Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 354: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

TRAIN AND STATION. that the latter gave her the most satis- faction. For weeks the newspapers of the country rang with praises of the brave girl’s deed, and Dykeman was indeed proud. Mrs. Handiford and the niece, refus- ing all offers of a monetary reward, the express company presented the latter with a gold medal, fittingly inscribed, and a deed of gift was made to the aunt by the railroad company for the land on which the cottage stood, which it owned. CHAPTER XLII. ON THE CONTINENTAL AND GREAT DI- VIDE. ° IT was a spring day in the following year that we find Dykeman “at the front’ on a new railroad, which was pushing its way into the mining re- gions of Colorado. If anybody had told him, only a few months before, that he would be among the rugged peaks of the Rockies, tak- ing an active part in the construction of a railroad, which was a marvel of engineering skill, he would have laughed at them. But it all came about very simply and naturally. Mr. Layard, who was a civil engineer of high standing, had re- ceived a flattering offer from the pro- jectors of the Continental and Great Divide Railroad to take charge of the construction of their road, and when he accepted it and resigned the super- intendency of the St. Louis & Pacific, he insisted that Dykeman should ac- company him. As the position would be of more im- portance than his present one, and would command a larger salary, be- sides offering a better chance for pro- motion, the young railroader accepted it. He was at once installed as a sort of resident engineer, and had full charge of all accounts, pay rolls, and the dis- 345 tribution of supplies. Mr. Layard and himself lived in a coach, which was fitted up as a complete house, and also used as an Office, and which was pushed ahead as the construction progressed. The rough life was fascinating, the rarefied atmosphere of the mountains invigorating, and Dykeman _ thor- oughly enjoyed his work, though he did sometimes pine for civilized haunts and a maiden’s smile at Madrid. On the day we come upon him, he had planned a horseback ride over to Grand Ledge, twenty miles distant, as some of the track supplies had failed to arrive, and many of the men were idle. Grand Ledge was the county seat of the county in which the land covered by Dorothy’s deed was situated, and he intended to examine the records and decide if the return deed to that prop- erty had been recorded. He started out early, taking a lunch with him, and covered the distance be- fore noon. He at once went to the county clerk’s office to transact his business. | The clerk only glanced at the deed, and without referring to his books, said : “That’s no good, stranger. The deeder of that land was here only yes- terday with the deed that conveyed it back to him.” “What!” gasped Dash, who was prepared for the statement that a later deed had been recorded, but not for such an announcement. “ Did he say his name was Petroff B. Orloff?” “ That’s it exactly.” “Whew!” thought Dash, “ here’s a discovery. Dorothy’s uncle is alive, or this fellow is an impostor.” “What did he look like?” he asked aloud. “ Tall, muscular fellow, pretty good looking, gray hair, black beard, mus- tache and eyes. Would be taken for a gambler or a road agent in these parts.” “Do you know where he is now or where he went? ” ECOMICHOG SS CO