- la sbpn.

hU hammer Just or.ee and the lock went spinning off down the elope end fell with a splash into the creek The he pushed the door ope a with his f "t, and shoved tn; and for Just on* halfsecond I was ..freid to follow—afraid of what we might find in that gloomyiooklng lop warehouse, with Us blinded windows slid locked door. While 1 was nerving myself and stumbling over the Uueriiold behind Kirgan with the lantern, I heard the boss' voice, and i f wasn't the voice of any dead man. -ot b a long shot: From what he said, and th* —ay he was irlmmlng it up with hot ones. It was evident that b* toot us for some other crowd that he'd been

cussing out before.

The tight of the lantern showed ns a long room, bare oi frznishingt and dark and musty from having been shut up so tight. In the far end there were n couple of hunks built against the log wall. On what bad one* been the counter of the commissary there wa« a lot of canned stuff and a box of crackers that had been broken open, atui on a bench by the door ther* waa a bucket of water and a tin cup. Th* boss was sitting up In one of the bnuks, and he was mill Iphi.hk off language In strips at ns when we lelised on him. lie recognised Kirgan firm, and then Gorcher. I guess ho Inldn’t see me - cry well ’ ocatHo was holding the lantern. Wl-u i found out who We were, he ■opp d swearing and got up out of th. bunk to put his hand on Mart Klrgan's slu iWer. That was the only breuk he . -)de to show that be was a man, like t’ e rest of us. The next minute he vas the big bos--ugain, rapping o- his orders as If he had Just puahe his desk button to

kail us m.

"You've got an engine here, I surl* 8 ”'" l»h "napped, at Kirgan. Then e h get out of this quick. What day f Hie week Is ItY* l told him It was Friday, and by his asking that, 1 knew he mas* ha- e

he didn't want to. He rat on the fireman's sett, with an arm back of me to hold me on. Just ns Kirgan had snt on the way up, and never opened his head ex-ept once to ask me what was the matter with my wrapped-up baud. When I told him. he made no comment, and didn't apenk again until wo had stopped on the leg of the “Y" to let Kirgan and his I lire* helpers put the borrowed rails back Into place. "You ray It's Friday." he began abruptly. “What's been going on since Monday night. Jimmie?" 1 bolted It down for him Into Just as few words as possible; about the letter he had left for Mr. Vjn Britt, how everybody thought be had resigned. how Mrs. Sheila and the major were two of the few who weren't willing to believe It, how Mr. Chadwick had been out of reach, how the railroad outfit was flopping aro-nd like a chicken with its head chopi>ed oft, how President Dunton had appointed a new general manager who was expected now on any train, how Gorcher had discovered the lost. 1016 on the old disused gravel-pit track a mile below us. and, to wind up with, I (dipped him Mr. Chadwick's telegram which had come just aa I wrs finishing my -upper In the Bullard grill-room, and those two others that had come on the knoefc-out night, and which had been In my pocket ever since. He heard me through without saying a word, and when I gave him the telegrams he read them by the light of the gauge lamp—also without saying anything. But when the men had the “Y" rails replaced he took hold of things again with a Jerk. • Kirgan, you'll want to see to getting that dead engine out of the gravel pit yourself. Take one of the firemen and go to It. It’s n short mile and yon can walk in. Jimmie and I want to get back to Portal City In a hurry, and Gorcher will lake ns.” And then to Gorcher; “Well run to Banta ahead of Number Eighteen and get orders there. Move lively, Billy; time's pro-

clono."

We made Banta at a record dip. While lie was. In the Banta wire office, getting orders for Portal City, Mr. Norcroas took the time-card out of its cage In the cab and fell to studying It by the light of the gauge lamp. Gorcher came back pretty soon with hla clearance, which gave him the right to run to Arroyo ax first section of Number Eighteen. Tne Ikix» bh w up like a Homan candle when he saw that train order. It meant that we were to take the sldlns j;t Arroyo with the freight that Wd* just behind us, and wait there ?or the westbound "Flyer,” the "Flyer’* being due in Portal City from the east at 8:15, and due to leave there, coming west, at 0.20. i didn’t realize at the moment why the boss was ho elxsling anxious to cut out the (May '"hlch would t*i> Imposed on us by the wait at Arroyo, tint the anxiety was

tliere, all right.

“Billy, it’s eighteen miles to I’ortal, and v ju've got twenty minutes to make it against the TlyeiV leaving time,”, he r|pi>ed out. "Can you do It?" Gorcher said he con J, If he didn't have to lose any more time getting

his outer changed.

"Get her go!" anaptwd the boss. "I’m raking all to* respowtlb.ilt}." I he. was enough for Gorcher, and fhr Vrav we bottled out of the Banta yard was v caution. In exactly eight minutes out of Banin we tore over the I switches at A.rovo. Tha. left u» miles to go. and twelve minutes In which to wake them. It was easy. | A yardman let us in on the spur -I 1 th* end of the headquarters building, j nnd the lm«s was off In half a Jiffy. | “Come along with me. Jimmie." he j cotmtuwh d quickly, and I couldn't ' Imagine why be was la such a tearing hurry. Pushtu* through the platform I crowd, made up of people who were ! getting tiff the “Flyer" and three who I were waiting to get on, he led the way | straight upstairs to our offices. Of course, there, was nobody there j at that Hire of night, and the place ! was all dark until we switched th* electric* on. There was a little ;#*a- | tory off the third room of the sutt», nrfl Mr. N'orcroas went in and washed his face and bawls. In a minute or two he came out. put on his office coat, opened up his desk, lighted a rigar and sat down at the desk as though be (iud Just come in from a late dinner at tne club And still he

The. guests didn't ha' While 1 wh making

e to wait long, bluff at uacovd getting ready b a heavy step

in the hud, and a red-faced, portly gentleman with fat eyes and Itttle-close-cropped -ingUsh aide-whiskers caraa bulging In. He bad a light topcoat on hU arm, and .da tan gloves were an e^act match for his spats. “Good vetting," ha raid, nodding sort of brusquely at the bora Tm looking for the gen>*ral manager's of-

“Hardly.” was the curt rejoinder. “My name la Norcroa*. What can I do for yon?” If I didn’t hate slang so _ should say that the portly man looked a# If he were going to throw a fit. “Not—not Grahnm Norcross?" he rammered. “Weil, ye*; I am ■Graham'—to my friend*. Anything else?" The portly gentleman subsided Into

a chair.

• "There la some mlnunderstanding about this.” he raid, his voice thickening a little—with anger, I thought. “My name Is DUmuke, and I am the general manager of this railroad.” “I wouldn't dispute the name, but your title In away off,” said Mr. Norcross, as cool as a handful of dry snow. “Who appointed you. If I may

ask?”

“President Dunton and the board of

directors, of course."

“The seme authority appointed me,

something like three months ago,” was the calm reply. "So far as I know, I am still at the head of the com-

pany’s staff In Portal City."

•The gentleman who had named himself DUmuke puffed out bis cheeks and looked as if he were about Jto ex-

plode. * "This is a devil of a mess I” he

rapped out. “I understood—we all understood In New York—timt yon had

resigned!”

“Well, I havan't," retorted the bora shortly. Affid then he stuck the knife in good and deep and twisted It around. “There Is a commercial telegraph wire Id the Hotel Bullard, where I suppose yon will put up, Mr. Dlsrauke, and Pm sure you will find It entirely at your service. If you have anything further to say to me I hope It will keep untli after this office opera In the morning. I am very busy, Juat now." I mighty nearly gasped Thlx Dtsmuke was the new general manager, ! appointed, doubtless tn all good faith, by the president , and sent out to lake charge of thing*. And here was u bora practically ordering him wit of the office—telling him tl-at his room was better than hla company I The portly man got out of hla chair, puffing like a steam-engine. “We’ll see about this!" ue tbreat* ened. “You’ve been here three months and you haven't done an/thing hat muddle things until the stock of the company Isn’t worth much mure than the paiter It’s printed on! If 1 can get a clear wire to New York, you'll have word from President Dunton tomorrow morning telling you where you

get off!”

To this Mr. Norcross made no reply whatever, and the hearr-footed gentleman slumped out. saying things to himself that wouldn’t look very well In print. When the hall dmr below gave a big slam to let us know that he was still going, U-e beat looked across at me with a sour grin wrinkling around hla eye*. •Now you know why I made Gorchei break all the rules of the servlet getting here, Jimmie," he said. "Possession Is nine points of the law, and In this case It wa* rather Important that Mr. Dixmuke shouldn't find the outfit without a hend and these officeof ours unoccupied." He rose, stretched hla arms' over his head like a tired boy, and reached for the golf cap he kept to weer when ne went out to knock around In the shops and vnnl. “Let's go up to the hotel and see 1* we can break Into the cafe. Jimmie," he finished up "Later on. we'll wire Mr. Chadwick; but that can wait. I haven’t had a square meal in four

days."

» Utog t;. • Bed Tower plant* to the Cl Oxen*' Storage ft We rehouse people ufter the hoes got back. That move went Into the discard In a hurry, tad the Consolidation outfit waa busy getting Into Its fighting clothes, and trying to chock the wheels of the C. 3. ft W. with all sort* of legal obstacles. Franchise contracts with the railroad were flashed up. and Injunction* were prayed for. Ripley waded In, and what Uttle.sleep he got for a week or two was In Pullman car*, snatched while he was rushing around and trying to keep ht( new clients, the C 8. ft W. folks, out of Jail for contempt of court. He did It Little nnd quiet and smooth-spoken, be could put the legal leather Into the biggest buUle* the other side could hire. Luckily, ivere an Interstate corporation, and when the local courts proved crooked, Ripley would find some way to Jerk the case ont of them and put It up to some Federal Judge. Around home tn Portal City things wore Just simmering. Between two days, as you might ray, and right foon after Mr. Jflorcross got back, we Acquired a new ( hum on the head-

With everybody supposing he had resigned and left the country, I guess there were all kinds of a nine-minutes' wonder In tort a! City, and *11 along the Short Line, when the word went out that Mr. Norcross was hack on the Job and running It pretty nr .-h the same a* If nothing had happened. After supper, on the night of his return from the b'de-out, he had sent a long code message to Mr. Chadwick.' and a short one to President Dunton • and though I didn't ere the reply to either, t goes* Mr, Cbadwtck'a answer. at leas*, was the right kind, because our track renewing campaign went Into rommlraton again with a slam, and all th- reform policies took a sure-enough, fresl. start and began tu hump themselves, with Junemau worklug the newspapers to a finish. We heard nothing further from Mr. Dlsnmke. the portly gentleman If the tan spats, though he still au.,ed on at the Bullard, We saw him oeceirtona 1 - ly at meal times, and twice he was eating at the same table with Hatch and Henekel. That placed him all right for ux, though I guess he didn't

need much placing.

1 wondered a little at first that Mr. Norcross c. !n’t take the clue that Hear derby, the Mountalfirer reporter, had given us and tear loose 0 ., k,,, gong that had trapped him. He didn't; or didn't seem to. From the first hou; of the drat day he was up to his neck dog tii iig# fur the new company formed for (be juirpo** of putting Bed Tower out of business, and he wouldn't a uflaute'* time for anything eLe ! courw. It ray* i«elf that Hatch ■r made any more pro) mU about I

quarters force. He was a young fellow named Tarbell, who looked and talked and acted like a cow-punch Just In from riding Una. He was carried on Mr. Van Britt's payroll as an “extra” or “relief telegraph operator; though we never heard of hla being sent ont to relieve anybody. I sized this new young man up, right away, for a "special” of some sort, and the proof that I was right came one afternoon when Blpley dropped In and fell Into a chair to fan himself with hla straw hat like n man who had Just pu: down a load that he hud been carrying about a mile and ■ half farther than he had bargained to, "Thank the Lord, the last of thoae Injunction suits Is off the docket," he said, drawing a long breath and wagging his neat little head at the bora “T!l say one thing for the Hatch people. Norcross; tboyTe stubborn fight-

ers."

"We’h best 'em." predicted the hoes. ‘They've got to let go. How about our C. 8. & W. friends? Are they still

game?"

“Fine:'’ asserted the lawyer. "The stock i* over-sul.*crlbed everywhere,* now, and O. 8. ft W. Is a going concern. The building boom Is on. 1 venture to ray there ure jver two thousand mechanics at work at the different centers, roxhlng np the building: for the new plant*, at this moment You ought to have a monument, Norcross. It's the most original scheme for breaking a monopoly that was ever devised." The bora waa looking out of the window rort of absently, chewing on his cigar, which had gone out. “Blpley, I wonder what you'd ray if I should tell you tha* the Idea Is not mine?” he raid after a little pause. "Not your*? ' “No; it or vt least the germ of it was given to me by a woman; a woman who knows no more about business details than you do about driving bite elephants-" 'Td like to be i..ado acquainted with the lady." raid Ripley, with a tired little smile. “Such gems are too va’nab!* to be wasted on mere lumber yard* and fruit packet-tea and grata “levators and the like." ‘You'lt meet her some day." laughed - bora, with a sort of happy HU In his voice that fairly made me etc*— knowing what I did; and knowing that “ he didn’t know It. Then he switched the subject abruptly: “About the other matter. Ripley: I know you've been pretty busy, but you're hud Tarbell nearly v week. What have you found out?" Ripley briefed the generai situation as it stood on the night of the engine theft hi a few terse semenroa. Aside from the fight on Red lower Con■undated, tin* new ruKioad polielra were threateulng to upset all the timebonored political tncdlGoos of tha ilitm-governed state. An election ■ approaching, and the railroad I vote and influence must be whipped Into line. Ax t'.ie grafters viewed It, |the threatened revolution v as s one. government and if that man could be removed the danger would

I vanish.