The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-05-19

nc lOuCuoO d DuliOu anu iL1lliSuidtSly
stenographer appeared. Mr.. Peck
looked gloweringly on while Morgan
dictated a bill of sale, the consideration
being note for $1,000. Perhaps he was
not wholly pleased; perhaps, for all his
buster, he had not expected to be snap
ped up in this wise. But he grim1y
signed the document when it was pre-
sented him, and grinly slipped Nor
gan's note into his wallet.
He rose and put on his hat.
zone fact, of course, you under
stand he said you've been seeing a
lot of Miss Peck. Well, no daughter of
mine is going to have anything to do
with a fool and failure. You set that
down."
Morgan preserved a show of indif-
ference, but there was sudden conster-
nation within. In the outburst of
wrath against the father he had COM
pletely forgotten the daughter.
When Morgan had declared to Mr..
Peck that he was going to build a racer
he had spoken out OF the bravado of
the moment: but as he sat at his desk
looking his new situation over his cool
reason told him that TO try for the
American cup was his only chance of
Snatching success from failure. He con-
sidered his resources for such an effort.
If he were to mortgage to its limit the
factory equipment (the building was a
rented one) and borrow and beg dol
lars wherever dollars could be begged
and borrowed, he could keep up the APP
pearance of running the factory for
three months longer and could build a
car for the race. The odds against sue
cess were heavy. But Morgan was the
sort that fights to the last hope, and
past ii. He would take the chance.
All the while that Morgan was study
ing this side and that of his slender
business chance part of his mind was
engaged upon his chance in a very diff
ferent enterprise BY the end of the
afternoon it was the second alone that
he was considering. He knew that Mr..
Peck would tell. doubtless had told, his
daughter of the quarrel, and If he
wanted Miss Peck to continue thinking
of him the way he hoped she was be-
ginning to think he must clear him
self in her eyes. So, with inward trem-
bling at his daring, he called her up
Just before leaving the office and asked
if he might see her that evening.
The voice that came to him over the
wire was chilly. very chilly: Il have
an engagement
Morgan was dumb for, several sec
onds Tomorrow evening. them"
Il shall be busy then, too"
He filled with a dizzy sickness. Her
excuse was as plain in its meaning as
plain words would have been. But he
wanted the plain words. Then you
don't want to see me?''
There was a brief silence. Il don't
think l do said the chilly voice.
Morgan hung up the receiver. He
was both angry and heartsick. He de-
cided with the wise philosophy of the
disappointed lover to put her out of his
l.
to come, that he evicted her only to have
her watch till he was off his guard and
then slip back again.
The following two days Morgan spent
in New York. He returned with $4,000.
and with his honor pawned to his
friends and with the next five years of
his life sold to the money-lenders.
When he entered the office there was
Mr.. Peck at his desk. Morgan gave his
old partner d cold look. but said not a
word. Just came down to see about
my mail" Mr.. Peck muttered. some
what abashed but gruffly. Morgan did
not answer.
That day the building of the racer
began. The big race was at the end of
September; this was the end of June
three months in which to build the ma
chine, tune ii up and become its mas
ter The frame AMI many other parts
of their fifty-horse power touring car
could be used; but the engine-Morgan
had decided 1t should be ninety-horse-
power-had to be made entirely new,
and likewise all parts of the driving
gear. There was work a-plenty for the
half dozen most skillful men he had Sc
lected to help him, for every part had
TO be made with infinite care, tested
with infinite care. and fitted 10 its mace
with the infinite care of a surgeon
working in the brain. For all the heart
ache in him. Morgan enjoyed these days
of the cars growing. It was a long
untasted pleasure to work in freedom
of the domineering methods of Mr..
Peck-though that gentleman continued
coming to the factory daily.
BY the first of September it vas done
a long. squat, dingy creature, whose
lean lines suggested the athlete trained
to supermost fitness. At the very
break Of each morning Morgan was on
the roads about MiifoI1 testing mis- Gre
alton. He did not care to let il show its
speed upon the public highways, even
though at dawn they were deserted, but
at forty miles an hour every part
worked easily and the car doomed
along without the faintest show of eff
fort. Morgan was delighted, FOR his
sTarking device, on which he had chief
ly counted for the commercial success
of the Peck car, and en- which he now
chiefly counted for success in the race
was getting the very best work out OF
the cylinders. His mechanic, Jack
Henderson, the best workman in the
Peck & Morgan shop though hardly
more than boy. was equally enthusi-
astic. Wen make EN- hump" he
said.
Ten days later they were settled in
their garage, with enough spare parts
10 build another machine. and with two
weeks before them in which to become
acquainted with the course At the
drawing to fix the order in which the
twenty scontesting machines were to
start in the race, nineteenth place fell
to Morgan, and nineteen was painted