The spectator., 1921-06-14
CHAPTER xlIl-Continued.
1--

Britt might be just like rubbing salt into fresh cut. By this time it was growing dark. and we were running into Portal City, and l was mighty glad that 1t couldn't last much longer. The boss didn't speak again until the yard switches were clanking under che ear. and then he said:
 Upton is well able to take care of himself. Hornack. and l don't think we need worry about him" and then over his shoulder to me: Jimmie. it's time to wake up. We're pulling in"
 As he always did on return trip. Mir. NorcrosS ran up to his office to see if there was anything pressing. before he did anything else, May was still at his desk. and in answer to the boss question he shook his head.
 No: nobody that couldn't wait" he said, referring to the days callers. MT. Hatch was up with a couple of men that I didn't know. but he only wanted to inquire if you would be in the office this evening after dinner I told him I'd find out when you came and let him know by phone"
 l thought. after all that had hap pened. Hatch certainly had his nerve to want to come and make q talk with the man his hired asSaSsins were trying to murder. But if Mir NorcroSS look that view of it. he didn't show 1t. ,,n the contrary he told Fred it J In oh that he was coming down after din- uer and the office would be open. as usual.
 slipped out and went to MT. Van Britt's office at the other end of the hall. Bobby keISo was there holding the office down. md asked him where could find Tarbell. Luckily, he was able to tell me that Tarbe!l was at that moment down in the station res faurant. eating his supper; so down I went and butted in with my story of the Hatch call, and how it was to be repeated little later on.
 "I'll be there" said Tarbell; and with that load off my mind mogged of uptown 10 the club to get my own dinner
 When l broke into the grillroom al the railroad club found that Mir. Nor cross had beaten me to it by few minutes that he had already ordered his dinner at table with Major Ken drick. suppose. by good rights. ought to have gone off into corner by myself. but saw that the boss had tipped a chair at the end of the table where l usually sat, so l just went ahead and took 1T.
 Coming in late. that way. didn't get the first of the talk. but took it that the boss bpd been saying some ghing about his rare good luck in hay ing the major for d tahle-mate two days in SHeceSSion
 The honoh is mine. my deah boy" The genial old Kentucbiau was telling eim as I sat down. "I was by way of picking up bit of information late this afternoon that I thought ought to be passed on to you without any great delay"
 The boss looked mp quickly, What IS it. maior?" he inquired. Are you going to tell me that something new has broken looSe?"
 q wish might he that he'pfully definite-I do so, Graham. But can't. It's me'uhly bit of street talk. They're telling 1t, oveh at the Commercial club. that Hatch and John Marshall you know hm-that SedGwick stock johheh who has been so active in this Citizens Storaee X Warehouse husi- ness-have finally come togethch."
 In a business way you meau?"
 The major gave right and left twist 10 his big muStaches and shrugged one shoulder
 They are most probably calling it business" he rrjoined
 The boss nodded "l know what has happened In spite ut 'he fact that the local people know tla, their eco nomic salvation depends upnu wide and even distribution of their C. s. X w. stock. there has been good hit of buying and setting and swap ping around. 1 rememhe,' you proph- esied that in a little while we'd have another tTuNt m tue HulluN hI IpW men. You may recollect that I didn't dispute your prediction. merely said that our ground leases-the fact that all of the C. $. X w. plants and build ings are on railroad land-would still give us the whip-hand over any new monopoly thar might be formed"
 "Yes. suh; remember you said that" the major allowed.
 "very good. Marshall anc his pocket syndicate may have acquired voting control in C. s. X 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 If there is new combine, and 1t tries to make the producers and merchants pay more than the agreed percentages for storage and handling-"
 "I know" the major cut in. "You-all