The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-10-10


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 lie had known him as a rather
laxative young fellow, with large
hopes and n 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 Curtlce was
equally glad to see him. lie insisted
upon carrying him off to his club for
lunch, where IL developed he was I'm a
state Of happy enthusiasm over his con-
nection with road which had Just
gone Into the hands Of II receiver, and a
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 a 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 Leaf
very soon.
"Well, then, you must drop in at my
Office. l wish you'd make 1t your
headquarters while you are here"
what about the road you are WITH"
"Oh, the road? We are putting It In
shape"
Oakley smiled trihe skeptically.
He recalled that even as a very young
man, filling very subordinate posi-
ton, Curtice had chung to the I'VE"
Curtice saw the smile and remembered
too.
Nov, 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. l may be able to
think Of something better"
"There are times when l wonder II
he really knows the difference between
an engines headlight and coupling
pin. He's giving me all the rope
want. and We'll have great passenger
service when ! 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 own
experience.
1.-THE directors We're a superstitious
lot. They didn't believe in paying div
idends. and as they had to get rid Of
the money somehow they put 1t all
Oas "a ''biahiVS. hC RiCSluCAt luCa
of the value Of his own services would
have been exorbitant IL the road had
been operating 5000 miles Of track in
stead of 500. l am told a directors
meeting looked like family reunion,
and they had most ungodly lot Of
nephews- nephews We're everywhere.
The purchasing agent was nephew,
so were two of the division suporin-
tendents Why, the president even had
third cousin Of his wife's braking on
a way freight We've kept him as a
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 tax
en- into court its affairs were seen to
be IN such rotten shape that receiver
Was appointed
Oakley's business instinct asserted
itself. He had forgotten for the time
being that his services still belonged to
Cornish. Now he said. "See here,
haven't you cars you intend to re-
build!"
"We've precious few that don't need
carpenter work or paint or upholster-
ing"
"Then send them to me at Antioch.
I'll make you price you can't get in
side Of, don't care where you CO."
Curtice meditated, then he asked:
"How are you fixed to handle a big
contract. It'll be mostly for paint and
upholstery or woodwork We have been
considering equipping works Of our
own, but am afraid they are not GO
ing to materialize.'
I'VE can handle anything" and, from
sheer force of habit. he was all enthu-
siasm. He had pleasant visions of the
shops running overtime and everybody
satisfied and happy. 1t made no differ
ence to him that he would not be there
to share in the general prosperity.
With the start he had given 1t, the fu-
ture of the Huckleberry would be as
sured. He decided he had better say
nothing TO Curtice about South Amer
lea.
A.