Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-04-26
CHAPTER II.

A fight among the directors-and a
bitter f1ght-had been indicated from
che moment the allotment of the stock
issue of the new Copper Range and
Underwater cutoff line was discussed
1t was not alone that TIE territory of
the proposed cutoff was rich in traf-
fic. The survey made by Holmes en-
gineers through a wild country, hith-
erto reputed inaccessible. had devel-
oped low-grade pass through the Su-
perstiticn mountains that would put
the Tidewater's active rival-the Colo
RADIO @and Coast line-with it's heavy
grades and curves, at a serious, if not
irretrievable, disadvantage, in its fight
for competitive traffic.
General Holmes, seated in the IL
brary of his country home with his
associate. Amos Rhinelander, took
from his morning mail a letter from
John B. Rhodes, chairman of his execu-
tive committee, which revealed the ex-
Holmes handed the letter to Rhine
lander. Rhodes had discovered that
their competitors already had a sur
veying party out on reconnaissance.
endeavoring to locate the Tidewater
pass; having in view the reputation
for sharp practice of the Colorado line
hackers, he urged Holmes to keep a
close watch on the original survey,
now in the generals possession, until
the right of way should be definitely
secured. He added that with his party
of the directors, he would arrive on
special at noon for the informal board
meeting at which means for financing
the project were to be arranged.
Through a complication in financial
arrangements, Holmes had been
obliged to put on his own, the Tide
water line board, a minority group of
directors led by Rhinelander's nephew,
Seagrue and Seagrue's attorney, Ca
pelle-Seagrue was owner of sub
stantial interest in the Colorado and
Coast line itself. Indeed, his means
were all tied up in it. 1t was this COM
pIication which caused uneasiness in
Holmes mind and called for prudence
not all those even of his own direc-
torate could be trusted, in the circum-
stances, not to conniYe against his in
terest
Seagrue had already been for the
weekend the house guest of Holmes.
He was at that moment seated in the
garden with Helen-Holmes daughter
and Helen was being alternately
amused and bored by the patiently
forced efforts of the easterner to in
serest her in himself and his affairs.
More than once during his stay she
had refused to listen seriously to him
and now to annoy him, she professed
to wonder, as the blast of a freight
engine whistle sounded at the moment
through the hills, whether that might
not be George Storm, one of her IA
TIERS many engineers-a man to
whom she had lately rendered a great
and gratuitous service and about whom
Seagrue himself had once tried to twit
her. And it so CHANGED that it really
was young Storms train running by
them for the passing track. He had
orders to wait there for the directors
special.
Toward noon, Holmes and his guests,
together with Helen, started for the
station to meet the train. It's arrival
was the occasion of many greetings
for Helen from old New York friends
who declared that the mountain sun
and air had wrought wonders for the
once delicate girl.
It was while she stood thus on the
platform surrounded by her newly ar
rived guests that a young engineman
crossed the platform, cap in hand.
After slight hesitation he walked up
to her as If he would speak. Again,
as if undecided. he halted just before
Helen. She noticed the rather grimy
appearance of the sta1wart engineman,
obviously just from his cab, but Gid
not look closely enough to recognize
him. If he was pausing. as he stood,
for courage, it rose in him, for as her
eyes returned to him, he stepped near
er to her: y think it was you who
saved my life the other day" he said
somewhat haltingly. Then he ques-
tioningly held out his hand will you
accept my thanks?"
The moment he spoke. Helen knew
hint was Storm, the fireman of the
freight wreck. Indeed. she remem-
bered him almost too well. Her face
flushed with embarrassment. Her
guests, without catching what he had
said, were critically inspecting the
smoked engineer. Something like
wave OF resentment swept over Helen.
Why should he choose this, of all mo-