Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-19

ing small slap in the face.
Ford took the rebuff part of the
days work.
Perhaps you didn't" he admitted.
But l mean 70 go on hoping that you
did"
The idea" she scoffed. but this time
she blunted the keen edge of the rebuke
by adding: Il thought perhaps.
might meet again some time. You see.
we are all stockholders in the Pacific
Southwestern-my brother. Aunt Hetty
and /: and Uncle Sidney had shown us
letter-it was from Mr.. North. / think
saving that you were likely to come 10
New York with some kind of plan OF
reorganization. So when you gave me
your card | knew at once who YOU We're.
Ford made an immediate mental note
of the bit of information duplicating Mr..
North but did not allow himself to he
diverted by the business affair.
Yes l know. but that didn't help me
little Bit" he protested, wishing that
the distance to the hotel were twice as
far.
THAT was just because II happened so:
you ran away before my brother had
chance to offer you any hospitality she
explained. Then. before he could say
any more straightforward things: Tell
me. Mr.. Ford are you really going to
find something to interest brother?-some-
thing that will keep him actually and en-
Enthusiastically busy for more than few
days at a timer"
Ford laughed. "I fancy he hasn't been
bored for the lack of work since l left
New York. has hep
mo. and it has made such differ
ence! Won't you please try and keep him
going?'
You may rest assured that I shall do
what / can. But you see he has quit
already"
by coming to Chicago with us? oh,
no. indeed: you are quite mistaken. He
is here to help you toto minimize Uncle
Sidney: L think that is the word he used.
He was afraid you had been finding
Uncle Sidney rather difficult. Have you?''
II have, for a fact" said Ford. out OF
the depths of sincerity. And again out
of a full heart: your brother is brick,
Miss Adair.''
Isn't he?" and she laughed in sheer
good comradeship. IF you can only
manage to make him rise to his capa-
bilities-'
He'll never be able to live the simple
life for a single waking hour" said the
engineer. finishing the sentence for hef.
''Oh, but that is a mistake!' she OBJ
jected 1.-The very first requirement is
work: plenty of work of the kind one can
do best.
The short walk to the hotel. where
Kenneth was waiting to go to breakfast
with the presidents party. came to an
end. and the social amenities died or
hamilton. For one thing, President Col
BIRTH insisted upon learning the mlnutest
ms and outs of the business matter, max
ing the table talk his vehicle; and for
another. Miss Adair's place was on the
opposite side of the table and two re-
moves from Ford's. Time and again the
young engineer tried to sidetrack bust
ness in the interests of something a little
less banal to the two women, but the
president was implacable and refused to
be pulled out of the narrow rut of de-
tails: was still running monotonously
and raspingly in 1t when Kenneth glanced
at his watch and suggested that the time
for action was come.
After breakfast the party separated.
Mrs Adair and Miss Alicia were TO spend
he day with friends in South Chicago.
and Mr. Colbrith carried the attorney Off
to his room to dig still deeper into the
possible legal complications which might
arise out of the proposed transfer or the
three short roads FORD and Adair sat in
the lobby and smoked while they were
waiting for the president and the general
counsel to conclude their conference and
the young millionaire gave his companion
the story of the fight in the directory.
I'VE have Brewster to thank for the
lift which finally pulled our wheel out Of
the mud said the young man, modestly
effacing himself in the summing up. or
rather / should say that we have the
enemy to thank for stirring Brewster into
action. Brewsters got some copper mines
out in Utah that he nurses like SICK
child. Just at the critical moment some
of the people who control the Iranscon-
tinental began to worry his copper stock.
said 'Adair, will that western extension
of yours be able to fry any fat out of
Transcontinental? | told him 1t would.
most asSuredly: that next to making
money for ourselves. and incidentally,
saving the Pacific Southwestern from go
ing smash. our chief object was to give
the Transcontinenta a wholesome drub-
bing."
You are progressing rapidly said
Ford with a grin of appreciation. Did
that fetch him."
1T did. for a fact. He looked like one
of those old bushy-bearded vikings when
he said. BY thunder. I'm with YOU young
man, And I'll answer for Scott and
Magnus and Harding. Get your board
together and Wen settle it today.
Ford looked up quickly. IF Mr.. Col
BIRTH wasn't the chief of your family
clan Adair / could wish that we had
this Mr.. Brewster at the head of things"
The rejoinder was heartily prompt.
You don't wish it any more fervently
than l do Ford. That is why L am here
today The board. in spite of all that our
handful of revolutionaries could do. has
armed Uncle Sidney with almost dlcta-
torial powers in this stock-purchasinS
deal and If he doesn't contrive 10 stran-
gle things by the slow process II Will be
simply and solely because you ana Ken
ne h and I are here to see that he does
not Do you know what the men call him
out on the main line? When they see the
Nadia trundling in they say. Here comes
old Automatic Air-Brakes. Ana II nts
him
But I don't quite understand why he
should want to put the brakes on here
and now Ford interpOSed. Il know he
is against the scheme. personally; but he
is here as the representative of a major
ity which has committed itself to the eX-
pansion measure, isn't he!
oh yes and he has no thought or
playing the traitor-you mustn't think
that of him. But it isn't in his nature to
facilitate things. In the present crisis he
will feel that he is personally responsible
for the expenditure of five million dollars.
He will examine and investigate, and
probe ard pry. and will want to worry
through every pen scratch which mas been
made up to date. .
We'll there is one comfort, he can't
take much time for his worrying. said
Ford Some of the options expire to-
morrow noon.
Adair sat up as one who suddenly takes
notice.
..What.-tomorrow? Land of glory!
but YOU two fellows took short chances!
Why. any little hitch
Il know" said the engineer, evenly.
But we took what we could Set-and
were thankful Somebody was bidding
against us and prices began 70 jump. In
cidenl ally | may say that Kenneth de-
serves to be made a vice president OF the
new company at the very least He has
done ten mems work in the last three or
four days
Il don't doubt it. Neither do / suspect
you of 10 fling. For that matter, I've been
hus, ling few lines myself since l sent
you that first telegram.