Gilpin observer., 1919-05-08

in formation. He mad very active Gu
riosity about Hardin. The mans fall
ures had been spectacular.
The young fellow was thinking
aloud. ''The dam went November
Goth. Hardin was given a decent in
terval to resign. OF course he was
fired. 1t was an outrage" He re-
membered that he was speaking to a
stranger and broke Off suddenly. Rick
ard did not question him. He made
another note. Why was 1t an outrage
or why did it appear so? In perspec-
tive, from the Mexican barranca,
where he had been at the time. the
failure Of that dam had been another
bar sinister against Hardin.
II see that you are from the Univer-
sity of Californian" Richard said, and
nodded at the pin of gold and blue
enamel.
"Out for year." glowed the lad.
Dad wanted me to get some real stuff
In my head. He said the Colorado
would give me more lessons-more real
knowledge in a year than I'd get in
six at college. I kicked up an awful
row"
The older man smiled. "Of course.
You don't want to go back now"
The boy made a wry face. He ex-
poets me to go back in August. Says
l must"
"You did not tell me your name,"
was suggested.
"MacLean, George MacLean," said
the young man rather consciously. 1t
was good deal to live up to. He al
ways felt the appraisement which fol-
lowed that admission. George Mac
Lean, elder, was known among the
railroad circles to be man of iron,
cne of the strongest of the heads of
the Overland Pacific system. He was
not the sort of man a son could speak
lightly Of dlsobeying.
"Of course everyone calls me Jun
ior."
II guess you'll go back If he wants
you to-" smiled Rickard.
"Oh. but what rotten trick 1t
would bel" exclaimed the son of the
man of iron. ''To throw me out of
college-I was daffy to finish with my
class, and to get me here, to get me in
terested-and then after I've lost my
place to pull me back. Why, there are
things happening every day that are n
liberal education. They are only just
beginning to understand what they are
bucking up against. The Colorado's
an unknown quantity; even old engi-
neers are right up against it. There
are new problems coming up every
day. The Indians call her yellow
dragon. but she's a tricky woman,
she's an eel; she's giving us sums to
break our teeth on"
"Who has the next room?"
"Used to be the general managers.
Ogllvie uses it now."
"And who did you say was Ogil-
vie" They turned back into the
room.
"YOu can go In. He's not mere. He
is the new auditor, an expert account
ant from Los Angeles. Put in by the
o. p. when 1t assumed control last
year. He used to come down once
month. After Hardin went out he
came down to stay"
"Whose say-soW
81 don't know. The accounts were
world knows that. Hardin is blamed
for it. 1t isn't fair. Look at Sather's
stone palace in Los Angeles. Look at
Hardln's tent, his shabby clothes"
"Td pke to meet Ogilvie," observed
the gene ral manager.
"Oh. he's not much to meet. A pale,
white-uyered vegetarian, theoso-
phist. You've seen 'em. Los Angeles
is full Of 'em. He was here when Har-
din was fired. You could see him see
his opportunity. His chest swelled
up. He looked as If he hads tasted
meat for the first time. He thought
that he could woozle into the empty
placel He went back to Los Angeles,
convinced them that the auditor
should be here, protect the company's
interests. II sounded mysterious,
sleuthlike, as If he had discovered
something, so they let him bring the
books down here. He is supposed to
be ferreting. But he's 'woozling.' He
used to be In the outer Office. Said
the noise made his head ache, so he
moved in here. All the committee
meetings are held here, and occasion
ally the directors meetings. Water
companies, too. Ogilvie's taking notes
wants to be the next general mana
ger; 1t sticks out all over him."
"What's the derivation of woozle?"
this with deep gravity.
"Wait till you see Ogilviel" laughed
his entertainer. Then as an after
thought, "This is all public gossip.
He's fair game"
The door opened behind them, and
Rickard saw the man whose descrlp-
ton had been so deftly knocked off.
He recognized the type seen SO fire.