Gilpin observer., 1916-03-09

anu 6l tuo Otuer lnlQultOu6 cOmDlna-
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-
tion of the APP, was reduced to
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 froh, 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.
first step in Allison's tremendous prof.
ect an accomplished fact. The rest of
1t 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 H.
brary where Mrs. Sargent and Mrs.
Davies and Gail were discussing the
future of Vedder court, and dropped
i 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 hard day." he explained,
forcing himself. with an effort, to an
swer. Years of persistent experience
had taught him to follow the 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 A.-P. 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
I VI rot nd III L.
bear up bravely under 1t.
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. Il escaped today by an acci-
dent. BY some mistake the TOwandO
Valley was mentioned as belonging to
the new A.-P. combination. or course
l didn't correct 1t, 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 1t gave her a strange sense
OF relief that he had done 80.
Her Aunt Helen turned to her with
commanding eye; but Gail merely
dimpled. '-
"Of course I couldn't say anything. I"
went on Gail. 1T was all In conf
dence Isn't 1t glorious, Uncle Jim!"
you wouldn't have thought so II
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 In
permanent. He has 'bankrupted a host
Of men, rifled the pockets Of million
poor investors; he. has demoralized
the entire transportation commerce oi
the United States; and he gave no one
the show of rat in a trap!"
isn't that business?" asked Gail
, the red spots beginning to come into
her cheeks. .''''' l''.. %" s."
Not Quite!" snapped her Uncle Jim
Fiction has made that the universal
idea, but there are decent men In bust
ness. The majority OF them are. ever
in railroading. Most roads are organ
lied and conducted for the sole pur
! pose of carrying freight and passen
, gers at q profit for the stockholders
/ and spectacular stock jobbing deali
, are the exception rather than tn,
/. rule"
. HAS Mr.. Allison been more unfaii
than others who have made big con
solidations?" demanded Gail, agar
. aware Of the severely inquiring eye o
Aunt Helen. '"i
u NRoffanin ranlted har Ii ncla NTH N,