Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-12-15

Empire Builders
By FRANCIS LYNDE
| Copyright I90s-By ynde.

By FRANCIS LYND]
CHAPTER xvII1-[Continuedl

boy or tramp! Get those teams out
Dick, and give, me chance to COO
down. If my job is to last through
this day"
Frisbie laughed. Go and dip your
head in the Pannikin while you wait
Or, better still, chew on this. It's a
cipher message that Durgin has just
been sending for Penfield to Vice
President North. Wouldn't that make
you weep and howl?"
Ford was still pulling over the
meaningless code words when he took
his seat in the second of the two buck
boards with Frisbie. The first assist
ant waited until the horses had splash
through the shadows OF the river
crossing: waited further until the
presidents vehicle had gained little
start. Then he said: SIS it possible
that you had Penfield for a spy on you
las long as you did without working
tout his cipher code? Good Lord!
got that down before did anything
selse-last spring when you left me 70
irun the Plug Mountain. Here's what
The says to North'-taking the code
message and translating: Ford sus-
spects something Don't know how
much. He and Miss Adair are putting
their heads together. She was author
sity of some kind from her brother.
president goes with Ford to examine
abandoned route. as arranged. Will
wire result later
tfnl comment. apparently, everything
lis arranged for us. Some day, DICK,
I'm lose, my temper, tie Penfield in
khard knot and throw him into the
sriver! It's like a chapter out OF
,Luoretia Borgia!
CHAPTER XIX.
II was possibly an hour after Pen
sfeld's cipher message reached the
Southwestern Pacific headquarters in
1.-THE Colorado capital, when talr-halr-
ed young man in London-cut clothes,
and with tourists quota OF hand-lug-
gage. crossed the Denver Union station
platform from the Pullman OF be-
lated Chicago train.
Ascertaining from sateman that
the Plug mountain day train had long
gone on it's way up the canyon, the
Young man left his many belongings
lat the checkstand and had himself
driven up town TO the Guaranty build
ing. 1t was Eckstein who took his
card in Mr.. North's outer Office. The
private secretary was debating to a
stenographer. and was impatient IF
the Interruption. But the name on the
card wrought miracle.
"Mr. North? Why surely. Mr.
Adair. He is always at liberty for
You Right through this way''-hold-
ing the gate in the counter railing at
its widest-.were mighty glad to see
you in Denver, always
Adair had acquired the monocle hab-
II on his latest run across the Altar
tic, and to keep in practice he gave
the secretary the coolest of stares
through the disconcerting glass
Really, I'm quite delighted. Who
is the other member Of the we Mr.
er-er-"
'Eckstein," prompted the secretary,
hut he said no more, being prudently
anxious to be quit of the transfxing
stare before worse thing should be-
fan.
In the inner room the vice president
was less ELUSIVE, but no less cordial.
1T was a rare thing to see one of the
ycompany's directors In the Denver bus
iiness Offices Mr.. North was of the
opinion that it would be a good invest
ment of time and effort for all con-
cerned If the members of the board
used their privilege oftener. So on
Through half a dozen polite time-killers
ito the reluctant query: What could
ithe general manager do for Mr..
tAdair?
Given leave to speak, Adair stated
his needs succinctly He wanted a |
special train to Saints Rest; he want
ed it suddenly, and he asked that it be
given the right of the road.
MY dear sir!" protested the vice
president, 'you mustn't ask impossi-
Utilities! You shall have the train at
once, of course; you shall have my
private car. But when it comes to the
right of way. you'll have to appeal to
Mr.. Ford. Why. he doesn't scruple to
lay out the United States mails for his
material trains!"
"Um' said Adair. Where can /
reach Ford?'
Mr.. North did not equivocate: he
never lied when the truth would an
swer the purpose equally well.
He is out on the extension. or
more correctly speaking, somewhere
beyond the present end Of the con
struction telegraph line. Pm afraid
you couldn't reach him by wire
And the PRESIDENT" queried the
visitor.
Mr. Colbriths car is at the end Of
track. You wished to join the party in
the Nadia?"
That Is what | had in mind" said
Ada1r, not too anxiously.
Mr.. North shook his head
Il don't think you'd enjoy the run
over the construction track Mr.. Col
BIRTH went over it last night because
well, because he believes it to be a
presidential duty to inspect every
ching. IL you leave today, you will
probably meet the Nadia coming out
possibly at Saints Rest.
Adair suddenly became wary.
Perhaps that. would be the easy
thing to DO he said. Il suppose the
engineers at Saints Rest could put mo
up II X have to stay over night" VI
YOU, needn't, ask them You will
have my ear-with the best cook this
side of Louisiana. Keep it, live in il,
till Mr. Cnlhrifh nj l