The San Francisco call., 1908-11-01

wouldn't lengthen his line 10 miles to
dodge an earthquake Ford. we can
save a hundred thousand dollars on
that piece of track in first cost-to say
nething of the future"
Howe I am always open to convic-
tjon-"
BY leaving the s. L. & W. survey at
Horse creek. following up to the low
divide at Emory's mine. and crossing to
enter Copah from the southeast instead
of from the northeast 1 came out that
way from COpah five days ago. It's
perfectly feasible; straightaways easy
earth work for the greater part, and
the only. objection is that 1t adds about
II running miles TO the length OF the
extension It's for you to say whether
or not the added distance will be war;
ranted by the lessened cost and the as
surance of safety in operating. II we
cut through that lower canyon cliffsit
will be only question of time until we
bury somebody. no matter how closely
it is watched"
Ford took time to consider the pro-
posal- There were objections, and he
named one of them.
The MacMorroghs have based their
bid on the present survey; they will not
want to- let that piece of rock work
drop out OF sight"
They'll have to- if. you say so. And
you can afford to be pretty liberal with
them on the substituted u miles"
I'll have to think about 1T over
night was Ford's final answer. Ar
range TO give me an hour tomorrow
morning and we'll go over the maps
and your notes together"
Frisbie slept seundIy Ion the gained
inch, hoping. to make it the coveted ell in
the morning. He knew the chief objec-
tfon, which was that Ford. too. was a
short line engineer; a man who would
lay down his railroad as the czar .Ot
Russia did the St. PETERSBURG g-MoscOw
hne-by placing a ruler on the map
and drawing a straight mark beside IL
between the two cities-if that were
an American possibility. But he knew.
too, that the safety clause would weigh
heavily. with Ford, and there was no.
minimizing the danger TO future traffic
II the canyon route should be retained
1t turned out finally as the Arst as.
sistant had hoped and believed 1t would:
Ford spent a thoughtful hour at his
office in the Guaranty building before
Frisbie came down-the little. man
being trail weary enough to sleep late
in. the comfortabIe room at the Brown
+. Palace. The slight change OF route
was hardly a matter to be carried up
TO the executive committee. and: Fords
decision turned upon quite another
pivot--the addition of. IL, miles of dis
tance. AS against this. safety and
economy won the day; and when Fris-
bic came in the talk was merely OF
ways and means.
Fix up the change: with the Mac
Morroghs tine best. way you cam was
Ford's concluding instruction to his
lieutenant They will kick. OF course;
merely to be kicking at anything I
suggest But you can bring them to
terms, guess
by my Ionesome?::' said F'rishfe.
Aren't you. going over to see the new
route with your own eyes2'.'
mo. I'm perfectly willing to trust
your Judgment. Dick. Besides. Eve got
other fish to fry. I'm going east to-
night to- have one more tussle with
the steel mills We must have quick
deliveries and more of them. When
T get back We'll organize the. track
layers and begin to make us a rail-
road"
Good" said Frfsbie, gathering up
his maps and sketches Of the detour
country. and so. in the wording of a
brief sentence or two it came to pass
that Ford delivered himself bound and
unarmed into the hands of his enemies.
A little light was thrown upon this
dark passage that night in the Office
of the general manager. after FOrds
train had gone eastward. and Frisbie
was on his way back to the MacMor-
rogh headquarters on the lower Pannt-
kin. North was waiting when Eckstein
came in flushed as from rapid walk.
It's all settled?" asked the general
manager. with a slow lift OF the eye
brow to betray his anxiety
ITO the queens taste, 1 should say"
was the secretary's not too deferential
reply. "Ford's out of the way, to be
gone 10 days or fortnight and Frisbte
has gone back to dicker with MacMor-
rogh, and to survey the new route up
Horse creek Ford doesn't know;
spring the trap on him. The one thing
was most afraid of was that he would
insist upon going over the new line
himself. Then. of course. he would
have. found out-he couldn't help find
ing out"
The general manager squared his
huge shoulders against the back OF the
chair
you think he would call it OF il he
knew" he queried. You give him
credit for too much virtue. Eckstein.
But I think we have him now BY the
time he returns it will be too late Tor
him to hedge. MacMorrOgh viii see
to that"
Eckstein nodded Il made point
of that with Brian he said. The min
ute the word is given he is to throw
a little army of graders upon the new
roundabout But Ford won't. ind out
He'll be too busy on this end OF the
line WITH IHe TRACK layers. Il III q AAtS-~
nervous about Merriam. though
He's the man who talked Frisbie
into championing the new rOuteg
..'Yess He did 1T pretty skillfully'
made Frisbie think he was finding it
out himself. and never let the little
man out Of his sight while they were
in Copah. But 1 am afraid Merriam
himself knows too much"
Get him out OF the cOuntry-before
Ford gets back was the crisp order
'If he isn't here when the gun goes
off he can't tell anybody how it was
loaded"
AN appointment" Eckstein began
That is what mean" said the gen
eral manager. turning back to his desk
I'VE need traffic agency up In the
Oregon country. See Merriam-tonight-
Find out If he'd IKE to have the gen.
eral agency at. say, twenty-five hun
dred a year: and If he agrees get out
the circular appointing him
He'll agree, fast enough" laughed
the secretary. But I'll nail him-to-
night"
T-orI r3f frx,r r-,nro fvun