The San Francisco call., 1908-12-06

I'M pldnalon tnat Will explain
away the discriminating
fact. That is matter which
involves the good name of the Pacific
Southwestern company. through it's of
fcials, and / must insist upon your res
ignation."
The battle was on. with the two COM
batants facing each other in the pri-
vacy of the presidents room in the
Copah hotel Since Alicia had made
him exchange the sword of extermina-
tion for the olive branch, Ford was
fighting on the defensive, striving good
naturedly and persistently to keep his
official head on his shoulders.
I've admitted thae it looks pretty
bad, Mr.. Colbrith; but you will concede
the one chance in a hundred that no
wrong was intended. / merely did on
the ground. what thousands of invest
ors in. mining chances do the world
over-bought an interest in mine
without knowing or caring greatly into
what particular mountain the mine tun-
mel was driven.
Mr. Colbrith frowned He was of
that elder generation of masters which
looked with cold disapproval upon any
side venture on the part of the subor-
dinate.
The company has paid you literally
for your time and your undivided at
tention, Mr.. Ford. No man can serve
two masters. Your appointment as as
sistant to the president did not con-
template your engaging in other busi-
ness"
Ford carefully suppressed the smile
which the bit of Industrial martinetry
provoked.
"As to that" he said placably, "I can
assure you that the gold digging has
been purely an investment on my part"
But an investment which you
should not have made,'' insisted the
president judicially. IF it had not
tempted you to the breach of trust, 1t
was still inexpedient-most undeniably
inexpedient. An official high In the
counsels of a great corporation should
be like Caesars wife-above suspicion -
This tinc Ford's smile could not be
wholly repressed. II grant you 1t
was foolhardy, in the economic point OF
view" he confessed. 81 took a long
mine buying is disease-as conta-
gious as the measles. Everybody In a
mining country takes flyer, at least
once. The experienced ones will tell
you that nobody is immune Take your
own case, now; if you don't keep a
pretty tight hold on your check book,
Mr.. Colbrith, Cow Mountain will
The president frowned again more
portentously, this time.
This levity is most reprehensible.
Mr. Ford" he said stiff1y. II trust I
know my duty as the head of a great
railway company too well to be car
ried away on every baseless wave of
excitement that fires the imagination
of the mining camp / chance to be
visiting" Mr.. Colbrith was not above
mixing metaphor when the provocation
was sufficiently great.
..Baseless?" echoed Ford. Surely you
don't doubt Why, Mr.. Colbrith, this
strike Is the biggest thing that has
happened in the mining world since the
discovery of the wedge veins In Grip
plef Creek.'
The president shrugged his thin
shoulders as one whose mission in life
is to be sturdily conservative after all
the remainder of mankind has struck
hands with frenzied optimism.
"Nonsense!' he rasped contemptuous-
~. 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 "a hours ago, and some 1000 or
5000 lunatics have already rushed here
In the belief-founded upon mere
boast, it may be--that great gold
reef underlies Cow mountain. BY this
time tomorrow
Ford took him UP promptly. yes!