eceive messages from President Newnham
the more quickly.

At Bakerstown a division superintendent was stationed, he, too,
sleeping at his office.

Once more Tom Reade had brought his work within sight of Lineville.
In fact, the track extended all but the last mile of the line.
Ties were down nearly all of the way to the terminal station.

This was the state of affairs at two o'clock in the afternoon.
Before midnight the last rail must be laid, and the first through
train from Stormburg must run in. If, at the stroke of midnight,
the first train had failed to go through, then the charter of
the S.B. & L. would be forfeited and subject to seizure and sale
by the state.

Up from Denver some of the worst politicians had come. They were
quartered at the new little hotel in Lineville. Dave Fulsbee
had detailed three of his men covertly to watch these same politicians.

Tom, inwardly consumed with fever, outwardly as cheery as human
being might be, stood watching the laying of the rails over that
last stretch. The men who could be prevented from dropping in
their tracks must work until the last rail had been spiked into
place. Away up in Lineville Harry Hazelton was personally superintending
the laying of the last ties.

The honk of an automobile horn caused Tom Reade to glance up.
Approaching him was President Newnham, himself driving the runabout
that he had had forwarded.

"Reade!" called the president of the S.B. & L., stopping his car,
and Tom went over to him.

"The suspense is over, at last, Reade," exclaimed Mr. Newnham,
smiling broadly. "Look! the road is all but completed. Hundreds
of men are toiling. The first train left Stormburg this morning.
By seven tonight you'll have the last rails in place. Between eight
and nine this evening the first through train will have rolled into
Lineville and we shall have won the fight that has brought me many
gray hairs. At last the worry is over!"

"Of course, sir," nodded Tom.

"Reade, don't you really believe that the stress is over---that
we shall triumph tonight?"

"Of course we shall, sir," Tom responded. "I have predicted,
all along, that we'd have the road through in time, haven't I?"

"And the credit is nearly all yours, Reade," admitted Mr. Newnham
gleefully. "Nearly all yours, lad!"

Honk! honk! Unable to remain long at one spot, Mr. Newnham started
his car again.

Reade felt a depression that he could not shake off.

"It's just the rea