to a finish!"

CHAPTER XX

MR. NEWNHAM DROPS A BOMB

The field work was done. Yet the field engineers were not dismissed.
Instead, they were sent back along the line. The construction
gang was still twelve miles out of Lineville, and the time allowed
by the charter was growing short.

At Denver certain politicians seemed to have very definite information
that the S.B. & L. R.R., was not going to finish the building of
the road and the operating of the first through train within charter
time.

Where these politicians had obtained their news they did not take the
trouble to state.

However, they seemed positive that, under the terms of the charter,
the state would take over as much of the railroad as was finished,
pay an appraisal price for it, and then turn the road over to
the W.C. & A. promoters to finish and use as part of their own
railway system.

These same politicians, by the way, were a handful of keen,
unscrupulous men who derived their whole income from politics, and
who had always been identified with movements that the better
people of the state usually opposed.

Mr. Thurston and his assistant, Blaisdell, were now able to be
up and to move about a little, but were not yet able to travel
forward to the point that the construction force had now reached.
Neither Thurston nor Blaisdell was in fit shape to work, and
would not be for some weeks to come.

Mr. Newnham, who had learned in these weeks to ride a horse, came
along in saddle as Tom and Harry stood watching the field camp
that was now being rapidly taken down by the few men left behind.

"Idling, as usual, Reade?" smiled the president of the road.

"This time I seem to have a real excuse, sir," chuckled Tom.
"My work is finished. There isn't a blessed thing that I could
do, if I wanted to. By tomorrow I suppose you will be paying
me off and letting me go."

"Let you go---before the road is running?" demanded Mr. Newnham,
in astonishment. "Reade, have you noted any signs of my mind
failing lately?"

"I haven't, sir."

"Then why should you imagine that I am going to let my chief engineer
go before the road is in operations"

"But I was acting chief, sir, only of the field work."

"Reade," continued Mr. Newnham, "I have something to tell you.
Thurston has left our employ. So has Blaisdell. They are not
dissatisfied in any way, but neither man is yet fit to work.
Besides, both are tired of the mountains, and want to go ea