.

DUFF PROMISES THE "SQUARE DEAL".
Altogether the day had been a hugely satisfactory one to the young chief engineer.
The first test had been made, and, all had passed off well, for, in Tom Reade's easy-going, fearless mind the peculiar doings of George Ashby did not figure at all as a part of the day's work.
"Harry, we've every reason to feel proud of ourselves" mused Tom aloud, as he undressed in the shack that night.
"You feel pretty certain that we've conquered the Man-killer, do you ?" Hazelton asked, as he laid down the book he had been reading.
Of late, since the burning of the Cactus House, the chums had slept in the shack, though still getting many of their meals in town.
"Oh, of course you know that we haven't won, the whole fight yet," Reade went on.

"We've plenty of work to do here still before we pronounce the job finished.

But to-day's shows that our plan for filling in this particular, kind of quicksand was a sound one.

You know the president of the road said that words failed to express his complete approbation of our work." "We certainly have been remarkably fortunate--so far," Harry admitted.
"Yet I must confess, Tom, that I'm still nervous." "Then it must be over Ashby," Tom laughed.
"Ashby be hanged!" Hazelton retorted.