Ralph felt the sense of a crisis strong upon him. Circumstances had
given some stormy features to the morning's progress, but had cleared
the air generally.
He believed, all told, that he had carried off the honors quite
creditably, and was in a measure master of the situation.
When he came to the office door it was partly open, but he knocked.
"Come in," spoke the foreman's voice, a good deal toned down from its
usual accents of asperity.
Tim Forgan stood over near the window, his back turned to Ralph. His
hands, clasped behind him, fumbled nervously. He was palpably in a
disturbed mood, and from the vague view Ralph had of his side face he
noted it was pale and anxious-looking.
"Sit down," directed the foreman. He stood in the same position for
nearly a minute. Then very abruptly he turned, came up to Ralph,
extended his hand as if with an effort, and said, almost brokenly:
"Fairbanks, I want to thank you for what you have done for me and mine."
"I am glad I did it," answered Ralph simply.
The foreman sank into a chair, started to speak, arose, paced the floor
restlessly, finally halted in front of Ralph, and looked him squarely in
the face.
"Fairbanks," he said, "I believe I have done you an injustice. Don't
answer. Let me speak while the mood is on me. I am a proud man, and
it's hard for me to root out my settled suspicions. I won't say they
are all gone yet, but after what has happened it would be wrong and
churlish for me to hold back what is on my lips. When you came here
this morning, I was satisfied that you came here as a spy upon my
actions."
"Oh, Mr. Forgan!" explained Ralph involuntarily.
"And I prepared to treat you as a spy. I have had trouble with the
master mechanic, off and on--that is, we are rivals in the race for the
presidency of the local labor council, and Ike Slump's father, when I
told him about your card from the master mechanic, scented a plot at
once."
"Why, Mr. Forgan!" exclaimed Ralph in amazement, "I never saw the master
mechanic until night before last, then only for less than two minutes,
and my meeting with him was purely accidental."
The roundhouse foreman looked Ralph through and through.
"I believe you, Fairbanks," he said, at length. "You don't look like
the lying, sneaking sort, and Denny says he'd bank his soul on you. He
says I've got bad, crafty advisers. Maybe so, maybe so," went on
Forgan, half to himself. "I wish I'd kept out of the labor ring. It
makes one fancy half his friends enemies. Drop that, though. I've made
my confession, and I believe you're square. I've sent for you to
exonerate you from all part in the smash-up, and to tell you that I owe
you a debt I can never pay. I'll try to square some of it, though.
Fairbanks, you shall stay here, and I shall give you more than a chance
to forge ahead."
"I thank you, Mr. Forgan," said Ralph gratefully.
The foreman strode over to the window again. Ralph studied this strange
make-up of real force, dark suspicions and ungovernable impulses, but
did not appear to watch him. In a covert way, with a sidelong glance at
Ralph, the foreman opened the door of a little closet, took out a dark
bottle, and Ralph could hear the gurgling dispatch of a long, deep
draught.
He had overheard some of the men in the dog house hinting at the boss'
failing, that morning. Now, Ralph knew what it was, and the discovery
depressed him.
The stimulating draught seemed to restore the foreman's equilibrium, for
in a minute or two, when he again addressed Ralph, his old
half-dignified, half-autocratic manner had returned to him.
"We shall have no more Ike Slump here, father or no father," he
observed. "I'm going to give you a chance, Fairbanks."
"Thank you, Mr. Forgan."
"Keep on as wiper till I get a new helper, and I'll give you a boost
into an extra berth quicker than any boy ever shot up the roundhouse
ladder before. I tell you, I'll never forget what you've done for
me--and my dear little Nora!"
Ralph arose.
"Mr. Forgan," he said, "I am much obliged to you, and I hope I shall
deserve and win your good opinion. But I want to earn my way. I don't
wish to slip over one single branch of the course that will make a
thorough, all-around, first-class railroad man out of me, and too fast
promotion might spoil me."
The foreman understood him, but the liquor had exhilarated him, and he
said:
"All the same, I'm your friend for life, Fairbanks--and I give you my
word, when you ask me a favor, I'll grant it."
Ralph bowed and proceeded towards the door. Forgan was back at the
closet almost immediately, Ralph wavered. He formed a quick resolution,
and stepped back into the room just as the foreman turned, wiping off
his lips.
"Mr. Forgan," said Ralph, "you will not be offended at something I feel
it my duty to say?"
"Not a bit of it," pledged the foreman.
"You said I might ask you a favor."
"Just name it, Fairbanks."
"I shall, but first, I want to say this: You are in a fine, responsible
position here, and your control and your influence affect every man in
your service."
"I worked hard for the job," asserted Forgan proudly.
"I know you must have done that," said Ralph, "and I also know you must
have had good abilities to step so high over the heads of others. But
sometimes, Mr. Forgan--you will acknowledge it yourself--your temper,
your impulses, your suspicions get the better of you."
Ralph was treading on dangerous ground. He realized it, for a certain
quick flash came into Forgan's eyes. It was quenched, however, at an
evident memory of the incident of the morning; and the foreman spoke,
quite gayly:
"Go ahead, I'll listen. I see your drift."
"You have lots of friends, sir--try and know the real ones. And, Mr.
Forgan, now for the favor I have to ask."
The foreman's bushy brows met in a suspicious way, but he declared
promptly:
"You have only to ask."
"You will grant it?"
"For little Nora's sake, lad, I'd give you half I own!"
"I don't want that, Mr. Forgan. The favor I have to ask is--don't
drink."
It was out, with an effort--Ralph had placed a pleading hand on the
foreman's arm. He felt Forgan start and quiver. Would he burst into
one of his uncontrollable fits of passion and storm and rave, and
probably assault him?
The climax delayed so long that Ralph ventured another appeal.
"For little Nora's sake, Mr. Forgan!" he pleaded.
"Boy, you have said enough--go! go!" spoke Forgan huskily.
He almost pushed Ralph from the room. The door went shut, with Ralph
standing outside, his breath coming quickly, for the episode had been
one of intense strain.
Ralph sighed. Had he gone too far? The sincerity of his wish for the
foreman's good told him he had not.
In the little office he could hear Forgan striding to and fro. Suddenly
there was a halt.
Then came a crash. If only for the time being, Tim Forgan had been
influenced to a holy, beneficent decision. He had shattered the
wretched black bottle to atoms.
"Thank God!" breathed the young railroader fervently.