The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-09-13
The Manager Of
the B. { A.
By VAUGHAN KEsTER
Copyright, 1901. by Harper & Brothers


ure IN the matter Dan employed his en-
forced leisure in looking about for an
other position. He desired connec-
ton which would take him out of the
country, for the farther away from
Antioch and Constance Emory he could
get the better he would be satisfied
He fancied he would like to go to
South America. He was willing to ac-
cept almost any kind of post-salary
was no longer consideration with
him. What he required was a radical
change, with plenty of hard work
By far his greatest anxiety was his
father. He watched the papers close
~. expecting each day to read that he
had been captured and sent back to
Antioch but the days slipped past, and
there was no mention of him. Holt,
with whom he was in constant CORE
spondence, reported that interest in his
capture had considerably abated, while
the organized pursuit had entirely
ceased.
Dan had the feeling that he should
never see him again, and the pathos
of his age and dependence tore his
heart. In manner too, he blamed
himself for the tragedy. 1t might have
been averted had he said less about
Ryder in his fathers hearing. He
should have known better than to dis
cuss the strike with him.
One morning as he left Holloway's
Office he CHANGED to meet an acquaint-
ance by the name of Curtice. They had
been together in Denver years before,
and he had known him as rather
laxative young fellow, with large
hopes and a thrifty eye to the main
chance. But he was the one man he
would have preferred to meet, for he
had been in South America and knew
the field there. Apparently Curtice was
equally glad to see him. He insisted
upon carrying him off to his club for
lunch, where it developed he was in q
state of happy enthusiasm over his con-
nection with a road which had just
gone into the hands of a receiver, and Il
new baby, which he assured Oakley on
the spur of the moment he was going to
name after him.
"You see, Oakley" he explained as
they settled themselves, II was mar
ried after you left to girl who had
come to Denver with consumptive
brother They boarded at the same
place did," His companion was prop
erly interested. "Look here how long
are you going to be in the city? want
you to come and see u.s."
Dan avoided committing himself by
saying his stay in Chicago was most
uncertain. He might have to leave
very soon.
We'll, then, you must drop in at my
Office. l wish you'd make it your
headquarters while you are here"
What about the road you are with 2?
ooh, the road? We are putting it in
shape"
Oakley smiled a trif1e skeptically
He recalled that even as very young
man, filling a very subordinate posi-
| ton, Curtice had chung to the '.we''
Curtice saw the smile and remembered
too.
Now, see here, I'm giving it to you
straight. l really am the whole thing
I've got greenhorn for boss, whose
ignorance of the business is only
equaled by his confidence in me- II
you want to be nasty you can say his
ignorance is responsible for much OF
his confidence. I've been told that be
fore"
Then I'll wait may be able t.
think of something better"
There are times when / wonder II
he really knows the difference between
an engines headlight and a coupling
pin. He's giving me all the rope
want. and We'll have great passenger
service when l get done. That's what
am working on now''
But where are you going to get the
funds for it? A good service costs
money" said Dan.
"Oh, the roads always made money
That was the trouble" Oakley looked
dense. He had heard of such things
but they had been outside of his owl
experience.
THE directors were superstitious
lot. They didn't believe in paying div
idends, and as they had to get rid OF
the money somehow they put it all
out in salaries. The presidents idea
of the value of his own services would
have been eXorbitant If the road had
been operating 5000 miles of track in
stead Of 500. I am told directors
meeting looked like family reunion
and they had most ungodly lot OF
nephews-nephews We're everywhere
The purchasing agent was a nephew
so were two of the division supnrin
tendents. Why. the president even had
Il third cousin Of his wifes braking OH
a way freight. We've kept him as q
sort of curiosity and because he was
the only one in the bunch who was
earning his pay"
mo wonder the stockholders went
to law" said Oakley, laughing.
"Of course when the road was talk
en- into court its affairs We're seen to
be in such rotten shape that a receiver
was appointed"
Oakley's business instinct asserted
| itself He had forgotten FOR tho ti,n6