The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-06-16
CHAPTER xIlI-continued.

or how this easy mention of Mr.. Van
Britt might be Just like rubbing salt
into fresh cut. BY this time II was
growing dark. and we were running
into Portal City, and was mighty
glad that II couldn't last much longer.
The boss didn't speak again until the
yard switches were clnnking under
the car. gnd then he said:
Upton Is wc!i able TO take care OF
himself. Hornack, and don't think
we need worry about him." and then
over his shoulder TO me: "iimmle, it's
time TO wake up. We're pulling in"
As lie always did on return trip,
Mr.. Norcross ran up TO his office 10
zee II there was anything pressing,
before he did anything else. May
was still NJ his desk. and In answer
90 the boss question he shook his
head.
mo; nobody that couldn't wait" he
said, referring TO the days callers.
'Mr. Hatch was up with a couple OF
men that didn't know. but he only
wanted TO inquire II You would be
IN the Office this evening after dinner.
] told him I'd find out when you came.
and let him know by phone"
thought. after all that had hap
pened, Hatch certainly had his nerve
20 want TO come and make talk
with the man his hired assasslns were
trying TO murder. But II Mr.. Norcross
took that view " II, he didn't show
n. On the contrary, he told Fred II
would be all right TO telephone Hatch;
that he was coming down after din
ner and the Office would be open. ns
usual.
slipped out and went TO Mr.. Van
Britts office nj the other end Of the
hall. Bobby Kelso was there. holding
the Office down. and asked him where
i could find Tnrbell. Luckily, he was
able to tell me that Tarbell was nj
thnt moment down IN the station res
inurant. eating his supper; so down
! went and butted In with my story
OF the Hatch cnll, and how II was TO
be repeated little later on.
"I'll he there" said Tarhells and
with that load OFT my mind ! mogged
on uptown TO the club to get my own
dinner.
When broke into the grlll-room Mt
the railroad club. | found that Mr.. Nor
cross had beaten me 10 II by n few
minutes; that he had already ordered
his dinner nj table with Major Ken
drIck. I suppose, by good rights.
oh 20 nm ing
by myself. hut ] saw that the boss had
tipped a chair nj the end Of the table
where I usually sat, so ! just went
ahead and took Il.
Coming In late, that way. didn't
get the first Of the talk. but took II
that the boss had been saying some
thing about his rare good luck In hav-
ing the major for n table-mate two
days in succession.
"The honoh is mine. my deah hoy,"
the genial old Kentuckian was telling
him ms | sat down. ~ was by way
of picking up bit Of information
late this afternoon that l thought
ought TO he passed on TO you without
any great delay"
The boss looked up quickly. "What
IS It. maJor7" he inquired. "Are you
going TO tell me that something new
has broken loose?"
~ wish might be that he'pfully
defnite-I do so, Graham. But can't.
It's me'uhly hit OF street talk They're
telling II, oveh at the Commercial
club. that Hatch and John Marshall
you know hlm-that Sedcwick stock
jobbeh who has been so active I'm this
Citizens Storage X Warehouse busi-
ness-have finally come togetheh."
"ln business way you mean?"
The major gave right and left
twist TO his big mustaches and
shrugged one shoulder.
"They are most probably calling II
business" he rejolned.
The boss nodded 'T know what has
happened. In spite OF the fact that
the local people know that their eco
nomic salvation depends upon wide
and even distribution OF their c. s.
4 w. stock, there has been good
bit OF buying and selling and swap
Ilht uluunus ItihtulneT YOU pFopn-
esled that In little while we'd have
another trust I'm the hands of few
men. You may recollect that | didn't
dispute your prediction. merely said
that our ground leases-the fact that
all Of the C. S. & w plants and build
ings are on railroad land-would stlll
give us the whip-hand over any new
monopoly that might be formed"
'Yes. sub; remember you said
that" the major allowed.
''very good. Marshall anC his pocket
syndicate may have acquired voting
control in c. s. * W., and they may
be willing now TO patch up an alliance
with Hatch. But In that case the new
monopoly will still lack the one vital
ingredient: the power to fix prices.
II there is a new combine, and II tries
10 make the producers and merchants
pay more than the agreed percentages