The L'Anse sentinel., 1921-07-01
CHAPTER xIII-continued.


Mr.. Hornack hadn't the slightest idea
what thin Ice he was skating over.
or how. this easy mention of Mr.. Van
Britt might be just like rubbing salt
into a fresh cut. BY this time It was
growing dark, and we were running
into Portal City, and was mighty
glad that 1t couldn't last much longer.
The boss didn't speak again until the
yard switches were clanking under
the car. and then he said:
"Upton is well able to take care Of
himself. Hornack, and don't think
we need worry about him." and then
over his shoulder to me: "Jlmmie. it's
time to wake up. We're pulling In"
AS he always did on return trip,
Mr.. Norcross ran up to his Office to
see II there was anything pressing,
before he did anything else. May
was still at his desk, and In answer
10 the boss question he shook his
head.
"No; nobody that couldn't wait" he
said, referring to the days callers.
'Mr. Hatch was up with couple of
men that l 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"
I thought. after all that had hap
pened, Hatch certainly had his nerve
TO want to come and make talk
with the man his hired assassins were
trying to murder. But IL Mr.. Norcross
took that view of it, he didn't show
1t. On the contrary, he told Fred 1t
would be all right to telephone Hatch /;
that he was coming down after din
ner and the Office would be open. as
usual.
I slipped out and went to Mr.. Van
Britt's office at the other end of the
hall. Bobby Kelso was there. holding
!, the office down, and asked him where
] could find Tarbell. Luckily, he was
able to tell me that Tarbell was at
that moment down In the station res
eaurant. eating his supper; so down
] went and butted In with my story
OF the Hatch call, and how 1t was to
be repeated little later on.
"Tll be there" said Tarbell; and
with that load Off my mind I mogged
of uptown to the club to get my own
dinner.
When I broke into the grill-room at
the railroad club. found that Mr.. Nor
cross had beaten me to 1t by q 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 a corner
by myself. but ! saw that the boss had
tipped chair at the end of the table
where usually sat, so I just went
ahead and took 1t.
Coming in late. that way, didn't
get the first of the talk, but I took II
that the boss had been saying some
thing about his rare good luck In hav-
ing the major for table-mate two
days in succession.
"The honoh is mine. my deah boy"
the genial old Kentuckian was telling
him as / sat down. 81 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 up quickly. "What
is II, major?" he inquired. "Are you
going to tell me that something new
has broken looseT'
81 wish I might be that he'pfully
defnite-I do so. Graham. But can't.
It's me'uhly bit of street talk. They're
telling II, oveh at the Commercial
club, that Hatch and John Marshall
you know him-that Sedgwick stock
1obbeh who has been so active in this
Citizens Storage & Warehouse busi-
uess-have finally come togetheh."
"In a 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 rejoined.
The boss nodded. II know what has
: happened. In spite Of the fact that
the local people know that their eco
nomlc salvation depends upon wide
and even distribution Of their c.. s.
& w. stock, there has been good
bit of buying and selling and swap
ping around. l remember you proph-
esied that In little while we'd have
another trust in the hands of few
men. You may recollect that I didn't
dispute your prediction. merely said
that our ground leases-the fact that
all Of the c. s. & w. plants and build
fngs are on railroad land--would still
give rs the whip-hand over any new
monopoly that might be formed"
sYes. sub; remember you said
that" the major allowed.
"very good. Marshall anc his pocket
/, Isyudlcate may have acquired a voting
control in G. 8. & W. and they may
Ibe 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
In there Is new combine. and 1t tries
lto make the producers and merchants
lpay more than the agreed percentages
for storage and handling"
II know" the major cut In. "You-sll
WIN rise up In the majesty Of youf
wrath and put It ont Of business By