The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1921-07-01

Suh."
"She has been very helpful to me-"
the boss put in, with his eyes in his
plate. ''In fact. may say that she
has herself suggested a good many Of
the moves in the railroad game. It's
marvellous, and l can't understand
how she can do it."
They went on for while, singing
Mrs. Sheila's praises over in a good
many different ways, and thought,
wherever she might happen to be just
then, her pretty little ears ought to
be burning good and hard. To hear
them talk you would have thought she
was another Portia-person, and then
some.
The dinner wore itself out after a
while, and when the waiter brought
the cigars, the boss was looking at his
watch.
I'm sorry 1 can't stay and smoke
with you, major" he said, pushing his
chair back. But the business grind
never let's up. I'm obliged to go to
OtrdtHcOHd tonight.
l don't know what the major was
going to say to this abrupt break
away: the after-dinner social cigar
was sort of religious ceremony with
him. But whatever he was going to
say, he didn't say it, for at that mo-
ment telegraph boy came in and
handed him a message. He put on
his other glasses and read the tele-
gram, with his big goatee looking more
than ever like a dagger and the fierce
white mustaches twitching. At the
end of things he folded the message
and put it into his pocket, saying, sort
of soberly:
Graham, there are times when
Sheila's intuhferences are mighty
neah uncanny; they are, for a fact,
sub. This wire is from her. What do
you suppose it says?"
OF course, the boss said he couldn't
suppose anything about it, and the
major went on.
"She tells me, in just seven words,
not to let you go to StrathcOna tonight.
Now what do you make of that? How
on top of Gods green earth did she
know, away off yondeh at the capital,
that you were meaning to go to Strath-
coma tonight?"
Mr.. Norcross shook his head. Then
he said: There are wires-both
kinds-though 1 don't know why any
body should telegraph or telephone the
capital that expect to attend mine
owners meeting tomorrow morning in
the big gold camp. That's why I'm
going, you know"
"But this warming" the major in
sisted. "There's reason for it, Ora
ham, as sure as you are bawn!
Again the boss shook his head.
Between you two, you and Sheila,
I'm due to acquire case of nerves.
l don't know what she has heard, but
I can't afford to dodge a business ap-
pointment. Sheila has merely over
heard an echo of the threats that are
constantly being made by the Hatch
sympathizers. It's the aftermath of
the election, but it's all talk. They're
down and out, and they haven't the
nerve to strike back, now"
That ended matters at the club, and
the boss and 1 walked down to the
headquarters. The special, with Buck
Chandler, was waiting, and at the last
minute 1 thought 1 wasn't going to
get to go.
"There's no need of your putting in
night on the road, Jimmie" said
the boss, with the kindly thought for
other peoples comfort that never
failed him. But after had begged a
little, telling him that he'd need some
body to take notes in the mine meet
ing, he said, Gall right" and we got
aboard and gave the word to Maclise,
the conductor, to get his clearance
and go.
A few minutes later we pulled out
and the night run was begun. Like
every other car the boss had ever
owned, the "O5" was fitted up as a
working office, and since he had me
along, he opened up lot of claim
papers upon which the legal depart
ment was giving him the final say-so,
and we went to work.
For the next two hours 1 was so
busy that 1 didn't know when we
passed the various stations. At half
past nine, Mr.. Norcross snapped a
rubber band over the last of the claim
files, lighted pipe, and told me
might go to bed if l wanted to; said
that he was going himself after he'd
had smoke. Just then, Chandler
whistled for a station, and, looking
out OF window, saw that we were
pulling into Bauxite, the little wind
blown junction from which the Strath-
coma branch led away into the north
ern mountains.
Wanting bite of fresh air before
turning in, I got off when we made
the stop and strolled up to the en-
CINE. Maclise was in the Office, get
ing orders for the branch, and