Snow on the headlight : $b a story of the great Burlington strikeWarman, Cy
General
Snow on the headlight : $b a story of the great Burlington strike
Warman, Cy
Burlington Strike, 1888 -- Fiction; Strikes and lockouts -- Fiction
Now the rum-crazed rambler left the door, put a trembling hand on the
table in the centre of the room, glanced back toward the stairs, and
peered into the face of the old engineer. "We are betrayed!" he
whispered, leaning heavily upon the stand. His wrist shook violently,
causing the table to quiver. The smoking outfit upon the table made a
low, rumbling noise. "What's that?" he asked, glaring about.
Having satisfied himself that all was right he put both hands upon the
table, and gazing again into the face of Moran, repeated: "We are
betrayed. Cowels is goin' out with Blackwings on the Denver Limited
to-morrow night. The plumber told the foreman an hour ago--I heard 'im.
Least they think he's goin', but he ain't. He's goin' to--"
"Oh, Greene, you're drunk. Go home and have a good sleep."
"Home! Did you say home? I ain't got no home. Drunk? Yes, I been drunk
lots o' times, but I ain't drunk now. Honest, I ain't teched a drop
to-day. Got a bot about you, ol' man? Say, if you have, fur th' love o'
life gimme a drop--half a drop--Dan, I'm all afire inside."
It was an awful picture that Moran looked upon now. The bloated face,
the sunken, blood-shot eyes, the blazing, hideous nose, burning in the
iron-gray stubble, all topped by a shock of tousled, unkempt hair, made
a picture horrible in the extreme.
"Say!" Greene began again, glancing toward the door, "meet me at seven
thirty to-morrow night, on the 'rep' track near the round-house, an'
I'll show you a trick."
"What sort of trick will you show me?"
With another look over his shoulder at the door the drunkard leaned
over the table and whispered. When the old engineer had gathered what
the man had said he got to his feet, took his midnight caller by the
collar and lead him to the top of the stairs. Greene was opposed to
leaving the cheerful room, so Moran was obliged to go with him to the
street door. Having put the wreck out into the frosty night the engineer
went back to his book. But he could not read. That awful face into which
he had looked, and the black soul that he had seen as well, haunted him.
He sat with his feet upon the table and smoked pipe after pipe, in a
vain effort to drive the frightful picture from his mind. The news that
Greene had brought disturbed him also. His fireman was going to desert
the Brotherhood, and take their old engine out.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account