The San Francisco call., 1908-10-18

You overrate my influence, Mr.. Ford.
but III do what 1 can-by word OF
mouth and by example. You can count
on meas long as you let me stay on
your side of the market"
Ford had three several invitations
TO luncheon after the meeting ad-
journed, but he accepted none of them.
To Adatr he made the declination cOur-
teous while they were trundling back
TO the Waldorf in the big touring car
1 have lost an entire day because
could not take the time TO secure a
stenographer before leaving Chicago
night before last. 1 must find one now
and go to work"
'.All right. if you must But I was
hoping l could take you out to over
look to dinner this evening. Can't you
come anyhow, and take a later train
weSt?''
Don't tempt me- said Ford. And
then, The ladies are quite well, I
hope?"
"Oh. yes; they are in town today.
and we are all going to luncheon to-
gether-though 1 shant know Just
where until 1 go to the club. Failing
the dinner, won't you make a knife and
fork with us at 1 O'clOck?''
L should like to-more than any
thing else in the world" Ford pro-
tested. meaning it. But you'll make
we've simply got to get a three-cOr-
nered hustle on now. if we want to
save the day in the west"
Why? Is there anything new IN
that quarter?'
There is: something that 1 didn't
dare to mention back yonder in the
board meeting. You may remember
that told you l had left man in my
place on the Plug mOuntain-Frisbie
a wi +
last, Just as l was leaving Chicago.
As you know the Pacific Southwestern
inherits from the old narrow gauge
purchase the right of way over Plug
pass and down the valley of the Panni-
kim Frisbie wires that the TranscOn-
tinental people have begun massing
building material at the terminus OF
their Sasuaehe branch, only 20 miles
from the pass"
And that means? I'm lame on geog-
raphy."
1T means that they'll cut in ahead OF
us If they can Plug pass is the only
available unoecupied outlet through the
mountains for 80 or 40 miles north or
south; and if we don't get our building
force on the ground mighty suddenly
We'll find 1T fortified and held by the
enemy
The touring car had turned into
Broadway and the traffic roar precluded
further talk But when Ford was dis
mounting from the tonneau at the en-
trance to his hotel Adair said: There
appears to be no rest for the wicked.
You ought to have some of that $780,
100000 TO spend right now"
FOrds smile was little more than a
sardonic grin.
"Adair." he said. Pm going to tell
you something else that I didn't dare
tell those money tremulous people in
McVeigh & MaclSie's private office.
have been signing contracts and buying
material by the trainload ever since the
first grain shipment was started east
ward on our main line Also I've got
my engineering corps mObilized. and it
will take the field under Frisbie as it's
chief not later than tomorrow. Putting
one thing with another 1 should say
that we are something over a fresh
million of dollars on the wrong side OF
solvency for these little antics of mine,
and I'm adding to the deficit by the
hundred thousand every time can get
chance to dictate a letter.
Adair lighted a cigarette and made a
fair show Of taking 1t easily. But
moment later he was lifting his hat to
wipe the perspiration from his fore
head
Lord but you have the confidence
Of your convictions he said. breath
ing hard IF we shouldn't happen to
be able to float the bonds"
I'VE are in too deep to admit the
if The bonds must be fioated, and at
the earliest possible moment that Mag
nus will move in it. You wanted some
thing big enough to keep you inter-
ested. have been trying my best to
accommodate YOU
Adair leaned forward and spoke to
his chauffeur. The man watched his
chances for room to turn in the crowd
ed street.
Where are you going?" asked Ford.
Back to McVeigh and Mackie's-
where / can watch a ticker and go
broke buying more Pacific Southwest
ern," was the reply. and just then the
chauffeur found his opening and the
big car whirled and plunged into the
downtown stream
In the financial news the next morn
ing there was half column or more
devoted to the sudden and unaccOunt-
able furry in Pacific Southwestern.
Ford got it in the Pittsburg papers and
read it while the picked up stenOgra-
pher was wrestling with his notes.
After the drop in the stock caused, in the
estimation of the writer by the COM
pany's sudden plunge into railroad buy
Ing at wholesale, p s. w. had recov-
cred with bound advancing rapidly
in the closing hours of the day from
the lower sos TO AZ, with a strong de-
mand. The utmost secrecy was main
tanned. but 1t was shrewdly suspected
that one of the great companies, OF
which the Pacific Southwestern was
now a competitor on an equal footing
for the grain carrying trade had gone
in to absorb the new factor in trans
Missouri traffic. Other and more SEN
sational developments might be expect
ed If the battle should be- fought to a
finish Then followed a brief history
of the Pacific Southwestern, with a
somewhat garbled account of the late
dash for a Chicago terminal. but lack
inS-as Ford remarked gratefully-any
hint of the company's designs in the
farther west
If Adair and Brewster and the 9TH
ers only have the nerve to keep IT upr'
Ford said to himself Then he tossed
the paper aside and dived once more
into the deep sea of extension building.
working the picked up stenQgrapher
until the young man was ready with
his resignation the moment the final
letter was filed for mailing in the Chf-
cagO station.
Five days the young engineer waited
for news from New YOrk-Waifod and