The spectator., 1921-06-07

suh."
 She has been very helpful to me- the boss put in. with his eyes in his plate. Tn fact, I may say that she has herself suggested 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 l 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 while, and when the waiter brought the cigars, the boss was looking at his watch
 Pm sorry l can't stay and smoke with you. major" he said, pushing his chair back But the business grind never lets up. I'm obliged to go to Strathcona tonight.
 1 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 message. He put on yln a 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:
 Sheila's intuhferences are mighty neah uncanny; they are, for fact, suh. 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 of yondeh at the capital. that you were meaning to go to Strath- coma tOnight?"
 Mir Norcross shook his head. Then he said: There are wires-both kinds-though I don't know why any body should telegraph or telephone the capital that 1 expect to attend Il Inine- owners meeting tomorrow morning in the big gold camp. That's why I'm going, you know"
 But this warning" the major in- sisted. There's a reason for it, Gra- ham. as sure as you are bawnH
 Again the boss shook his head
 Between you two. you and Sheila, I'm due to acquire Il case of nerves. I don't know what she has heard. but I can't afford to dodge q 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 I walked down to the headquarters. The special. with Buck Chandler, was waiting. and at the last minute I thought l wasn't going to get to go.
 There's no need of your putting in a ptUbf np fha. rpnI Jimmip v said the boss, with the kindly thought for other peoples comfort that never failed him. But after l had begged q little, telling him that he'd need some body to take notes in the mine meet ing. he said, "All 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 "03' was fitted up as a working office. and since he had me along, he opened up a 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 I was so busy that didn't know when we passed the various stations. At half past nine. Mir Norcross snapped a rubber band over the last of the claim files, lighted a pipe. and told me l might go to bed if l wanted to; said that he was going himself after he'd had a smoke. Just then. Chandler whstled for a station, and, looking out of window. l saw that we were pulling into Rauxite. the little wind 1 blown junction from which the Strath- coma branch led away into the north ern mountains.
 Wanting bite of fresh air before | turning in. l got off when we made | the stop and strolled up To the en- zine. Maclise was in the office. get | ing orders for the branch. and | Chandler was squatting in the gang