Produced by Sean Pobuda

THE YOUNG ENGINEERS IN ARIZONA

or

LAYING TRACKS ON THE MAN-KILLER QUICKSAND

By H. Irving Handcock

CHAPTER I. THE MAN OF "CARD HONOR"

"I'll wager you ten dollars that my fly gets off the mirror before yours does."

"I'll take that bet, friend."

The dozen or so of waiting customers lounging in Abe Morris's barber shop looked up with signs of renewed life.

"I'll make it twenty," continued the first speaker.

"I follow you," assented the second speaker.

*Truly, if men must do so trivial a thing as squander their money on idle bets, here was a novel enough contest.

Each of the bettors sat in a chair, tucked up in white to the chin. Each was having his hair cut.

At the same moment a fly had lighted on each of the mirrors before the two customers.

The man who had offered the bet was a well known local character--Jim Duff by name, by occupation one of the meanest and most dishonorable gamblers who had ever disgraced Arizona by his presence.

There is an old tradition about "honest gamblers" and "players of square games." The man who has been much about the world soon learns to understand that the really honest and "square" gambler is a creature of the imagination. The gambler makes his living by his wits, and he who lives by anything so intangible speedily finds the road to cheating and trickery.

Jim Duff had been no exception. His reputation was such that he could find few men among the residents of this part of Arizona who would meet him at the gaming table. He plied his trade mostly among simple-minded tourists from the east--the class of men who are known in Arizona as "tenderfeet."

Rumor had it that Jim Duff, in addition to his many years of unblushing cheating for a living, had also shot and killed three men in the past on as many different occasions.

Yet he was a sleek, well-groomed fellow, tall and slim, and, in the matter of years, somewhere in his forties. Duff always dressed well--with a foundation of the late styles of the east, with something of the swagger of the plains added to his raiment.

"Stranger, you might as well hand me your money now," drawled Duff, after a few moments had passed. "It'll save time."

"Your fly hasn't hopped yet," retorted the second man, with the air and tone of one who could afford to lose thousands on such stupid bets.

The second man was of the kind on which Jim Duff fattened his purse. Clarence Farnsworth, about twenty-five years of age, was as verdant a "tenderfoot" as had lately graced Paloma, Arizona, with his presence.

Table of contents (by pages)

• 1: The Young Engineers in Arizona by Hancock
• 2: Alarmed the fly on the mirror before Duff
• 3: Continued Farnsworth argumentatively
• 4: The Colthwaite Construction Company
• 5: The exploits of Tom Reade and Harry Hazelton
• 6: Had come afoul of the problem of the quicksand
• 7: Inquired one of the men of Paloma who was present
• 8: A special agent for the Colthwaite Company
• 9: The Colthwaite Company would be liberal enough
• 10: Ellsworth never talks until he knows what he's talking about
• 11: Demanded Superintendent Hawkins
• 12: The superintendent and the three foremen to the spot
• 13: The fellow known as Dock Bemis
• 14: Seized Duff roughly from behind
• 15: Now Duff moved over to them quickly
• 16: Duff saw that he had lost ground
• 17: Jim Duff now strode over to where Tom stood
• 18: Jim Duff and the sellers of poisons
• 19: This did not trouble the majority of people in Paloma
• 20: He knows the enemies he has made over in Paloma
• 21: Then seated himself and wrote the following reply Ellsworth
• 22: The trio were soon at the edge of Paloma
• 23: And the other kind of Arizona crowd rarely makes any noise
• 24: Superintendent Hawkins stepped in after the boys
• 25: Began Proprietor Ashby hurriedly
• 26: Retorted the leader of the salesmen
• 27: That the better element in Paloma won't stand much nonsense
• 28: Did you wish the men to spend it in Paloma
• 29: General Manager Ellsworth gazed down at the sleeping form
• 30: Ellsworth thereupon decided to return to the camp also
• 31: Cried General Manager Ellsworth
• 32: Ellsworth turned aside with a shudder
• 33: Mendoza shrugged his shoulders
• 34: ' laughed Payson good naturedly
• 35: Payson has dropped you from the rolls
• 36: Bellas landed about eight feet away
• 37: And the quicksand must once more be attacked
• 38: Agent of the Colthwaite Company
• 39: Grinned Hazelton mischievously
• 40: Foreman Payson had ceased to try to attract Tom's attention
• 41: Insisted Foreman Payson firmly
• 42: That much Foreman Payson had permitted
• 43: Haul away on our friend out yonder
• 44: Before that burning look even Payson shrank back
• 45: Sounded the voice of Foreman Payson
• 46: A little pin head of glonoin on his tongue for a beginning
• 47: That sort of estimation of Ransom
• 48: But the Colthwaite Company employs a good many engineers
• 49: For a new and permanent guest at the Cactus House
• 50: Furniss and Engineer Reade parted
• 51: Broad shouldered and very surly looking fellow of thirty
• 52: The bully lifted him and bore him inside
• 53: Advised the man with the shotgun
• 54: Proposed the voice of Jim Duff
• 55: Workmen come into Paloma with their wages
• 56: That you can't go on living in Paloma
• 57: Implored the badly frightened Ashby
• 58: The men of Paloma will do all the hurting
• 59: Beasley looked more or less reluctant
• 60: Tom had not been hit by the rifle shot
• 61: While running through the streets searching for Hazelton
• 62: He is employed by the Colthwaite Company
• 63: Frank Danes half started as they left him
• 64: Reade and Hazelton have lost their lives
• 65: Furniss looked on rather calmly
• 66: Furniss and his patients want room and air
• 67: Hazelton sprang to his chum's side
• 68: Carry word to the Colthwaite Company
• 69: Tom offered no further information
• 70: Griggs is careful to behave himself
• 71: For a moment Ashby thrilled with joy
• 72: Including General Manager Ellsworth
• 73: Hazelton vanished in a cloud of desert dust
• 74: Reported General Manager Ellsworth
• 75: It was sufficient to pitch Ashby
• 76: This is a question for Doe Furniss
• 77: Ashby once more reached the edge of the quicksand
• 78: Our roadbed may be all right for a fortnight
• 79: Reade and Hazelton were dragged into the open
• 80: With a start George Ashby turned on Reade
• 81: You knocked me down when my hands were tied
• 82: Fingering his shotgun nervously
• 83: One two th Duff dropped to his knees
• 84: Which Bodson received with his left hand
• 85: Bodson had quickly obeyed Moore's command
• 86: Ashby had been equally successful in quieting Hazelton
• 87: Duff swung his mad friend around
• 88: They were Rafe Bodson and Jeff Moore
• 89: I never thought tenderfeet could be as brave
• 90: Jim Duff and Ashby were well concealed
• 91: Rafe obligingly emptied one of his revolvers into the air
• 92: Had been sent back to Paloma in one of the automobiles
• 93: For Jim Duff had been shot through the right lung
• 94: The speaker was Clarence Farnsworth