The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-06-16

9 heavily,
in his throat. answered briefly, ard he
went over and over the different sheets.
The drawings were somewhat crude,
but the ideas were there, clear and
simple
4 believe you've got it," he at last
admiringly announced. DO you mind
leaving these plans with ne over
uight?"
Powell hesitated only for moment.
Longer. if you like" he offered.
Tonight will do" replied the other.
but the moment Powell had gone out
he sent out for his head draughtsman.
Take these drawings and put your
entire force upon Them" he directed.
I want accurate tracings of every one
of them before you go home tonight.
Don't soil them, and don't leave marks
of any sort that viii show that they
have been copied"
Powell for the first time in two years
was able that night to bring a gleam
of hope to the eyes of his wife. He had
no work TO do, and they went for d ear
ride to the park and heard some good
music. The woman built new air cas-
ties, and was in gay spirits when they
came home.
It's like old times" she said.
III take the balaT@e of this week to
think the matter over" fremont an
nounced when Powell got his drawings
tie next morning q believe YOU have
something worth while, and l think l
shall put you to work on an expert
mental machine. Come in on Mon
day"
The week was .slOw enc to Powell,
but it was not to fremont, for a crisis
had come about in the affairs of the
company. Competition had been sui
cidal, and the promoters of the CONSOLE
datiOn were using pressure upon Ire
mont, Wells & fremont. Young Ire
mont weighed their proposals with an
CRY disfavor, and classed the promoters
as mere commercial highwaymen. He
had his fathers good fighting blood,
and it caused him TO spend every night
that week and all day Sunday over
POwelfs drawings. Within half an
hour after his talk with Powell on
Monday morning he had defiantly de-
clined the trust proposition, and
laughed at the threat of the promoters
10 buy the plant for scrap iron within
two years.
Powell went home intoxicated with
his prospect of success.
i've signed contract with fremont
for the exclusive use of my patents,
Bess,' he exulted. Tomorrow l am to
start building one of my machines. Ny
pay goes right on. l am to be parti-
toned off from the rest of the shop,
and no one is to know what l am doing
As soon as my invention works right [
am to have a thousand dollars. cash
bonus for each one that they build, and
q royalty on all the. work they turn
out. Well be rich at last, girlr'
May 1 have new dress now" she
asked wistfully.
Il guess you maya cheap one" he
laughingly answered. But let's be
careful not to get in debt. We want
our money clear when we get it.
The weeks Slipped rapidly away. The
consolidation was completed without
the fremont Wells & fremont plan,
and already the hand Of the giant was
in evidence. Prices were cut to the
desperation point, but there was al
ways a surprise in store for the COM
bine. Whenever competitive bids were
opened, the concern that had defied the
trust was found to have submitted
proposal with prices a shade lower than
those offered by the trust Contract
after contract for spring delivery rolled
in, and fremont smilingly filed them
away, at the same time ordering enor-
nous supplies of material.
A lot of new men were taken on to
handle the heavy contracts. This was
the one hole in Trempnts armOr, and
the trust found it. They slipped few
picked agitators Of their own among
the new workmen and confidently
awaited developments. The men had
been dissatisfied before. and under
skillful handling they soon became i'm
patient. the stockade was always
there to remind them of their thrall-
dom, and the paid agitators were at
work in fruitful soil.
Powell repeated his fears at home,
together with the news that his ma
chine was almost ready for a test.
THE strike doesn't need to worry us
now" she said, as she cheerfully helped
him to get ready for the regular meet
ing of his union. You are through
with all that"
II don't know" he gloomily an
swered. IF the strike comes on before
1 finish my machine I'll have TO walk
out with the rest of them. / don't see
that I'll be any better off in that case
and it's only a matter of days now.
Wages are not keeping up with the
cost of living. The trusts are making
it too hard work to buy actual bread
and butter The strike is bound to
come and it is not far off" The agi-
Iation was beginning TO have it's effect
even on him.
She recoiled as If he had struck her.
but he was IN so much of hurry that
he did not notice. He was block away
from home when he fcrnd that he mad
forgotten his receipt book. and he came
back to get ii. His wife was in the
front room when ne stepped noiselessly
into the kitchen. and he tiptoed to the
door with the intention of playfuly
surprising her. They had grown much
of late. What he saw made
Tim pause, breathiess and astounded
She was just removing the wrapper
rom a small bottle, and as the paper
uttered To the floor he saw that the