With that Carter left them, smiling to himself at the look of shock on Miss Eleanor Briggs’s pretty face.
“Wish I had better news, Grant.”
Grant Wallace pressed his lips together, unable to look his boss in the eye. He’d hoped the Great Northern Railway would keep him in their employ in Kalispell. But from what his supervisor, Collin Hoffman, just told him, that wasn’t to be—at least not in the position he’d worked up to. “I’ve been with this railroad for over six years now. Been a good worker too, and they’re just gonna let me go?”
Collin’s forehead creased. “Not necessarily. You have as much a chance to work in Whitefish as anyone.”
“But I’d hafta start at the bottom again, right?” Grant glanced up at Collin.
His boss nodded. “I’m sorry, Grant. It’s the way things are right now. I’m sorry ... but I’m being transferred to Whitefish and will be assistant foreman in the shops.”
Ah. The knife wedged itself deep in his gut. Collin—the boss—had been forced to take a lower position up at the new location. Probably everybody would have to.
The only problem? That lower position wasGrant’sposition. The position he’d worked six years to attain here.There wasn’t much hope for him staying here and no chance to transfer to the same job.
“You can probably hire on as a section hand. If you volunteer now and help with laying the line into Whitefish, you’ll be ahead of some of these other men.” His boss’s tone was encouraging, but it didn’t help.
Grant picked at a hangnail on his thumb. He’d already done his time as a section hand when the railroad was being built west. His brother, Alvin, was a section repair worker. He went out with other men to fix the track whenever rockslides, snow, or wear and tear altered the line. It was hard work, especially in the mountains, and Grant had no desire to return to it.
It was clear—for now the options were limited. He pulled his cap low over his eyes. “Maybe I’ll see what other work is available.”
Collin shrugged. “Well, keep in mind Kalispell will probably be nothing more than a widening in the road in a few years. There are worse things than moving to Whitefish and starting over with the railroad.”
There might be, but at the moment Grant couldn’t think of a single one. He gazed out across the shop. So many men were going to lose their livelihood.
Maybe itwastime to move on. Maybe head down to Missoula. He heard that was quite the place now.
Hoffman was still talking. “...besides, you’re a good tracker. I hear tell that the push to get a national park up in the mountains is going well. You could probably be hired as a guide. You’d probably like that a whole lot better than working here anyway.”
Grantwasgood at tracking. It was something his fathertaught him when Grant had been just a boy. He hadn’t really thought of it as a full-time job, but hearing Collin suggest it caused him to give it serious thought. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Collin pulled on his coat. “You’d probably have to move to Whitefish for that as well. Or even farther into what they call the Forest Reserve. Hard to tell, but I’m betting that the officials who have the final word on making a national park will probably go there rather than Kalispell.”
“Yeah...” None of the ideas made him feel a lick better.
“Grant, you have to let your men know that by the end of July we’ll be closing everything out and moving it to Whitefish. They can talk to me if they’re interested in moving with it. The railroad is bringing in a few outsiders for choice positions, but for the most part they’re going to need a lot of the men here.”
“Just not in the positions they are currently working.” He grumbled the words.
Collin sighed. “Look, this change is affecting everyone. Some won’t have to change their jobs because they’re still at the bottom, but they’ll have to move. Those of us who’ve worked longer end up paying the price. I’m sorry you have to be one of them. You’re a good worker. I’ll see what I can do to help you.”
“Thanks.” But he didn’t feel thankful about anything. Not one good thing had come out of this.
He watched Hoffman head out. Grant might not have to work as a section hand, but he would have to go back to being an underling. Which was unfair. He had more experience and time in with the Great Northern. Why didn’t they value that?
Of course, Collin was being demoted too. Which should make him feel better.
But it didn’t.
He liked the position he was in. It was tolerable and he knew the job well. Every day he worked inside, out of the elements, and managed parts and supplies. It was easy compared to what his brother had to do. And now, just because someone got a wild notion to move the line, he was losing his job.
He pulled out his pocket watch, his thumb running over the etched pattern on the front. It was the only thing of value his mother had given him before she died. Pushing the sentimental thought away, he popped it open. 4:45. Nearly quitting time. He still needed to round up his men and let them know the news.
He walked into the loading area and put two fingers to his lips and gave a loud whistle. Most of the fellas heard him, and those that didn’t were rounded up by the ones who did. The men came to stand in a semicircle around Grant.
“Is it as bad as we thought, Boss?”
The respect and the title helped him shake off the feeling-sorry-for-himself cloak he’d wrapped up in. These men needed him. “’Fraid so. We’ve only got to the end of July. I’d hoped it was all still in the planning stage and that maybe we had a chance to change their minds. But apparently old man Hill wants to move fast on this.”
