“I do not know that Fairbanks is fit for any such task,” put in Mr. Hopkins, in his very coldest tone. “I doubt if one so young is fit for any important and responsible position. At least, I am very sure that his exhibition of engine driving in the yard here the other evening does not bear out the ability you claim for him, Cummings.”
“What’s that?” demanded the station master, angrily.
“I have felt it my duty to send in, attached to the report of that wreck in the yard the other evening, the fact that all rules of the road were violated by Mr. Fairbanks in trying to handle the switch engine; and, as well, that in my opinion the wreck would not have occurred had it not been for Fairbanks’ oversight. He shunted those heavily loaded gondolas too far into the switch——”
“Nothing of the kind!” exclaimed Ralph, interrupting, in anything but a respectful tone. “The train crews and yard crews are honeycombed with treachery, and you daren’t accuse me of such a thing. I won’t stand for that, Mr. Hopkins, and don’t you think it!”
“Hold on! Hold on!” admonished Mr. Adair in his ear.
“Now, this is too much!” cried the young train dispatcher. “I would not help him out now at any price. Why, unless the G. M. himself told me to take the throttle on that old mill, I wouldn’t touch it!”
He swung on his heel, panting in his anger, and ran right against a bulky figure in an ulster, his hat brim drawn down over his eyes. Ralph recoiled with a surprised grunt. The man grabbed him.
“Hold on!” he said. “I heard you. That train has got to pull out in two minutes. I order you, Fairbanks, to get up into the cab and make that engine behave. You’ve made the schedule. Let’s see if you can make the Midnight Flyer conform to it. How’s that?”
Mr. Adair broke into a hearty laugh. But neither the station master nor Ralph, and surely not the supervisor of the division, had previously any idea of the general manager’s presence at the terminal. He had stood back and listened to all that had been said since the unfortunate old engineer had been carried out of the station.
“You take this matter entirely out of my hands, sir?” Hopkins asked, his voice shaking.