The San Francisco call., 1908-10-11
CHAPTER vi
The ANalzening Of Charles Edward

L
from the meeting in the Broad
street board room, paid his bin,
and had himself shot up to the
fifth floor TO prepare for a swift
retreat from the scene of his humiliat-
1nE defeat Z was hardly in keeping
with his boast of persistence that he
should suffer himself to be thus routed
by a single reverse. however crushing.
But in a world where every problem
contains its human factor, red wrath
accounts for much that is otherwise
unaccountable.
Ford was thoroughly and unreason-
ingly angry and disgusted when he
began to fling his belongings into the
small steamer trunk, and 1t was only
natural that he should turn with lit
tie brow wrinkling of resentment
when, a little later, Mr.. Charles Ed
ward Adair. following his card up to
the fifth hoor front. lounged good ma
turedly into the room.
Beg pardon, I'm sure" said the in
truder easily. Didn't know you were
busy. I thought maybe you'd like TO
know the effect of your little double
headed bOmbshell, and L couldn't be
sure Uncle Sidney would take the
trouble 10 tell you"
Ford made no effort TO conceal his
contempt for the financial gods.
i don't imagine it will take you
Nrery long TO tell IT." he retorted
Nothing short of a combined earth
quake and volcanic eruption would
have any effect upon that crowd"
oh. but you're wrongm protested
Adair. That shot of yours with the
semiannual summary for a projectile
stirred 'em up good. 1t seems that
Uncle Sidney and Hertford and More
lock-they're the executive committee,
you knOw-have had the auditors fig
Ures for some days, but they hadn't
thought II necessary to harrow the
feelings Of the other members of the
board with the cataclysmic details. So
there was a jolly row. Magnus want
ed TO know. top loftily. why a small
official from the farther end of the
system should be the first TO bring
the news; and Mackie was so wrathy
that he inadvertently put the hot end
OF his cigar in his mouth. Even Con-
molly woke up enough TO say that it
was BANKED bad politics"
But nothing came Of it?" said Ford.
hope rising in spite of the negative
query.
NO; nothing but a general handout
Of pretty sharp talk. What was need
ed right then was a unifier-somebody
who could take command and coax or
bully the scrapping factions into line.
MagnUs tried 1t, but he's too smooth.
Brewster was the man, but he has too
many other and bigger irons in the
Are 10 care much about P. S-W. Con-
plolly could have done it If the scrap
lad been q political split, but he was
out Of his element"
"Humph," growled Ford. 'It didn't
occur TO me that there were any differ
ences Of opinion TO be reconciled. The
entire board sat on my proposition-as
g unit"
Adair laughed with imperturbable
good humor.
The factions were there. just the
same. You see. it's like this: Brewster
and Magnus and two or three more are
pretty well to do. and their holdings in
p. S-W. don't cut much Of figure with
them. one way or another. The others
have more stock in the company, and
fewer millions When the jangle came,
Brewster and the heavy men said, oh,
Jet II 20: il isn't worth bothering with
Naturally. the little fellows. with more
10 lose and less money nerve, said
No
1T spells the same word for me, in
any event" Ford commented. and went
I-s-
trunk.
Adair got upon his feet and strolled
away to the window
When he turned again to face the
beaten one he said:
If I wasn't so Internally lazy Mr..
Ford. I more than half believe that 1
could pull this thing off for you, my
self But that is the curse Of being
born with too much money. I can
take a plunge into business now and
then-Tve done it. But my best friend
couldn't bet on me two days in sue
cession."
Ford looked up quickly.
Then don't put your hand to this
plOw, Mr.. Adair. I'll be frank with
you. can fit the mechanical parts of
this scheme of mine together, so that
they viii run true and do business.
But I, or any man IN my place, would
have to have solid backing here in
New York: a board that would be ag-
gressive as a handful OF rebels fighting
Tor life. and every man Of ii deter
mined to win out or smash something.
Mr. Magnus spoke Of the opposition we
should encounter from our competitors.
He might have said more. What the
Transcontinentsl, for example, wouldn't
do TO obliterate US needn't be cata-
logued. How do you suppose the
present P S-W. board would fare in
such a fght?"
The youngest member OF the houted
board laughed again
You mustn't say in your wrath that
all men are lars-or towards. There
is plenty Of fight in our crowd; end
plenty Of money. too. il you could only
get it sufficiently scared"
I've done my best" said Ford.
slammng the lid Of the trunk and
buclzling the straps vigorously. The
pext time I'll find my market first and
build my scheme afterward."
We'll. if ] can say il without Of
fense, I'm honestly sorry for you, Mr.
Ford; you've been butchered TO make
a Broad street holiday" said Adair,
Iounging toward the door. You are
going back TO the west I suppose?"