The Pulaskian., 1916-03-24
CHAPTER TX The Speedway

It was in the days after he had found on his desk a long envelope in closing a certificate for a thousand PoweR, Lighting and Traction company that Brouillard began to lose his nick name of "Hell's-Fire" among his work men, with the promise of attaining, in due time, to the more affectionate title of the Little Big Boss"
 At the envelope-opening moment, however, he was threatened with an attack of heart failure. It was scarce ly believable. But hastily sought in terview with the company's president cleared the air of all the incredibili- ties.
 Why, my dear Brouillard! what in Sam Hill do you take us for?" was the genial retort when the young engineer had made his deprecatory protest. Did you think we were going to cut the melon and hand you out a piece of the rind? Not so, my dear boy; we are not built on any such narrow-gauge lines. That's what we are willing to pay for a good, reliable government brake. It's going to be your business to see to it that the reclamation serv- ice gets exactly what it's contract calls for, kilowatt for kilowatt."
 'Id do that, anyhow, as chief of con- struction on the dam."
 'You mean you would try to do it. As an officer of the power company, you can do it; as an official kicker on the outside, you couldn't feaze us a particle What? You'd put us out of business? Not much, you wouldn't; we'd play politics with you and get a man for your job who wouldn't kick"
 Well" said the inheritor of sudden wealth, still matching the promoters mood, you won't get me fired now, want my expert opinion on your aux Hilary dam?"
 "On our dam, you mean. Oh, any time soon; say tomorrow or Friday or Saturday, if that hurries you too much. We sha'n't want to go to work on it before Monday
 Being himself an exponent of the modern theory that the way to do things is to do them now, Brouillard accepted the hurry order without com ment. Celerity, swiftness of accom- plishment that was almost magical, had become the Mirapolitan order of the day Plans conceived overnight leaped to their expositions in things done as if the determination to do them had been all that was necessary to their realization.
 You shall have the report tomor- row." said the newly created consult ing engineer, 'but you can't go to work Monday. The labor market is empty, and I'm taking it for granted that you're not going to stampede my shovelers and concrete men,
 "Oh, no," concluded the city builder, i've sha'n't do that. You'll admit-in your capacity of government watch dog-that we have played fair in that game We have imported every work man we've needed, and we shall im- port more That's one thing none of us can afford to do-bull the labor market And it won't be necessary; we have a trainload of Italians and Bulgarians on the way to Quesado to- day, and they ought to be here by Monday"
 You are wonder, MT. Cartwright" ]" was Brouillard's tribute to the worker of modern miracles, and he went his way to ride to the upper end of the valley for the exploring purpose.
 On the Monday, as President Cort- wright had so confidently predicted, the train load of laborers had marched in over the War Arrow trail and the work on the auxiliary power dam was begun. On the Tuesday small army of iinemen arrived to set the poles