Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-28

on the spot. and hoping he might have q
private audience with the president fol
the doing Of 1t.
The hope was not denied. Penfield. who
was acting as private secretary to Mr..
Coibrith. en- route. appeared in the pas
sageway to say that Ford was wanted
in the presidents stateroom.
well. Mr.. Ford. what are we waiting
for?" was the querulous demand which
served as Mr.. Colbrith's greeting when
Ford presented himself at the door Of the
private compartment.
Ford's reply lacked the deferential note.
He had reached a point at which his job
was not worth as much as ii had been.
II have just brought Miss Adair back
from the top of the pass, where we met
Mr.. F'risbie. my chief of construction. l
wished to ask him II he thought the
track was safe for your car. and he says,
most emphatically, that 1t is not. l cam
not take the responsibility of sending the
Nadia to the end Of track"
The presidents thin face was working
irritably. IT haven't asked you to assume
any responsibility. Mr. Ford. II the track
is safe for your material trains. II is safe
enough for my car. But 1 didn't send
for you to argue the point. I desire to
have the Nadia taken to the front. Be
good enough to give the necessary
ORDERS"
Ford tried again. In addition to the
precarious track there were few or no
unoccupied sidings. especially near the
front. Moreover. there was no telegraph
service which might suffice for the safe
dispatching of the special train. There
might be entire sections over which the
Nadia would have to be tagged by man
on foot, and
The president cut him off with almost
childish impotence.
II don't know what your object is in
putting so many stumbling blocks in the
way. Mr.. Ford" he rasped. "A suspicious
person might say that you have been do
ing something which you do not wish to
have found out"
Ford was a fair-skinned man, and the
blood burned holly in his face. But. as
once before under the presidents nag
ging. he found his self-control rising with
the provocation.
My work is open to inspection or in
vestigation. now or at any time, and
think we need not discuss that point,
he said when he could force himself 70
say it calmly. I'VE were speaking of the
advisability of taking the Nadia and
pleasure party over piece of raw con-
struction line. and into an environment
which. to put 1t mildly. could hardly be
conEenial toto the ladies OF the party.
You know. or ought to know. the Mac
MorroRhs: their camps are not exactly
models of propriety. Mr. Colbrith."
This was merely waving red flag at an
already exasperated bull. The president
cut the air like a knife.
Mr.. Ford. when 1 wish to be told what
Is or is not proper for me 10 do. I'll ask
you for an opinion. sir. But this is quite
beside the mark. VIII you order this car
out. or shall To-
Ford looked at his watch imperturb-
ably. Now that the president was thor
oughly angry he could afford to be cool.
'It Is now 8 o'clock. and our end of
track Is fully one hundred and ten miles
beyond the summit of the pass. Do
understand that you wish to take the
added risk of a night run. Mr.. Colbrith?
If so. I'll give the order and We'll pull
out
IT desire to go now" was the irascible
reply. lis that sufficiently explicit?''
1T Isl said Ford. and he left the pres
ence' to 20 forward to the cab of the
waiting engine.
You are to take the car over the
mountain. Hector" he said. briefly. to
the beetle-browed giant in blue denim.
when he had climbed to the foot plate
I'll pilot for YOU"
How far?" inquired the engineer.
Something like hundred and ten
miles"
Holy smoke! over a construction track
in the night?"
ITS the presidents order-none of
mine. Let's get a move"
The big man got down from his box
and made room for Ford I'll be pilin
'em in the ditch somewhere as sure as
my names Bill Hector he said. But
well go. all the same. II he says so. I've
pulled Mr.. Colbrith before Down with
you. Jimmy Shovel. and set the switch
for u.s."
The fireman swung off and stood by the
switch. and Hector backed his one-car
train from the siding. When he had