Part 33 (1/2)
”Yes, sir,” a.s.sented Ralph.
”Name?”
”Fairbanks--Ralph Fairbanks.”
”What--eh? Oh, yes! Ralph Fairbanks.”
The young railroader regarded the inspector with positive astonishment as he uttered that sharp startling ”What.” He was manifestly roused up.
Quickly, however, Bardon recovered himself, looked Ralph over with a decided show of interest, seemed secretly thinking of something, and then, fingering over the pages of his memorandum book, appeared looking for a notation, found it apparently, glanced again at Ralph in a sinister way, and said calmly:
”Very well, get your time.”
”What is that, sir?” exclaimed Ralph, startled anew.
”Laid off, pending an investigation,” added Bardon.
Ralph's heart beat a trifle unsteadily, but he straightened up with decision.
”Does that mean, Mr. Bardon, that I am not to go back to work?”
”You can understand what you like,” snapped the inspector, seemingly glad to show his authority to this disrespectful crowd, and appearing to bear some personal spite against Ralph in particular, ”only you are suspended until this matter is looked into.”
Bardon turned to resume his way with the depot master, who looked bored and uneasy.
”Hold on!” thundered a tremendous ba.s.s voice. ”That don't work.”
A greasy paw closed around the immaculate coat-sleeve of the inspector, who turned with a brow as dark as a thunder cloud.
”Drop my arm--what do you mean!” breathed Bardon, with a glance at the husky freight engineer as if he would annihilate him.
”Just this, Mr. Inspector Bardon,” said the engineer, with a never-quailing eye and the zest of extreme satisfaction in words and bearing, ”you can't lay anybody off.”
”I represent the Great Northern Railway Company,” announced Bardon grandiloquently.
”Read your rules, then,” retorted the engineer, ”and see how far it will sustain you in exceeding your duties. I tell you they won't uphold you, and I speak with the voice of eighty-six thousand men and their auxiliaries behind me--the International Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.”
Bardon stood nonplussed. He fidgeted and turned ghastly with vexation.
”I'll see that the proper official carries out my instructions just the same,” he said in a kind of a vicious hiss.
”There's just one man to help you, then,” coolly announced the engineer, ”and that's Tim Forgan.”
The inspector moved hastily away.
”And he won't do it!” concluded the engineer, in an chuckling undertone, giving Ralph a ringing slap on the shoulder.
CHAPTER XXV--DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND