Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-23

Mr.. Ford. I'm one of the family if I
| haven't any initials after my name.
| know-we all know-that there are certain
| profitS-not made out of the company. of
| course-that a contractor is always will
! ing to share with his good friends, the
| engineers
Ford's attitude instantly became that
| of freshman wishing to learn the ropes.
Consider me, Mr.. ECkstein.' he said.
I'm new to the construction buSineSs-or.
at least, I've never been at the head or
| it before. What are these-er-perquis-
| ites?"
The private secretary thought he had
entered the thin edge of the wedge and
he drove it heartily.
They are perfectly legitimate of
course. The contractors run commits
sary to supply the workmen-nobodys us-
poets them of doing it at cost. Then
there are the fines imposed to secure
faithful work. the per capita commission
paid on the labor sent in by the engineers.
the discounts on time checks. the weekly
hospital and insurance dues collected
from the men. All those things amount
to good round profit on a contract like
ours
ITO about how much. in figures, should
you say" queried Ford, with an air of
the deepest interest.
''To enough to make your share. as
head of the construction department,
touch ten thousand year, on a job as
1
Mr.. FriSbie, besides
Ford blew reflective smoke rings toward
the ceiling for full minute or more be-
fore he said. quietly: do | understand
that you are authorized to guarantee me
ten thousand d year in commissions from
| the Marlborough Brothers, Mr.. Eek
sten?''
Eckstein laughed.
you forget that I'm only clerk. and
an onloOker. as you may say. But If you
accept McMorrogh's bid, and he doesn' t
do the square thing by you and Mr.. Fris-
bic, you may call me in as a witness,
Mr.. Ford. Does that clear UP the
doubt"
Perfectly" was the quiet rejoinder.
| Under these conditions. | suppose it is
up to me TO wire the executive commit
tee withdrawing my objections to the
MacMorrOghs. isn't it?"
That is the one thing Mr.. Marlborough
| asks The secretary whipped out
notebook and pencil "Shall l take your
message? I can send it when l go back
to the Office"
Thank you" said-Ford: then he began
to dictate. slowly and methodically: ITO
S. J. Colbrith. care McVeigh and Mackie,
New York This is to recall my objec-
| tons to MacMorrogh Brothers, as stated
in letter of the twenty-ffth from Chi
cago. Further investigation develops the
fact that they are quite honest and capa-
BILE. and that they will pay me ten thou
sand dollars a year for withdrawing my
opposition"
Eckstein's pencil had stopped and he
was gasping for breath.
Great Scott he calculated. THAT
won't do Mr.. Ford, You can't put a
thing like that into a telegram to the
presdentl'
why not?" was the cool inquiry. You
said it was perfectly legitimate, didn't
your
Eyes, but" the entrance of a waiter
to clear the table provided mercful
stop-gap, and Eckstein, hurriedly con-
sulting his watch, switched abruptly. by
Jove I'm due at the office this minute
to meet a lot of cattlemen," he STAN
mered. and escaped like a man fastening
for first aid to the mistaken.
Ford laughed long and silently when he
found himself alone in the private dining
room: and he was still chuckling by fits
and starts when, after an afternoon spent
with Auditor Evans, he recounted his ad-
venture to Frisbie over the Brown cafe
dinner table that evening. But Frisbie
took all the humor out of the luncheon
episode when he said, soberly:
He laughs best who laughs last,
Stuart. Eckstein took a fall out of you
one way, even If he did fail in the other;
he kept you safely shut up at Tortoni' S
while Mr.. North and the chief of the
MacMorroghs got away on special train
for New yOrk. Beard, the union sta
ton operator, told me-. Which means
that they'll have a full day with MT.
Colbrith and the executive committee be-
fore you can possibly get there to butt
in"
NO it doesn't, necessarily Ford con-
tradicted rising suddenly and signaling
a waiter.
What are you going to do?" queried
F'risbie, dropping his knife and fork and
preparing to second his chief.
Come and see. I'm going to get cut
another special train and give Mr.. North
run for his money" was the incisive
answer. Hike down to the dispatcher's
office with me and help me cut out the
minutes