The Young Engineers in Arizona

tly. "Why, gentlemen, I'll meet your question fra

o so, aren't?" inq

, I imagine that we shall be making definite plans to go away, unless the railro

th if you went away at once," Duff insisted, with a mi

ile to pretend any longer

re's your hat. What's your h

venture to assure you that we are quite in ear

men represent

of Paloma,"

em?" Reade

m-with few

you, of course

zens of this town are behind you. I know too many Arizona men, and I have too good an opinion of them. Your kind of crowd makes a lot of noise at times, and the other kind of Arizon

sent the sentiment of the t

tell you what we'll do, Mr. Duff, if it meets with your approval. We'll hire a hall, sharing the expense. We'll state the question fairly in the local newspaper, and we'll in

to leave town!" th

some of his friends to leave town,"

he men with him. They represented

-faced man at the rear of the crowd. "Get a rail

g, too!" called an

third bad character. "The other kid doesn

magines that I'm holding my tongue because I disapprove of my par

es, then!" jeere

good and sensible lot of men. You have carried matters just a little too far. Think over wha

near him from rushing forward. Tom did not appear to noti

Tom laughed. "I'm hungry a

ry behind him, both making for the steps of the hote

ing more," spoke up Jim Duff

wd. A dozen of them surged forward. The first of t

, landing on that fellow's face. With a moan the

like a flash, eyeing the

osed Tom, his eyes growing s

ed the crowd of roughs. There were armed men in that crowd, but all felt that they had been p

e surgeon send me the bill. I'm sorry for the fellow, for I'm indirectly the cause of

forward, though with Hawkins's cold, hard eyes on him the gambler was caref

e hotel?" Tom

ou can't e

from the gambler. The superintendent nodded, for he had n

tside hooted and jeered. Tom led the way to a table

rietor of the Mansion House came in. Jim, after saying a few

prietor headed their way. The latter looked rather embarra

I can't have you any longer

Tom inquired, looking the

er guests object to

uff?" question

er with you, Mr. Reade, but I can

y even to this

do

. Harry and Hawkins shoved thei

her table. There were five men seated there, all of them well-dressed

n Proprietor Ashby hurriedly, and plainly ill at ease. "Some of my

their men fleeced here in town, haven't they?" inquired the bol

the circumstances," suggested

se young men, who are a credit to their profession and to their home to

ng salesmen assen

hose occupied by Jim Duff. It was not the loss of patronage from these men alone that troubled Ashby. Traveling sale

posed the same drummer. "We'll have our things out

begged Ashby. "Finish your meals first

re to arrange for the kind of accommodations that we want. Mr. Reade," turning to Tom and Harry, "will y

e the eight departing guests paused long en

rly, leaving the hotel m

gineers to their room while the drummers went to their own

ters were bringing down trunks. Tom and Harry, keeping most

take," began Mr. Ashby, as he met the sa

leader of the salesmen, pleasantly as to tone, "b

ange, while the clerk receipted seven bills. A

the drummers, "I had intended ordering a to

ouldn't get them from our house at four times the m

rietor Ashby stiffened, his

re you going from here? Won't you

drummers, a man named Pritchard. "If you'll send the 'bus over

tched the eight men step outside. Duff and his crowd had vanished. It would never do to try any mob tricks on so man

brought around, but they rode slowly, ch

proprietor, a young man named Carter, had succeeded his father in the ownership of the property. It was a neat hotel, but a small one. The el

such important guests arrived and the young rai

ing special cooked for you right away, gentlemen,"

young Carter aside, "I want to ask you whether any man c

" replied Proprietor

sed the drummer, "and I half

railroad camp took leave of their new sale

, as, in riding through the "tough" street again they he

Reade," announced Foreman Payson,

broug

ever saw him before. He r

quality, was dirty on the outside. Tom

ce will hold the railroad up for a longtime to come! Get o

passed the letter over to his chum. "However, I don't like to feel that I