Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1907-04-03

the combine was purely defensive, and
was really concerned only with the
labor question, Galloway, a great man
ufacturer, or, rather. huge l,yier
of the taxes of dividends and interest
upon manufacturing enterprises, CO nd
not but be uneasy.
Before l rose that morning l had
tentative plan for stirring him to &C
ton. | was celebrating it on the way
down town in my electric. 1t shows
how badly Anita was Gripping my
brain, that not until l was almost at
my office did it occur to me: THAT
was tremendous luxury Roebuck in
dulged his conscience in last night.
1t isn't like him to forewarn a man.
even when he's sure he can't escape.
Though his prayers were hot in his
mouth, still, it's strange he didn't try
to fool me. In fact, it's suspicious.
In fact
Suspicious? The instant the idea
was fairly before my mind, | knew
mad let his canting fool me once
more. l entered my offices, feeling
that the blow had already fallen; and
| was surprised, but not relieved.
when | found everything calm. But
fall 1t will within an hour or so-be-
fore ] can move to avert it." said
to myself
And fall it did. At eleven o'clock,
Just as | was setting out to make my
hrst move toward heating old Gallo
ways heels for the war-path, Joe came
in with the news: "A general lock-
outs declared in the coal regions. The
operators have stolen a march on the
men who. so they allege, were secret
ly getting ready to strike. By night
I every coal road will be tied up and
every mine shut down."
Joe knew our coal interests were
heavy, but he did not dream his news
meant that before the day was over
we would be bankrupt and not able
to pay fifteen cents on the dollar.
However, he knew enough to throw
him into a fever of fright. He watched
my calmness with terror. Coal stocks
are dropping like a thermometer in
cold wave he said, like a fireman
at sleeper in burning house.
Naturally said l, unruffled, appar-
emily. What can We do about it?"
We must do something!" he ex-
claimed.
Yes, we must I admitted. For
instance, we must keep cool, espe-
cially when two or three dozen peo-
pie are watching u.s. Also, you
must attend to your usual routine"
What are you going to do?" he
cried. For Gods sake, Matt, don't
keep me in suspense!'
Go to your desk" l commanded.
hadn't been schooling him in the fire
drill for fifteen years in vain.
l went up the street and into the
great banking and brokerage house of
Galloway and Company. l made my
way through the small army of guards,
behind which the old beast of prey
was intrenched, and into his private
den. There he sat, at a small, plain
table, in the middle of the room with
out any article of furniture in it but
his table and his chair. On the table
was a small inkstand, perfectly clean,
steel pen equally clean, on the rest
attached to it. And that was all
not letter, not scrap of paper, not
a sign of work or of intention to
work. 1t might have been the desk
of man who did nothing; in fact,
it was the desk of a man who had so
muchgto do that his only nope of es-
cape from being overwhelmed was
to despatch and clear away each mat
ter the instant it was presented to
him. Many things could be read from
the powerful form. bolt upright in that
stiff chair, and from the cynical, mas
terful old face. But to me the chief
quality there revealed was that quail
ity of qualities, decision-the great.
est power a man can have, except
only courage. And old James Gallo
way had both
He pierced me with his blue eyes,
keen as a youths, though his face WAS
scanned with scars of seventy tumul-
tuOus years. He extended toward me
over the table his broad, stubby white
hand-the hand of builder, of con-
structive genius. How are you,
Blackjack" said he. What can l
do for you?" He just touched my
hand before dropping it, and resumed
that idol-like pose. But although
there was only repose and delibera-
ton in his manner, and not a sugges-
ton of haste, l, like every one who
came into that room and that pres
ence, had sense of an interminable
procession behind me. a procession
of men who must be seen by this
master-mover that they might submit
important and pressing affairs to him
for decision. 1t was unnecessary for
him to tell any one to be brief and
pointed.
Il shall have to go to the wall to-
day. said /, taking paper from my
pocket, unless you save me. Here
is statement Of my assets and liza
bilities. l call to your attention my
Coal holdings. l was one of the
eight men whom Roebuck got round
him for the new combine-it is a Sc.
cret but | assume Won know all about