The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1916-03-10

load his Mirapolitan holdings. Being
a man of business, he ducked to cover
first and talked afterward; but by the
time his hint had grown to rumor size
Mr.. Cartwright had sent for Brouil-
lard
Pull up a chair and have a cigar"
said the great man when Brouillard
had penetrated to the nerve-center of
the Metropolitan activities in the Metro
pole suite and the two stenographers
had been CURLY dismissed. Have
you heard the talk of the street? There
is a rumor that the railroad grading
has been stopped"
Brouillard. busy with the work of
setting the third series of forms on
his great wall, had heard nothing.
I've noticed that they haven't been
blasting for two or three days. But
that may mean nothing more than a
delayed shipment of dynamite" was
his rejoinder.
ut looks bad-devilish bad" The
promoter was planted heavily in his
pivot chair. and the sandy-gray eyes
dwindled to pin points 1--WE are up
dkdluot ludt . I'LL htdu tndl, anu
the promoter handed a telegram
across the desk.
The wire was from Chicago. was
signed Alderman" and was still
damp from the receiving operators
copying press. 1t read:
Work on p S-W.'s Buckskin ex-
tension has been suspended for the
present. Reason assigned, shrinkage
in securities and uncertainty of bust
ness outlook in Niquoia."
Mr.. Cortwright's frown figured as a
feshly mask Of irritability. Let 1t
once get out that the railroad people
don't believe in the future of Mirapo-
lis and we're DONE"
Brouillard's retort was the express
sion of an upfiash Of sanity.
"Mirapolis has no future: 1t has
only an exceedingly precarious pres
emit"
For a moment the sandy-gray eyes
became inscrutable. Then the mask
of irritation slid aside. revealing the
face which Mr.. ]. Wesley Cartwright
ordinarily presented to his world
the face of imperturbable good nature
You're right, Brouillard; Mirapolis
is only a good joke. after all. Some
times | get bamfoozled into the idea
that It isn't-that it's the real thing
That's bad for the nerves. But about
this railroad fizzle: / don't relish the
notion of having our little joke sprung
on us before we're ready to laugh, do
| you? What do you Think"
Brouillard shook himself as one who
casts burden.
TT is not my turn to think. Mr.. Cort-
wright"
"Oh. yes. It is; very pointedly. You're
one of us. to a certain extent: and IL
you were not you would still be inter
ested smash Just now would ham,
per the reclamation service like the
mischief; the entire works shut down;
no cement, no lumber no power;
everything tied up in the courts until
the last creditor quits taking appeals.
Oh. no. Brouillard; you don't want to
see the end Of the world come before
it's due"
II was the consulting engineer Of
the power company rather than the
reclamation service chief who rose
and went to the window to look down
uDOn luo hihb VA Shf-
gringo avenue. And It was the man
who saw one hundred thousand dol
lars the price OF freedom. slipping
away from him who turned after a
minute or two of the absent street gaz-
ing and said: What do you want me
to do, Mr.. Cartwright? / did put my
shoulder to the wheel when Ford was
here. told him II ! were in his place
I'd take the long chance and build the
extension"
Did you-and before you had a
stake in the game? That was white
mans boost, right! Think you could
manage to get Ford on the wire and
encourage him a little more?"
1T isn't Ford; 1t is the New York
bankers. You can read that between
the lines in your man Ackerman's tele.
gram"
The stock gentleman In the pivot
| chair thrust out his jaw and tilted his
freshly-lighted cigar to the aggressive
angle.
Say, Brouillard. we've got to throw
a fresh piece of bait into the cage.
something that will make the railroad
crowd sit up and take notice. b.
George. . those gold hunters up or
| Jacks mountain would only stumble
across something big enough to adyer
tise-"
3rouillard started as II the wishfu
magic had been a blow. Like ho
wave from furnace mouth 1t SWEEP
over him-the sudden realization thai
the means. the one all-powerful, earth
moving lever the promoter was &c
anxiously seeking. lay in his hands.
THE Buckskin people yes" he said