Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1915-11-03
GheBAu[.9! of Id
9yGEOpG[ RANDOLPH QI[ST[R.
and LILLIAN CHESTER w.
1 s e - ILLUSTRATED &~C.DRHODES

among the real estate ads. 1t began
early in the morning and it continued
until late at night. fresh details piling
upon each other in mad profusion,
their Importance limited only by the
restrictions of type!
Extra! The trick by which the A.-P.
ran through the mountains over the
Inland Pacific track
Extra, extra! The compulsion by
which the Midcontinent was brought
to complete the big gap in the new
A.-P. system,
Tremendous extra. The contracts
of freightage, subject strictly to the
interstate commerce law, between
APP. and the cereal trust, the metal
trust, the fuel trust. the cloth trust,
and all the other Ubiquitous combina-
lions in restraint of everything Wow!
Zowiei That was the hot onel The
A.-P. was the main stem, and within
thirteen seconds of the appearance on
the streets of the tremendous extra,
every other fragile branchlet of a rail-
road not under the immediate protec-
SACh va AAC AZ was lC&uNGA W a
shriyel and its stocks began to drop
with the sickening plunge of an un-
opened parachute!
Gail Sargent kept Nanette on the
rush for extrss from the first yell on
the streets, and she read every word,
including the underlines on the miscel-
laneous portraits Of Allison and the
funny pi-lines which invariably oc-
Cured in the middle of the most inter
esting sentences.
1t was true, all true! Here was the
first step in Allison's tremendous prof.
ect an accomplished fact. The rest of
it would be gradually revealed, from
day 10 day. as suited his needs, and
the empire he had planned would
spread, until its circle touched and
overlapped. and broke into an intricate
webbing, over all the land and water
of the earth! And she was to be the
empress!
Was she? Through all the night she
had battled that question, and the bat
tie had left traces of darkness around
her luminous eyes.
Late in the afternoon Jim Sargent
came home, drawn, tagged, with
ho'iows under his eyes. He had a vio-
lent headache, and he looked ten years
older He walked slowly into the H.
brary where Mrs. Sargent and Mrs
Davies and Gail were discussing the
future of Vedder court, and dropped
into chair.
Grace Sargent rang bell instantly
When Jim felt that way, he needed a
hot drink first of all.
What is the matter?" she asked
him, the creases of worry flashing into
her brow.
ITS been a hard day." he explained,
forcing himself, with an effort, to an.
swer. Years of persistent experience
had taught him to follow tbs line of
least resistance. There has been a
panic on change. Railroads are going
to smash all up and down the line. Al
lison's new APP. road It's the star
piracy of the century. Allison has
brought into the railroad game the
same rough-shod methods he used in
his traction manipulations.
Has your company been hurt. Jim?"
asked his wife, fully prepared for the
worst, and making up her mind to
bear up bravely under it.
Not yet" replied Sargent, and he
passed his hand over his brow. He
was already making a tremendous eff
fort to brace himself for tomorrow's
ordeal. 81 escaped today by an acct
dent. By some mistake the Towando
Valley was mentioned as belonging to
the new Alp. combination. OF course
/ didn't correct it, but tomorrow they'll
know"
mr. Allison was responsible for thar
statement" Gail serenely Informed her
uncle. "He promised he'd take care of
you"
Great guns!" exploded her uncle.
What did you know about this
thing?"
"All of it," smiled Gail. She had
known that Allison would keep his
word, but it gave her strange sense
of relief that he had done so.
Her Aunt Helen turned to her with
commanding eye; but Gail merely
dimpled.
"of course couldn't say anything"
went on Gail. 1T was all in conf
denoe. Isn't it glorious, Uncle Jimi"
You wouldn't have thought SO IL
you'd been down town today" respond
ed her uncle, trying again to erase
from his brow the damage which had
been done to his nerves. They wanted
to mob Allison! He has cut the
ground from under the entire railroad
business Of the United States, Their
stocks have Debated an aggregate OF
billions of dollars, and the slump is