The San Francisco call., 1910-03-06

burning ambitions of my young life is to the
directorate of street railroad I've held block of
the original stock for year and it's brought me
nothing so far"
1t the others to laugh. "Now, there's
really brilliant idea. R. Pendleton Carteret the mir
of fashion and the favorite of the Salons ven
lures upon the thorny path of industrial empire
building. Your fate is sealed, old chap. I'll recon-
mend you to the governor tonight"
There's telling where the til avenue rail-
road will end if it draws few more heavy weights
like ourselves into its service" said Carter aably
Through some chance mischance Carter had
annexed a number of the -th avenue shares, the
identity of which had been lost in the various
combinations of the city's traction system. His
cautious market operations had gone we'll with him.
his balance good and he had had occasion to
dispose of the holdings. He thus given some
shadow of claim to the position and it about
that at nominal meeting of stock holders few
weeks later, when Henry Cutten put through his list
of officers, the name of R. Pendleton Carterct was
the list director.
Beyond the slight tickling of his vanity and. the
satisfaction he took from looking himself up in the
city directory, the Vrgnan drew immediate result
from the transaction. He had almost forgotten the
hollow honor when Mrs. Wifred Stilton recalled it
to his mind rather Unexpectedly
The charming Mrs Stton was widow and con-
sequently empress of her affairs fact which
may have accounted in part for her marked interest
in matters of business. She made the mistake
of introducing sordid topics in company that would
have taken offense, but there certain in the
active banking and operating sets who found her
wholly fascinating in her coquettish assumption of
familiarity with the movements of securities and
ditions change With these friends she discussed
behind FAM the latest of dividend or consoli-
dation, while conventional, though perhaps less
profitable talk under way elsewhere. Meanwhile
she had astonishing success with her investments.
"And that rattletrap old street road of yours Mr.
Carteret," her unctious challenge to the Vir-
glnian. I'm sure you're planning surprising
coup, now, aren't you? Carter parried the sparkling
glance. He had constitutional objection to feminine
activity in masculine pursuits But he recovered him
self the next moment Mrs. Stilton was wealthy and
well received never his policy allow scnti-
ment to interfere where advantage might lie
LAYING THE PLANS
"You fatterng, but poorly informed" he
laughed Il am on the directorate merely to lend
spectability and dignity to that body. The chances
are, Mrs Stton, that you know much about the
-th avenue than do"
But the incident aroused latent curiosity in him.
He had attended stupid meeting of the directors
at which fixed number of phrases supplied by
Cutten had been mumbed and voted through with
out comment. Now he was reminded that, after ALL
to know something of its conduct. He had made
fair start toward education in the ntrcacies of wealth
building. He at least entered in the primary
grade And he was inclined now to resume his
studies.
In pursuance of the plan he visited the company's
Office the next day. That is to say, he visited that
part of the Baltic building occupied by Cutten's firm
The "ofhce" of the til avenue, strictly speaking
under Henry Cuttens hat. By deputation it was
in possession of the particular clerk charged with the
superintendent of the companys books, for the great
hnancier kept the actual management and routine
a distance. Carter sought out this clerk and in his
capacity as director demanded all the recent reports
and statements
Accommodated with sheaf of folders and some
typewriter sheets, he settled himself in of
the room reserved for meetings of Cutten's various
drectorates and proceeded to his first book les
son in modern finance He had read state
ment before. Perhaps he the clearer sighted
for this very reason He dug through the figures
with the single purpose of mastering the inner
ing of cryptic phrases and confusing items For
long time the whole thing senseless tumble