The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-07-02

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ence hall and the custom house, and
now stopped at a corner. A block
or so 10 the south lay the freight
depot of the d. A. & B. railroad. and
also the office of the man who had
sent for him. Brand was not quite
sure that he was in any hurry TO see
this man. While he was himself a
product OF twentieth century CONNER
cialism, he was still young. and he
was in love with a girl who had nigh
ideals; moreover, he believed that he
had a few ideals himself where hon
esty and fair play we're concerned.
II Brand had been positive about
his position on such fine drawn ques-
tions, he would not have had 10 stop
at the corner. AS II was, he did stop
to think It over, forgetting that Inde-
pendence hall was already behind him.
had been behind him ever since he
became second assistant freight agent
with yearning for promotion. And
promotion was the biggest word in ais
directory. Not only because he was
in love with a girl whose father recog-
nIzed the value. Of lromotion-and no
other values-but because his yearning
was fast becoming a keen hunger for
the high places.
II Matthews wanted to see him
about what he thought he wanted. IL
might mean an ugly squall in the
prospects dawning on his horizon. 1t
is one thing TO shut your eyes and
ears and say sooth.ngly TO your inmOst
self: "All right. all right" 1t is an
other thing to stand up before a jury
OF your peers and say clearly. u
swear II is right" Brand, pausing,
considered these things-then he
walked on southwark TO meet the man
waiting for him in the freight agents
office.
You wanted to see me?" he said,
easily.
Yes" Mathews pushed aside some
schedules, clapped both hands on the
arms Of his chair, and swung round.
Il am instructed TO send man from
this ONCE to testify before that COM
mittee. / am going TO send you; you
are up on the rebate laws, and you'll
know how to testify. You'll get your
passes and leave tomorrow, and Child
sey will take care OF you when you
get there" He swung back to his
desk. picked up a tariff sheet, and add
ed: ITS a splendid chance; the ID. A.
& B. never forgets a friend. Go in
and win"
And Brand thanked him and walked
out
II was true that he knew all about
rebates. also true that he knew moth
ing good Of them, but he knew that
he had been selected because he would
know just what not to know-and that
the d. A. & b. would reward him
for his ignorance.
But Brand was not yet ready to ad-
NIT that he had been bought. He
would go TO Washington and look over
the ground-and he would not say
anything TO her abogt 1t until he came
back.
Brand went aboard the car, feeling
genially sure that he would do the
right thing by the ID. A. & b. and
everybody else. He meant, moreover,
to have a double seat 10 himself as a
deadhead should. but in this last he
was disappointed. The train was
crowded and he had 10 share seats
with a mild. chin-whiskered little man,
who smelled Of good tobacco, and
who politely tried to take up no more
room than was necessary in the seat
he had secured before Brand came
in.
Going far?" Brand asked. He was
always ready to be civil.
only to Washington, sir" the 9TH
\ er answered, and then, as though feel
ing this rather curt. added: 4 just ran
up TO Philadelphia for the day"
WELL" Brand said, kindly, stoop.
ing from his heights. I'm bound for
Washington myself"
"Yes?" the little man said, politely
and then with leisurely convictions
and utterly without heat: We'll, sir
there viii be a good many men gnins
to Washington this week. To accom-.
plish nothing. sir. To be brushed
aside like gnats that may hum but
cannot sting. Cannot sting, sir
Brand looked alert: You mean the
committee?"
Yes, sir; the committee that is go
ing to put the railroads on a feather
bed, SIR
You think that the railroads have q
good case7"
NO. sir; they have no case; they
have a certainty, a dead certainty, sir.
Brand felt an unexplained relief. His
testimony nigh, not be needed. Ia
considered the little mans emotionlesE
summing up and said cheerfulyl:
Il suppose you are for the rail
rOads7"
"On the contrary. sir. am against
them heart and hand"
why? You think that they do no'
play fair? You must admit that rail-
road men understand their business
better than outsiders"
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