The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-01-27

RYDER singled out his crony, Senator
gesture.
Hello. Senator.
You're punctual as usual Mr., Ryder.
/ never knew you 20 be late"
The great man chuckied. and the
little men standing around listening
breathlessly, chuckled iu respectful
sympathy and they elboWed and
pushed one another la their efforts TO
attract Ryders notice, like SO many
coWardly hyeuas not DARING 10 an
pruach the lOTdly wolf Senator Rob
erts made a remark la a low tone To
Ryder, Whereupou the latter laughed.
The bystanders congratulated each
other silently. The ereat man was
pleased 20 be in = good bUmOr. And as
Ryder turned with The Senator to en-
te rthe directors room the light from
the big windows fell full on his face
and they noticed that his eyes were of
of the sottest blue.
NO squalls today" whispered one.
Wait and sce,' rctorted "a more eX-
perIeuced colleague. Those ewes are
more tickle than the weather"
Outside the sky was daFkening. and
drops of rain were ALREADY falling A
fash of lightning presaged the coming
storm.
Ryder passed on and into the direc-
tors room, followed by Senator Rob
erts and the other directors, the pro-
NN7afMiAt AtNAAiH hl ItAEt4A AAf hN the AANf-
per little secretary bearing the min
utes.
The long room with its narrow CEN
Ter table covered with green baiZe
was nlled with directors scattered in
little groups and all talking al once
with excited gesture. Al the sight OF
Ryder the chatteriug stopped as If By
common consent. ana the only sound
audible was of the shumllng OF feet
ana the moving of chairs as the dlrec-
r.Iss
table
With nod here and there Ryder
took his place In the chairman seat
and raped for order. Then al a sign
from the chair the dapper little sec
rotary began ia a mouotanous voice
TO read the minutes or the previous
meeting. No one listened. Q few direc-
tors vaWned. Others had their eyes
rlVeted on Ryder's face. trying
blow Of this adverse decision,
which meant "a serious loss 70 them
all lie, the master mind, had served
them ia many like crisis in the
past Could he do SO again. But
John Ryder gave no sign His eyes.
Stlli OF the same rcsJful blue. were
liked ON the ceiling watching "A spider
marching with diab0hcal intent on a
Wretehed fly that had become entan-
gled In its web. And as The secretary
ambled monotouuusly on, RYDER
watched and watched until he saw
the spider seize its helpless prey and
rrEoHF o. Fascinated by the specta-
rie which doubtless suggested 10 him
some analogy % his own methods.
Ryder sat mo-ionless his ewes fas-
tened on the ceiling, until the sudden
stopping Of The secretary's reading
aroused him and told him that the
minutes were finished Quickly thew
were approved. and the Chairman mo
ceeded aS rapidly a 5 possible with the
regular business routine THAT dis
posed OF. the meeting was ready Tor
me chief business OF the dav. RYDER
men calmly proceeded TO present the
facts I'm the case
Some years hack the ROAD rsa s.
CURED as an Investment some Thou
sands or acres or land located fr TIE
outskirts Of Auburndale on The line
Or thelr road. The land was bought
l.r' %. ana there had been some talk
3t laying Tert OF u out as a r,,bitc
park. This promise had been roaSa
az the time In good faith. but II VS.
no condition 81 the sale. II after
wards, owing 10 the rise in the vsIua
OF real estate. the road found II i'm
possible TO carry ont the original idea
surely they were masters OF ~. .-r.-
nroperty, Tbs people OF Aub1rrdsfa
THOUGHT differently and soaded on Nv
me local newspapers. had begun ar-
lion IN the courts 20 restrain the road
from divertins the land from its ar
legged original purpose. They had zur-
Ceeded IN getting the Injunction, but
ne ROAD mao Fought e tooth and nan
and finally carried 70 TO the suprayra
court where Judge RoszFnore ate
reseryinR his opinion. had hnafiv sTs-
famed The Injunction and decided
n eainst the railroad. That was the
: SITUATION, ana ne would now Ike 70
h-t~ rom The members Of the hnard
Mr. Grimsbv rose f-ronedart s,s
h"'7'iY loquacious. as most nap Of bfs
'iass are IN simple conversation he
was plainly INUNDATED a. snAakIns,
,neIore such crowd He did NOS
NOV "here 70 look nor what ~ 40
easily on his feet. while streams -
nervous perspiration ran down Ms e.
ace which he mopped reDaste,TT,,
with a big colored handkerchiss a.
% -ak,ng courage. he began.
Mr. Chairman for the nast -,
years this road has ws6h 49,, 80
earnings IN proportion 70 its carrVipg
capacity than any other raItroaS A.
the United States We have hsd
leWeT accidents. less injury 20 rolling
sslSI less ., litigation and bigger dIvi-
endS The road has been well man
aged mamie looked sicnifcantI,-
In Ryder's direction-"therA has haer
a hig brain behind the manager. We
owe YOU that credit, Mr. RYDER
Cries OF Hear Hearut came fro-,
All around the table
ryder bowed cOldly, and Mr. Grims-
by continued.
But during the last year or two
thlhsa nave gone wrong. There has
heen a Tot Of litigation. mast of which
has gone against us. and II has cost q
heap of money. II reduced the last
quarterly dividend very considerably.
ana the new COmBliea tfon-this An
hurndalc suit. which. also has gone
AGAINST Ds-'s going % make a still
bigger hole IN our eXchequer. Gentle
men. 7 don't want % be q propbet ~
misfortune bUt TIT tell YOU t6is-uu-
less something IS done TO st0p This
hostility in the courts Won and 7 stand