The Ordway new era., 1921-06-03
CHAPTER v
And sa,an Came Also

And SATAN Came Also
81 saw your office lights from the
street" was the way the Red Tower
president began on me, and his voice
took me straight back to the Oregon
woods and IA lumber camp where the
saw-filers were at work. Where is
Mr. Norcross?"
told him that Mr.. Norcross was
uptown, and that l didn't suppose he
would come back TO the office again
that night, now that it was so late.
"My name is Hatch. of the Red
Tower company he grated, after Il
minute or two. You're the one they
call Dodds. aren't you?"
admitted it. and he went on.
"Norcross' brought you here with
him from the West, didn't he? What
pay are you getting here?"
1t was on the tip of my tongue to
cuss him out right there and then
. and tell him it was none of his busi-
ness. But the second thought (Which
isn't always as good as it's said to
be) whispered to me to lead him on
aud see how far he would 60 So l
told him the figures If my pay check.
'Fm needing another shorthand
man. and l can afford to pay good
bit more than that he growled.
-'They tell me you are well up at the
top in your trade. Are you open to an
offer?"
/" l let him have it straight then. Not
from you," 1 said.
.'And why not from me?"
Here was where 1 made my first
bad break. All of a sudden l got so
angry at the thought that he was ac-
tually trying to buy me that couldn't
see anything but red, and I blurted
out Because l don't hire out to work
for any strong-arm outfit-not if l
know it ="
For a little while he sat blinking
at me from under his bushy eyebrows,
and his hard mouth was drawn into
a straight line with a mean little
wrinkle coming and going at the cor
ners of it.
When he got ready to speak again
he said. You're only boy. You want
to set on in the world, don't you?
III. offering you good chance: the
best you ever had You don't owe
Norcross anything more than your
job, do you?"
Maybe not.r
"That's better. Put on your hat
and come along wieh me. want to
Abow you what can dc for you in a
better field than railroadIng ever was,
or eyer will be. It'll pay you" and
he named figure that very nearly
ssade me fall dead out of my chair.
OF course, 1t was all plain enough.
The boss had him on the .ij2 with that
ki>eapinS business, with me for a
witness And he was trying to fix the
witr ess.
I guess we needn't beat about the
bushes any longer, Mr. Hatch" l said
bracing up to BIN. Il haven't told
tie sneriff. or anybody but Mr.. Nor
cross. whnt .7aaw about a certain
httfe train noid-up that happened
few weeks ago down at Sand Creek
siding; but that isn't saying that I'm
not going to-"
II l had had the sense of field
rn0ase. 4 might have known that
vas no match for such man; but
j :.s-se,. tfe serise-iacked it good and
burd
You're like your boss he said
shortly. You'd go long distance out
Of your way to make an enemy when
there is no need of it. That hold-up
business, was joke, from start to
finish. l don't know how you and Nor
cross came to get in on it; the joke
vas meant to be on John Chadwick.
The nignt before. at little dinner we
we're xis'rx him at the railroad club,
he safd there never was a railroad
hn.d-up that couldn't have been stood
on. A few of us got together after
yard and put up a job on him; sent
BIN over to Strathcona and arranged
10 .are him held up on the way back"
"bfr. Chadwick didn't take 1t as a
Joke" retorted.
Il know he didn't; and that's why
we're all anxious now to dig hole
and bury the thing decently. Perhaps
We had all been taking drop too
Mueh at the club dinner that night"
z ~ shat l swelIed up man-size and
kicked the whole kettle of fat into
~ Ore.
$Of course. It was a joke r / rip
ri out. "And your coming here to-
nfSht to try to hire me away from Mr..
iftrcrssss il A'bother. The woods are
''Su1 Of good sh0Fthand men. Mr.. Hatch,
~ FOR the presenf I fhi6k shall .
~ Mem etlsft & where 4 co0xx !