Ralph in the Switch Tower; Or, Clearing the Track

by Frank V. Webster

  CHAPTER XVII--A MIDNIGHT VISITOR

  Ralph was a month old at switch-tower service.

  Looking back over thirty days, it seemed more than four weeks, so manyvaried and important incidents in his career had been crowded into thatspace of time.

  It was a wild, stormy night. Sleet and wind were battering the switchtower windows. Although there was a chill in the air, the lightning wasvivid and the thunder roll incessant.

  The clock showed even midnight. Ralph for over a week had been on nightduty solely. Doc Bortree was laid up with a fever, and Ralph and JackKnight had been running the place on two shifts.

  Since the night of her disappearance, neither Ralph nor his anxiousmother had learned a thing as to the fate or whereabouts of Mrs. Davis.

  Van had left them the following day. Upon that day, too, GasperFarrington appeared, imposing and self-contained as ever, driving aboutthe town with his team. It had returned, it seemed, but Ike Slump andMort Bemis had not. Ralph looked for them and inquired about them atmany sources, friendly and unfriendly. They had completely vanished.

  Ralph and his mother had many consultations over the situation. Theformer was for interviewing Farrington. He even suggested going to somelawyer or to the police with his story of the disappearance of Mrs.Davis.

  On second thoughts, however, he realized that he had very littletangible evidence implicating the magnate to offer. Farrington waswealthy, influential. To make a mistake at this juncture would be toonly strengthen and warn the scheming magnate.

  So Ralph concluded to wait patiently, hoping day by day that Van wouldget some word to them.

  A week went by, two of them--no token from Van to show that he wasfollowing up the Davis affair.

  About the middle of the third week, however, Ralph received a brief notefrom Van. It had been mailed at Springfield.

  "I am laid up at Farwell Gibson's with a sprained ankle," the briefletter ran. "Don't worry. Will soon be on deck again. Thingsworking."

  This was pretty vague encouragement, but Ralph was forced to be contentwith it for the time being.

  "There's one thing," he told his mother: "Mr. Gibson knows all that weknow, and all that Van knows, and probably a great deal more. He is notthe man to be idle in a matter like this. Between them, he and Van willprobably do all that can be done in finding Mrs. Davis, and we shallhear from them in due time."

  Ralph met Gasper Farrington face to face several times. The magnate didnot speak to him. He did, however, look very sneeringly andsignificantly at the young towerman with a kind of triumphantvindictiveness, Ralph fancied.

  Farrington was busy pushing along the work of the switch spur up to hisfactory. It had progressed rapidly, adding two new levers to thebattery that Ralph operated.

  Another person Ralph was somewhat interested in crossed his pathoccasionally. This was Young Slavin. He would simply nod to Ralph, butthe old rowdyish swing was gone. There was a strange, grave respect inhis manner. When Ralph tried to engage him in any protractedconversation, however, Slavin backed off with an embarrassed excuseabout being busy.

  Ralph was pretty lonesome and weary that night in the switch tower. Acouple of night watchmen had alternately kept him company up to teno'clock. Since that hour he had been completely alone.

  The tracks were comparatively idle. There was a west train at 12.15,the night out mail. The night in express train from the switch was dueat 12.05, but was reported delayed by a washout beyond Acton. Behindher was the through freight.

  These were all the regulars Ralph had to look out for. About eleveno'clock two trains had come in. The limits tower had given sidingdirections on one, and a new depot terminal on the other.

  This led to a mix-up, nothing worse, but Ralph wondered why the peculiarorders had been given. At 11.30, limits dialed for "Chaser on the way."None came. At 11.15 the telephone called for a double switch on afreight special. It did not show up.

  "Strange!" reflected Ralph. "Old Bryson is on duty at the limits. Heis exact as a die, and never jokes. Is the electricity playing trickswith the wires, or is some one at the limits spelling Bryson and havingsome fun with me? Pretty serious business to fool with, and a prettybad night to indulge in jokes."

  Ralph swung the out rails for the 12.15. He sat down in the comfortableold armchair in ready reach of the telephone and plain sight of thedial, and spread out his lunch for a midnight nibble.

  He was just realizing what famous doughnuts his mother made, when thetrap came up. Ralph had closed it to shut out the draught.

  A familiar head came up from the ladder. Ralph in some wondermentrecognized Young Slavin.

  "Oh, it's you?" he said pleasantly. "Come in--sit down."

  "No, I won't stay," demurred Slavin, shaking his outer coat, which wasdripping with wet. "I--you see, I was strolling by. Saw you up here,and thought I'd drop in for a minute."

  "I am glad. It is pretty lonesome up here, you know," said Ralph.

  He noticed a certain embarrassment in Slavin's manner. It was a queernight and a queer hour for Slavin to select for a stroll. Ralphwondered what really was the motive of his visit.

  As Slavin shook his outer coat Ralph caught a gleam of bright redbeneath it. He was quite surprised to observe that this was a sweater,bearing the initials "S.A." braided across its front.

  "Why, Mr. Slavin," he said with an inquisitive smile, "is that a uniformyou are wearing?"

  "Why, yes," admitted Slavin, turning as red in the face as the sweateritself--"Salvation Army, you know."

  "I thought so. Joined them?"

  Slavin fidgeted, and regarded Ralph suspiciously from the corner of oneeye to see if he was laughing at him. Ralph preserved a reassuringgravity on purpose.

  "N-no," said Slavin. "You see, I got tired of that mob I was trainingwith. They borrowed and stole all I earned."

  "I am glad you have left them," said Ralph.

  "Thought you would be, and thought I'd come and tell you," stammeredSlavin in a floundering way. "Oh, I'm playing no goody-goody act. I amjust holding my mouth, and watching those preacher fellows at the armybarracks. They're all right. Wish I was. 'Live and let live,' I toldthem, when some rowdies pelted them and smashed a hole in their big bassdrum. So, just at present I am acting as their bouncer."

  "Good for you!" commended Ralph heartily.

  "You know I can bounce all right?" said Slavin significantly. "Well, Imust be going. So long. Oh, say--by the way, Fairbanks."

  It was evident to Ralph that Slavin was now about to reveal the realmotive of his midnight call.

  "I wanted to ask you," proceeded Slavin, rather lamely--"has anyone beentroubling you lately?"

  "Why, no," answered Ralph in quick surprise at the pointed inquiry--"butwho, for instance?"

  "Mort Bemis, for one. And do you know the fellow he went off with?"

  "You mean Ike Slump?"

  "That's his name. Look out for him--for both of them. I'll do therest," rather emphatically observed Slavin, doubling up his fist till itresembled the hammering end of a big sledge.

  "It seems strange, your asking me about them," remarked Ralph. "I wouldlike very much to know where they are at present."

  "You would? I can tell you--they are right here in Stanley Junction.I'm laying for them. That's why I'm up so late. I know they have it infor you."

  "Why?"

  "Oh, on general principles of meanness. That's why I came to warn you.I think," continued Slavin with a dangerous gleam in his eye, "I thinkI'll get there first. Don't you worry--I'm pretty sure to head themoff. Only keep an eye open."

  "Thank you," said Ralph. "So they are back in town? Are they goingabout openly?"

  "They came late this afternoon. A friend told me he saw them drivingalong in a cab, fixed up reckless. He said they had on the latest newtogs, diamond pins, kid gloves, et settery, till you couldn't rest."

  "I should think that was rather venturesome on Slump's part," saidRalp
h.

  "You mean, because there's a warrant out for him on that oldjunk-stealing case?"

  "Yes," answered Ralph.

  "It's settled."

  "It's--what?" demanded Ralph in profound astonishment.

  "Settled--at least fixed up in some way."

  "How do you know?" inquired Ralph skeptically.

  "Adair, the road detective, told a crossings man, boiling hot over it.Said that Slump had gone to the justice, put in an appearance, and wasbound over to next court term."

  "Why," said Ralph, "that looks incredible. He would have to givebonds."

  "Yes, five hundred dollars' bail. He gave it, right enough. Bondsmanwas right there. The thing had been cut and dried beforehand."

  "Who was his bondsman--did you learn?" asked Ralph.

  "Sure--it was old Gasper Farrington."