Middletown transcript., 1916-01-29
Q6eBALL9 9fT Id
9yGE0RG[ RAND0LpH Q[EST[R.
and LILLIAN CHESTER w.
. |s5;:5::s% & & e, ILLUSTRATED &cRMoDEs
c0eaosGD0H

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
A.-P. and the cereal trust, the metal
trust, the fuel trust, the cloth trust,
and all the other iniquitous combina-
tions in restraint of everything! Wow!
Zowie! That was the hot one! 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 rail-
road not under the immediate protec-
ton Of the APP, was reduced to a
shrivel, and its stocks began to drop
with the sickening plunge of an un-
opened parachute!
Gail Sargent kept Nanette on the
rush for extras 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.
It 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 to 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, and with
hollows under his eyes. He had vio
lent headache, and he looked ten years
older. He walked slowly into the Ii
brary where Mrs. Sargent and Mrs
Davies and Gail were discussing the
future of Vedder court, and dropped
into a chair.
Grace Sargent rang bell instantly
When Jim felt that way, he needed q
hot drink first of all.
What is the matter?" she asked
him, the creases Of worry flashing into
her brow.
ITS been hard day." he explained
forcing himself, with an effort, to an
swer. Years of persistent experience
had taught him to follow the line O.
. least resistance. There has been {
panic on change. Railroads are goinl
to smash all up and down the line. AL
+ lison's new APP road. It's the sta
piracy of the century. Allison ha
brought into the railroad game tn,
same rough-shod methods he used il
, his traction manipulations."
: Has your company been hurt. jim?
r asked his wife, fully prepared for tn
> worst, and making up her mind t,
, bear up bravely under it.
,of yorliOd h
). passed his hand over his brow. H
was already making a tremendous ei
/ fort to brace himself for tomorrow
! ordeal. 81 escaped today by an acc
: dent. By some mistake the Towand
Valley was mentioned as belonging t
the new A--P combination Of cours
/ didn't correct it, but tomorrow. they
know"
!. 'Mr. Allison was responsible for tha
l. statement" Gail serenely informed he
l. uncle. He promised he'd take care c
J. you"
a Great guns!" exploded her uncle
d What did you know about thi
e thing?"
A "All of It," smiled Gail. She ha
s known that Allison would keep hi
It word, but it gave her a strange sens
Of relief that he had done so.
e Her Aunt Helen turned to her wit
t. commanding eye; but Gail merel
D. dimpled.
II "Of course couldn't say anything
J. went on Gail. ut was all in cont
t. dence. Isn't it glorious, Uncle Jim!'
n You wouldn't have thought so
y you'd been down town today" respon,
N ed her uncle, trying again to eras
" from his brow the damage which ha
d been done to his nerves. They wante
r to mob Allison! He has cut ii
n ground from under the entire railroa
c. business Of the United States! The
ID stocks have debated an aggregate
IL | billions ~ Toll