The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-01-11

or them Followed MIN, Iho rcht Ft'
turned 10 tho mine. After that there
wns little trouble with them so long
40 they were not left by themselves.
Tho next few days he passed for tho
most part at tho mouth OF tho fur.
mace, helping and overlooking the oEs
as Il was poured In, but IN spite Of hh
care and watchfulncss tho result was
not satisfactory aud the newly mndo
pig iron was carried round and cast
back Into the furnace TO be once moro
melted. Again and again was this
done, and, though tho results were Of
ten improvements on tho preceding
ones. they were not what he hoped
aud was striving for.
30 no worked and experimental, tho
loaned capital growing smaller aud
smaller, until at last ho began 70 dis
charge tho moro shiftlcss Of tho men.
At tho end Of November his working
force had dwindled to ten men and
himself and his money TO less than
500, During the last few weeks but
little tifno had been given to slcep.
Through the day ho worked with tho
nonresident. watchful. untirlng-and
most OF tho nights were given to study
aud tho dcvising Of new experiments,
Something was lacking. some little
point which he had missed. Perhaps II
was IN tho ore, perhaps IN tho furnace,
possibly somewhere else. only no had
missed II, and yet tho secret was hoy.
erlng at his very finger tips; he was
sure OF that. !
The ton men remaining to him wero
| tho pick OF the nelghborhood, IN whom
hc was every day growing to rcposc
hore confidence, They were oil hard
working and tried to meet his wishes.
and In way they wero beginning to
understand that he was passing
through crisis Of his life. One even
Ing after an unusually hard day, az
I.ongmore almost staggered toward his
| Office. Brooks followed him, laying q
OBTAINING hand upon his shoulder,
Look here. Mr. Longmore." no said
anxlously, "you Just lcavc that Office
alone tonight an 40 into your room to
bed. You're runnin' yourself out. An
--an'," hesitating little. III YOU don't
mind, me an' the men have been talk
In about you some lately, We've been
workln' pretty stiddy an ain't bit
hard up now, 30 II itll be any-any
easier you might lot our pay lie over q
month or two. We don't mind, an
Longmorc swung round and graspcd
his hand.
THANK you for this Mr., Brooks" he
exclaimed, his eyes moistening. You
don't know how | appreciate II Just
now. Toll tho men 10. But shall pot
take advantage of your friendship II
has been something OF strain with
mo lately. don't mind admitting that,
but another day or two win decide tho
matter ono way or the other. ! was
up oil last night, working and think
Ing, and am going 10 make one last
trial, a boldcr one. sent my last s5o
away this morning, and tho things will
be here on the train tomorrow morn
ing Tho next day will decide whether
we keep on or close and whether
But good night BE on hand at day
break. | shall work in the Office to-
night but after this win sleep"
The next morning he was on the IT.
tic platform when the train came and
took his package straight to the office
Soon after hc went TO the mouth OF the
furnace, where the men were throwing
In ore, the package under his arm. All
day he worked there with them. fever
ishly, but the next day when he went
: below to watch the result. when tht
molten iron was released, he was calm
But as he watched strange light
began to glow In his eyes. AS soon a.
the bars were sufficiently cool he tool
several Of them to tho station plat
form, addressing them to Mr.. Bray
ton. Then he went to the Office ant
wrote long letter, and 1t lacked bu
two days Of the years end.
Tho 1st Of January the letter wal
answered by Brayton in person, I'LL
face seemed unusually excited as b,
J swung to the platform even before th,
train stopped.
"Are those bars fair samples?" h,
J demanded.
"Yes, Sir"
"Well, well, well! I'd never hay,
: believed it--never In this world
. They're the finest I ever saw an'
mean fortune. But can't accep
your proposition, Longmore, to talk
: over the plant with you again as fore
man. No, no! Wen run It half On,
/ half, my capital against your discov
cry and services. And wen increas
the capacity and the working force t
!. 800 men. You'll want superintend
ont now, Longmore, and foremen 70
The different departments. You'd BET
Q tor hire them at once"
9 They're already at hand, sir, me-
Q on whom l can depend and who VII
0 make our interests their own"
It "Goodl That's the kind we wan
. Now let's 80 to the office and conside
Q plans for the increase. Why" OF
ploslvely, ats fortune and the mos