Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-04-04

that emergency is the railroad. Why
deliberately antagonize the railroad?
The Desert Reclamation company, it
is well known, is bankrupt. For the
instant the railroad has assumed the
responsibilities of the smaller organi-
Zation. Apply the same situation to
individuals. Suppose q private citizen
is in straits, and another comes for
ward to help him. Must every cred
itor assume that the Samaritan should
pay the crushed citizens bills? In the
present issue, self-interest should urge
consideration. Better a small loss
today that tomorrow may amply re-
fund, than total ruin in the future"
Hardin, from his morOse unshared
table, could see the anxious curiosity
setting toward the railroad group.
Over glasses, heads were close to-
gether. Near him, the talk ran high.
Scraps of inflammable speeches blew
his way from Barton's party.
Hardins mouth wore set sneer.
water company talk!" Black was
haranguing his comrades. "Stand out
against them. Don't let them bluff
you. Marshall will try to bluff you.
Stand together" Barton's resonant
organ broke through the clatter.
Marshall is not going to bluff u.s."
Grace and Black began to talk at once
Hardin's lip grew rougher. Where had
they all been if it had not been for
him? Why, he'd pulled them from
their little farms back East, where
they were tOiling-where they'd be
toiling yet. They'd had the vision of
sudden wealth-they hadn't the grit
to work for it, to wait for it! How
many years had he been struggling?
He was a young man when he'd gone
into this thing, and he was old now.
Coffee and cigars had been
reached of the midday dinner. Bah
cock was nervously consulting his
watch. Shouldn't we arrange the
meeting?" he asked for the third time.
The social and casual air of the meet
ing had teased him. What had the po-
litical situation in Mexico to do with
the important session confronting
them? His fussy soul had no polite
salons; Office rooms every one of
them. MacLean looked to Tod Mar
shall to answer.
Il think it will arrange itself" His
voice was silken. "It is to be a dis
cussion, q conference. You can't slate
that"
1--WE could program" began Bab-
cock, looking at his watch again.
81 don't think we'll have to-" Mar
shall smiled across the table. you'll
find this meeting will run itself. There
is not a man here who is not burning
to speak, Look at them now! Drop
a paper in that crowd, and see the
blaze you'd get! You can open the
meeting, Mr.. Babcock, and l would
suggest that you call on Mr.. De la
Vega first"
The eyes of the dining room fol
lowed the party as they filed past the
buzzing tables. Faraday was not in
town: Marshall represented that DOW
er. AS lac walked out. bowling right
and left, his right hand occasionally
extended in his well-known oratorical
courteous gesture. His black tie was
stringiug down his shirt front; hi.
black clothes were the worse for hi.
lunch. But no one, save the Eastern
girls, saw spots or tie. The future OF
that valley lay in that mans hand, M
matter how Black or Grace NIGH
harangue. In five minutes, the dining
room was emptied.
AS snow gently falling, had gath
cred the first damage suits of thu
ranchers. The last flood had preclpl
tated a semperamental storm. Mer
were suing for the possible values O.
their farms, impossible values o
crops. Not alone the companies hat
been blanketed with the accusing pa
pers, but against Mexico the whit
drifts had piled up. Mexico! No on,
knew better than Hardin how absur(
it was TO accuse the sister country o
responsibility. A pretty pickle the,
were in. Where was it all going t
end?
In the lobby, Hardin ran up agains
Brandon, who was following a new
scent. Through the valley it was bcin