Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-19
EMPIRE BUILDERS
By
FRANCIS LYNDE
Copyright, 1907 by Francis Lynde)
VIII-Continued.


1T is all straight enough was the
confident rejoinder. "Only l had to bid
five points over the market on odd lots
of the stock. I'm not sure. but I think
the Transcontinental people got wind of
us during the last day or two and bid
against u.s."
But you have safe majorities?"
''Oh. yes; we are all in
Good" said Ford THAT puts it up
to Mr.. Colbrith. at all events. And now,
while we have a clear day before us, 1
want to go over these c. P. and ID.
terminal contracts with you. Right here
in Chicago is where the Transcontinental
will try hardest to balk us. The c. P.
and D. has trackage rights to the ele-
vators. but 1 want to be sure that the
contracts will hold water under trans
fer Of ownership
Subjected to legal scrutiny the con-
tracts promised to be defensible, and
Ford came through the day with his APP
prehensive burdens considerably light
ened. After dinner he took his papers to
Kenneth's room. and together they went
carefully over all the legal points involved
in the welding of the three local lines
into the Pacific Southwestern system.
Ford furnishing the data gathered by him
during the four days.
Kenneth was shrewdly inquisitive. as
his responsibilities constrained him to be,
and it was deep in the small hours when
Ford made his escape and went to bed.
BY consequence he was scarcely more
than half awake the next morning when
he dressed hurriedly and fastened over to
the Van Buren, street station to see If
the presidents car had arrived.
The Nadia was in and side-tracked with
clD ,orfor I'd al nj ho
to the platform and asked for the presi-
dent
"Yas. sub: dis is Mr. Colbrith's cyar,
but he don't see no newspapuh men-no,
sub. Besides. dey's just gettin' up" was
the rebuff: but Ford ignored it.
"'They?' Then Mr.. Colbrith isn't
alone?"
mo. sub: got pahty long with him
a young gentleman and two ladies; yes.
sub. Mr.. Colbrith nebber goes nowhah' s
dout he ticks PATTY in de cyar.'
Heavens" groaned Ford under his
breath: las if the thing wasn't compli-
Gated enough without making picnic OF
it, Then aloud. Il wish to go in. My
name is Ford and Mr.. Colbrith is expect
ing me-"
'Sho you isn't a newspapuh MANI
"Of course not" said Ford, shortly.
"All right. suh.' said the negro. and
he made way and opened the door.
The Nadia was a commodious hotel on
ward. four staterooms opening upon a
narrow side vestibule. and large dining
and lounging room looking out through
full-length windows upon a deep, ''um-
brella-roofed" platform at the rear.
There was no one in the large COM
partment when Ford reached 1t, but a
moment later door opened and closed
in the vestibule and Adair made his APP
pearance:, Ford drew a breath of relief
I'm glad it's you, Mr.. Adair. I've been
seeming all sorts of hindrances since the
porter told me there was party aboard
The young man without an avocation
dropped into the easiest of the wicker
chairs and felt in his pockets for his
cigarette case.
'Your prophetic soul didn't deceive you
any" he laughed. THE hindrances are
here in full force. 1t is one of Uncle
a tail like a Highland chieftain's. I had
a foreboding that he'd ask somebody, SO
took 1t upon myself to fill up his pas
senger list with Aunt Hetty, my sister
and my uncle's nephew.
II understand" said Ford, and would
have plunged forthwith into the business
pool. but Adair stopped him with ges-
ture of dismay.
mot before breakfast. if you love me.
my dear fellow he protested. with a
little grimace that instantly set the
reminiscent part of Ford's brain at work.
After I've had something to eat"
The interruption was the noiseless en-
trance of a motherly little lady in gray,
with kindly eyes and touch Of silver in
the fair hair drawn smoothly back from
her forehead.
This is Mr.. Stuart Ford, / am sure"
she said, giving her hand to the young
engineer before Adair could Introduce
him. You look enough like your father
to make me recognize you at once.
Ford was a little embarrassed by the
gratefully informal greeting.
Ought 1 to remember you, Mrs.
Adair?' he asked. ingenuously.
"Oh. no. indeed. l knew your father
as a young man before he married and
went to the farther west. The Fcrds and
the Colbriths and the Stanbrooks are all
from the same little town in central ILL.,
nois. you know
Il didn't know it," said Ford. though
now / recall it, I used often to hear my
father speak of Miss Hester SHAMROCK"
Then he was going on to say that trite
thing about the smallness of the world
when Adair broke in.
I'D like to know what is keeping Uncle
Sidney and Alicia. l haven't had break
fast yet"
AS If his protest had evoked her. a
young woman drew the portiere of the
vestibule-a young woman with bright
brown hair eyes like dewy wood violets
and an adorable chin. Ford stared help
lessly and Adair laughed.
Shocked. aren't your" he TESTED. But
YOU needn't be alarmed. j have per-
suaded my sister not to prosecute in the
case of the snatched purse. Alicia. this
is Mr.. Stuart Ford, and he desires me to
say that he is not often reduced to the
necessity of robbing unprotected young
women for the sake of scraping an &C
quaintance.'
Ford lost sight OF the Pacific South
western exigencies for the moment. and
surely the lapse was pardonabe If the
truth must be told. this young woman.
who had been discovered and lost in the
same unforgetable evening. had stirred
the neglected pool of sentiment in him
to its profoundest depths. and thoughts
of her had been dividing time pretty even
ness affair Indeed, the hopelessness of
any effort toward rediscovering her had
been one of his reasons for hurrying away
from New York. He knew himself-a lit
tle-and that quality of unreasoning per-
sistence which other people called his
strong point. The search he had been
half minded to make once begun
Il hope you haven't forgotten me so
soon Mr.. Ford she was saying. and he
recovered himself with a start.
Forgotten you? No, indeed!'-this
think I am just a trf1e aghast at my
good luck in finding you again. 1t
seemed so utterly hopeless, you know
Don't you think
But now the president had stalked in,
and his high. querulous voice was mar
shaling the party breakfastward. Ford
Unanswered skillfully in The pairing eff
and so succeeded in securing Miss Adair
for compa MON on the short walk across
to the Grand Pacific.
You were about to ask me something
tor r,YNto I c1,a