Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1909-08-12

prey. lie now resorted TO tnat II u ln-
sidious and economical form of bribery
known as the annual pass.
Wheaton accepted the pass as a tribute
to his growing prominence in the town.
He knew that Porter refused railroad
passes on practical grounds, holding that
such favors were extended In the hope
of reciprocal compliments, and he be-
lieved that a banker was better off with
out them. Wheaton, whose vanity had
been touched could see no harm in them.
He had little use for passes as he knew
and cared little about travelling. but he
had always envied men who carried their
"annuals" in little brass bound books
made for the purpose. Ho be sure it was
late In the year and passes were usually
sent out in January, but this made the
compliment seem much more direct; the
Transcontinental had forgotten him, and
had thought it well to rectify the error
between seasons. He felt that he must
not make too much of the railroads cour-
tesy; he did not know to which official
in particular he was indebted, but he
ran into Margrave one evening at the
club and decided to thank him.
"How's traffc?" he asked, as Margrave
made room for him on the settee where
he was reading the evening paper.
Fair. Anything new"
40; it's the same routine with me
pretty much all the time"
Il guess that's right. l shouldn't think
there was much fun in banking. You got
to keep the public too far away. l like
to be up against people myself"
But you railroad people are not con-
sidered so very warm" said Wheaton
The follows who want favors seem %
think SO. By the way, I'm much Obliged
to some one for all annual .nal tanned
know who sent it to me-if it's you--'
"Um?" Margrave affected to have
been wandering in his thoughts, but this
was what he was waiting for. "Oh,
guess that was Wilson. l never fool
with the pass business myself; I've got
troubles of my own"
Il guess I'll not use it very often,
said Wheaton, as il he owed an apology
to the road for accepting it.
Better come out with me in the car
some time and see the road" Margrave
suggested, throwing his newspaper on the
table.
''I'd like that very much" said Whea-
tonu.
Where's Thompson now? Old mans
pretty we'll done up, amt heT'
He went back to Arizona. He was
here at work all summer. He's afraid OF
our winters
oil thoS rtr oh n
said Margravce, affably. There amt
any young man in town that's got bet
ter chance than you have, Jim. be-
lieve there's going to be good thing for
some one in Traction stock. Porter
ought to let you in on that Margrave
didn't know that Porter was in, but he
expected to find out.
Mr.. Porter has a way of keeping
things to himself" said Wheaton, eau
tiously; yet he was tattered by Mar
graves friendliness, and anxious. to make
a favorable impression. Vanity is not,
as is usually assumed, mere incident
of character; it is a disease.
Il suppose" said Margrave, that a
man could buy barrel of the stuff just
now at low figure
Whats your guess as to the turn this
Traction business will take" asked
Wheaton. He had not expected an OPP
portunity to talk to any one of Mar
graves standing on this subject, and he
thought he would get some information
while the opportunity offered.
Don't ask me! If l knew I'd like to
get into the game. But, look here''-he
moved his fat body a little nearer to
Whea ton-"the way to go into that thing
is to go into it big I've had my eye On
it for a good while, but | amt going
to touch it unless | can swing it all.
Now, you know Porter, and | know him,
and you can bet your last dollar he'll
never be able to handle 1t. He amt built
for il ~ His voice sank to a whisper.
But if | decide to go in, I've got to get
rid of Porter. Me and Porter can't trav-
ell in the same harness. You know that
Now, | don't know how much he's got,
and he's so mysterious you can't tell
what he's up to- You know how he is
YOU can't 60 to a fellow like that and do
business with him, and he won't play
anyhow, unless you play his way"
well, | don't know anything about
his affairs, of course" said Wheaton, yet
feeling that Margrave's condolences must
be reciprocated. Just between our
selves. he did buy little some time ago,
but no great amount. 1t would take a
good deal of money to control that COM
pany."
You're dead right, it would and Por-
ter hasn't any business fooling with it.
You've got to syndicate thing like that
He's probably got tip from some OF
his Eastern friends as to what they're
going to do. and he's buying in, when he
can. to get next. But say, he hasn't any
Traction bonds, has he:"
Wheaton had already said more than
he had intended. and repented now that
he had been drawn into this conversation
but Margrave was bending toward him
with a great air of condescending init
macy. Porter had never been confiden-
tial with him; and it was really Mar
grave who had given him his start.
Il don't think so at least | never
knew of it." His mind was on those
checks to Peckham. which clearly repre-
sented purchases of stock. Of course
Porter might have bonds, too, but having
gone thus far he did not like to admit to
Margrave how little he really knew OF
Porter's doings.
That's all between us-that little mat
ter" said Margrave.