Bisbee daily review., 1916-01-14

momentum of success and the power ot capital. Something had crystallized him in the past few days. c
 Across the fertile fields and the mighty mountains and the arid deserts or the United States. there angled four black threads. from coast to coast. and everywhere else were shorter main lines and shorter branches. and, last of all, mere fragments of railroads. He began with the long, angling threads. but he ended with the fragments. and these. in turns. he gave minute and careful study. At three o'clock he took sandwich and ordered his car. He was gone less than an hour, and came back with an armload of books; {; government reports. volumes of statis- tics, and file of more intimate infor- nation from the office of his broker. He threw off his coat when he came in this time. and spread. on the big. lion-clawed table at which Napoleon had once planned campaign, vari- colored mass of railroad maps. At seven-fifteen old Ephraim found him at the end of the table in the midst of some neat and intricate tabulations.
 Time to dress. sir" suggested Ephraim.
 ''Oh, it's you" remarked the ab- sorbed Allison, glancing up.
 Yes. sir" returned Ephraim. You told me to come for you at seven-fif- teen"
 Allison arose and rubbed the tips of his fingers over his eyes.
 Keep this room locked" he ordered. and stalked. obediently upstairs. For the next thirty minutes he belonged to Ephraim.
 He, was as carefree as boy when he reached Jim Sargent's house, and his eyes snapped when he saw Gail come down the stairs, in pearl-tinted gown, with triple. string of pearls in her waving hair and a rose-colored cloak depending from her gracefully sloping shoulders.
 Her own eyes frightened at the sight of him. He had been much in her mind today; not singly but as one of q group. She was quite conscious that sine liked him, but she was more con scious that she was curious about him. He stepped forward to shake hands with her and. fora moment. she found in her an inclination to cling to the warmSthrill of his clasp She hSd never before been so aware of anything like that. Nevertheless, when she had withdrawn her hand. she felt sense of relief
 Hello. Allison.'' called the hearty voice of Jim Sargent. You're looking like youngster tonight"
 q feel like one" replied Allison. smiling I'm on a vacation" He was either vain enough or curious enough to glance at himself in the big mirror as he passed it He did look younger; astonishingly SO: and he had about him a quality of lightness which made him restless. He had been noted among his business associates for a certain dry wit. scathing. satirical. relentless; now he used that quality agreeabfy and when Lucille and Ted, and Arly and Dick Rodley joined them, he was quite easily sharer in the gayety. At the theater he was the same. He par ticipated in all the repartee during the intermissions. and the fact that he found Gail studying him. now and then, only gave him an added impulse. He was frank with himself about Gail. He wanted her. and he had made up his mind to have her. He was himself . little surprised at his own capacity of entertainment, and when he parted from Gail at the Sargent house. he left her smiling. and with a softer look in her eyes than he had yet seen theSe.
 Immediately on his return to his library, Allison threw off his coat and waistcoat. collar and tie. and sat at the table.
 What is there in the icebox?" he wanted to know.
 Well, sir" enumerated Ephraim carefully; "Mirandy had a chicken potpie for dinner. and then there's"
 That will do; cold" interrupted Al lison. Bring it here with as few service things as possible. a bottle of Vichy and some olives"
 He began to set down some figures. and when Ephraim came. shaking his head to himself about such things as cold dumplings at night. Allison stopped for ten minutes. and lunched with aunarent relish At seven-thirtv De called Ephraim and ordered a cold plunge and some breakfast. He had been up all night. and on the map of the United States there were penciled two thin straight black lines, one from New York to Chicago. and one from Chicago to San Francisco. Crossing them, and paralleling them. and an- gling in their general direction. but quite close to them in the main, were lines of green and lines of orange; these three
 Another day and another night he spent with his maps, and his books, and his figures; then he went to his broker with list of railroads.
 Get me what stock you can of these" he directed. Pick it up as