The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-10-22


was really concerned only with the
labor question, Galloway, a great man
ufacturer. or, rather, a huge leyier
Of the taxes Of dividends and interest
upon manufacturing enterprises, could
not but be uneasy.
Before rose that morning had a
tentative plan for stirring him to &C
ton. / was celebrating il on the way
down town in my electric. It shows
how badly Anita was Gripping my
brain, that not until ! was almost at
my Office did ii 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 we're 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, 1 knew
| had let his canting fool me once
more. entered my Offices, feeling
that the blow had already fallen; and
was surprised, but not relieved,
when I found everything calm. But
fall it will within an hour or so-be-
fore can move TO avert it" said
to myself
/ And fall it did At eleven O'Clock,
4 just as l was setting out to make my
4 first 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
+ 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
a cold wave" he said, like a fireman
at a sleeper in a burning house.
Naturally" said I, unruf1ed, appar,
emily What can we do about it,"
We must do something." be ex-
claimed
Yes, we must" I admitted. For
instance, we must keep cool, espe-
cially when two or three dozen PEG
pie are watching US. 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
And he quieted down and went
hadn't been schooling him in the fire
drill for fifteen years in vain
I went up the street and into the
great banking and brokerage house OF
Galloway and Company 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 small inkstand, perfectly clean
a steel pen equally clean, on the res
attached to it. And that was all
not letter, not a scrap of paper, not
a, sign of work or of intention Il
work. 1t might have been the desE
of a man who did nothing; in fact
it was the desk Of man who had 81
much to do that his only nope of es
cape from being overwhelmed wa!
to despatch and clear away each mat
ter the instant it was presented u
him. Many things could be read from
the powerful form, bolt upright in tina
stiff chair, and from the cynical, mas
terful old face. But TO me the chic
quality there revealed was that quail
ity of qualities, decision-the great
est power a man can have, excep
only courage. And old James Gallo
way had both.
He pierced me with his blue eyes
keen as a youths, though his face wa
seamed with Scars Of seventy tumui
tuous years. He extended toward N
over the table his broad. stubby whit
} hand-the hand of builder, Of a cor
structive genius. How are YOU
: Blackjack" said he. What can
: do for your" He just touched m
2 hand before dropping it, and resume
that idol-like pose. But althoug
! there was only repose and deliber
E ton in his manner, and not a suggeS
T ton of haste. I, like every one VIII
4 came into that room and that pres
d ence, had a sense of an interminabl
t procession behind me, a procession
i OF men who must be seen by thi
7, master-mover that they might submit
: important and pressing affairs to hir
[ for decision. 1t was unnecessary 70
!. him to tell any one to be brief an
: pointed.
I shall have to go to the wall tC
: day" said I, taking a paper from m
= pocket, unless you save me. Her
: is statement of my assets and liza
: biliies. l call to your attention m
q Coal holdings. was one of tn
j eight men whom Roebuck got roun
:, him for the new combine-it is a ST
! rraf hrf assume S-o,, hpryx- III aho,,