Argosy All-Story Weekly, January 21, 1922 — page 68: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

o8 Under his coldness the super was angry about the wreck, naturally enough. Of course, it was not directly his fault, but with the men above him everything that went wrong on the division was his fault. He had a notion that Shelby had got the order and had forgotten it. What made the case all the more irritating was the fact that if Shelby had handled the order prop- erly he would have saved Thornton from the accident which Thornton had laid him- self wide open to have happen. The super’s coldness angered Shelby the more. He felt as if he had banged a stone wall with his fist. The impact, so to speak, left his knuckles bare and bleeding. “‘ Haven’t you got nerve enough to say it yourself?” he asked hotly. The moment he had uttered the words he knew that he had been a chump. Goad- ing his superior wouldn’t get him anywhere. He had a fight on his hands, but the fight was not with the super. It was with Thorn-. ton and Osborne. who had borne false wit- ness against him. But regret did him no good. The super raised his eyes. They were like two gray stones. “You're discharged,” he said. ‘But Thornton didn’t send that order to me,” Shelby ground out. ‘‘ Damnation, it’s been shown that he broke the rules by giving complete first to a train of inferior rights. That ought to convict him. He simply forgot all about the order to the 88 after he had fixed out the 89. And I’m the goat.” The super’s glance went past Shelby to Drake. “That will be all,” he told the chief. “ That’s all, Shelby,” the chief repeated. ‘““ Come on.” “Do I get any kind of a clearance?” Shelby asked. “Tl just have to state the circum- stances,” Drake answered. “You can keep it, then,” said Shelby. He stalked from the room ahead of Drake and the trainmaster. The train crews, Jones, and Thornton and Osborne were still in the outside room. “I want to see you a minute, Thornton,” Drake said. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “Yes, sir,” Thornton said. The chief moved toward the door. Thornton rose to follow him. The chief passed through the door. Thornton came to it. But before he could step into the hall Shelby placed himself in front of him. ‘¢ Just a minute, Thornton,” he said. ‘¢ Well, what is it?“‘ Thornton snarled. ‘“‘ Did you send that order to me?” ‘“‘T did. Osborne copied it at the time. He says I did. I’m not asking any one to take my word for it.” ‘You're a liar, and Osborne too,” Shel- by declared. Thornton stepped back. He knew he was no match for the irate redhead in front of him, and he was not a.man who would go gaily into physical combat with any kind of antagonist. The chief came back to the doorway. “Stop that talk, Shelby,” he said stern- ly. “ You can’t carry on like that around here. ‘ You’re on company property, you know.” ‘““To hell with the company and its prop- erty!’’ Shelby cried. “I’m going to get even with this guy.” He suddenly struck Thornton on the mouth with the back of his hand. Even in his rage he saw that it would be unsafe to strike the little man with his fist. Thornton reeled back, his hand to his mouth. He was white and shaking. “You lied, and you know it,” Shelby said, taking a forward step. ‘‘ Why don’t you tell the truth? Tell Drake that you never sent that order. If you don’t, I’m going to put you out of commission. When I strike you again it won’t be with the back of my hand. I could shoot your heart out, the way I feel now.” Osborne suddenly stepped in front of him. Osborne was cool. Shelby saw that he had the courage that Thornton lacked. ‘Perhaps you'll shoot mine out, too,” Osborne said. Shelby had had a feeling all along that Osborne’s false witness against him was even more vicious than Thornton’s. Os- borne had no reason to lie about the order, except that possibly he wanted to stand in with Thornton. That reason seemed scarce- ly sufficient when Shelby thought about it. COMmiclboo SS C©