Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-09
FRANCIS LYNDE

! going ten thousand dollars TO tie bad
| But mine buying is IA diseaSe-as con-
! tagious the mea sles. Everybody in a
! mining country takes a flyer 1t leas.
| once. The experienced ones Will tell YOU
! that nobody is immune. Take your ow2
case now-if YOU don't keep pretty
tight hold on your check book. Mr.. CO..
| BIRTH. Cow mountain will
! The rre sjdent. frowned again: more por
| tento;slN this time.
This levi'y is most reprehsns:ble: MIR.
| Ford he said stiffiy. Il trust | know
| my duty as the head of great rai!va%
| company too well to be carried away on
every baseless wave of excitement that
| fires the ira cinaton OF the mining camp
! I chance Ia be visiting. MI. Colhrith
was no; above mixing metaphor when the
provocation was sufficiently great.
| "Baselessc' echoed Ford. "Suralv You
don't doub, . = Why Mr.. CoIbr;tl. tbs
| strike is the biggest thing that has hap
pened in the mining world since the dis
| Creek.'
| The president shrugged his thin Shout
ders one whose mission in life is to be
sturdily conservative after all the re-
mainder Of mankind has struck hands
with frenzied optimism
"Nonsense." he rasped contemptuousy.
What happens? Two men come to town
with certain rich specimens which they
| claim TO have taken out of their prospect
hole on Cow mountain. That was at Z
| O'Clock last night less than twenty-four
| hours ago. and some two or three thou
sand lucatics have already rushed here
| in the beiief-.foundcd upon a mere boast.
it may he-;hat a great gold reef under
lies Cow mountain. BY this time tomor-
row
Ford took him up promptly. Eyes. and
by this time tomorrow the Denver Mining
Exchange will be bowling itself hoarse
over Copah mining shares. like those
tombstone fellows downstairs; the hunt
will be up. and every feeder the Pacific
! Southwestern system has will be sending
! it's quota Of gold seekers to the new field.
! That isn't what you were going to say. l
! know: but it is what is going to happen.
/ Mr.. Colbrth. it's the chance of century
for the Pacific Southwestern Company.
and you are deliberately trying to fire the
one man who can make the most of it,.
| The presidents lack of the sense of
| humor made it hard for him at times.
He was sitting very erect in the straight
! backed hotel chair when he said: Mr..
ceit is insufferable. Do you imagine for d
| moment that you are the only engineer
in the United States who can build rail-
roads. sir?''
"Oll. no.
Then perhaps you will be good enough
I to explain your meaning?
'1t was a poor attempt at jest" said
The young man. rather lameiy. Yet 1t
| had the truth behind it. in a way. | pre-
! dict that this is the beginning OF one of
the biggest mining rusles the world ever
saw We are within one hundred and
| fcrty miles OF Copah with practicable
! railroad: we are within twelve miles vi,
a track which must he made practicable
while the band plays. If You discharge
t your entire engineering corps at this
| crisis
Il beg your pardon. interrupted the
| president. cruStily. Il have not asked
| your force to resign.
| Not meaning to. perhaps" countered
| the young man. malcOuSly rejoicing in
| the hope that he had found one vulner-
| able link in the presidents coat Of mail.
But if go. the entire department VIII
| go. Every man in it is my friend. as Well
as my subordinate: and they know very
| we'll tina: if they shouldn't go your new
CHIEF would fire them and put in his own
| men,
"Ha.' said the president. strengthening
up again. Am l to understand that you
! are threatening me. Mr. Ford?'
| NO. indeed: I am only stating fact.
But it IS 2 pretty serious fact. Icy MS
! suppose. for the sake of the argument,
! that my prediction comes true; THAI with
! in thirty-siX or forty-cight hours Saint s
Rest is packed with people trying to get
! to Copah. Your new chief. i you snail
| have found him, will hardly he in the
saddle. When he comes he will have to
reorganize the department. break in new
men, learn by hard knocks what l have
been learning In detail
! Mr. Colbrith thrust out thin lip OF
will simply have to wait. Mr.. Ford. We
| have the key to the Copan doos.
| Don't you fool YOURSELF. snapped
Ford. forgetting his role of the humble
one for the moment. The Transconti-
mental is only forty miles away at Jack S
| ca nyon, with a pretty decent stage road.
! Long before You can get the extension In
freight. the other line will he known from
| Maine 10 California as the keyholder to
! this district
That shot told. Tie president vas not
yet Convinced that the Copah boom was
| real: but there was the chance that it
| might be-always the chance. And to the
! er-cautious the taking of chances how
ever remote. is like the handling OF a
| snake-a thing to inspire creeping horrors.
| "If YOU could convince me. Mr. Ford.
that your interest in that mine did not
! influence you i'm changing the route Of the
extension" he began; but Ford took him
up sharply.
II can't. and can say no more than I
Mr.. colbrith got up and went to the ;
throns in the street. 1t did look real.
perhaps we might leave matters as
! Mr. Ford" he said, turning back to his
victim. who was methodically clipping
I the end from cigar
NO" was the brittle rejoinder.
a
down into tho crowded street His next
lla.tack was from the rear.
| But l have understood that you do not
| wish to resign. Let us be magma nimous,
| Mr. Ford and agree to Rang mis- matter
| up suntil-until this supposed crisis is
| past
, mo" vas the curt reply. II have
| changed my mind. don't think / want
to work for you any longer. Mr.. Col
BIRTH.
Not if 1 withdrew my-all-objec-
tions?'
No
! Silence again. The packed lobby of the
hotel had OVERLOOKED upon the plank side
walk and the din of the buyers and
| sellers rose like the noise of a frantic
street fight. Fords half-jestins remark
a bout the possibility Of the microse find
| ing its way into the blood ot the president
was not SO pontleSS as the old mans re-
| tort sought to make it appear 1t Was
the wheat pit which had given Mr.. Col
! birth His first half million: and as he
, listened to the hoarse cries the thing
which he hoped was safely caut.onkilled
! began 80 stir within him. Suddenly lac
! picked word or two out of the side
| walk c,amor that made him turn swiftly
! upon the silent Young man.
! They are selling Little Alicia your
! stock--.lown there he gaSped. Have