Cavalier County farmers press. (Langdon, N.D.) 1920-1921, 1921-05-26

II /. sYou refused to do it on a former
occasion. because we couldn't get the
men higher up. This time we can
nail Clanahan, and a good few of the
political gangsters and bosses in the
other towns along the line. What do
you saw"
The boss looked up with the little
horseshoe frown wrinkling between
his eyes.
sCan we get Hatch and Henckel?"
No: not vet"
Very well then you may lock those
papers up in your safe and We'll wait.
When you can see your way clear to.
a criminal trial. with; Rufus Hatch
and Gustave Henckel in the prisoners
dock. we'll start the legal machinery:
but not before"
BY now we were right on the eve
of the state election, AS far as any
body could sec. the railroad had stayed
free and clear of the political fight.
The boss had kept his promise to main
tain neutrality and was still keep
ing It.
AT the appointed time the big day
dawned. and the political wind-up held
the center of the stage. So far as we
were concerned. it passed off very quiet
~. Along in the afternoon the newspa-
per offices began to put out bulletins,
and by evening the result was no long
err doubtful. For the first time Ia years
the power of the political machine
had been smashed gd~eciSively at the.
nolls. and on the following morning
the Mountaineer announced the cleo
ton of Governor Burrell. with a safe
working majority in both houses of
the legislature for the Independents.
1t was on the third day after the
election. rather late in the afternoon.
that the boss had a call from a min
ing promoter named Dawes, represent
ing a bunch of mine owners at Strath-
coma who were having trouble with
smelter. The smelter. one of the few
Hatch %monopolies which hadn't been
shaken loose as vet. was located in
the gulch six miles below %Strathcona.
and 1t vas served exclusively by its
own Industrial railroad, which it was
using as a lever oepry ar excessive
hauling charge out Of the mine own
ers. Wouldn't Mr.. Norcross try to do
something about it?
The boss said he'd do anything he
could. and asked what the mine own
ers wanted. Dawes said they wanted
help that they We're going to hold a
mass meeting in Strathcona the fol,
owing morning anime O'clock. Would.
II. or wouldn't 1T, be possible for Mr.
Norcrpss TO be present at that meet
ing2 il
OF course. the boss said he'd go.
Dawes went away. and before we
broke off to so to dinner at the rail-
road club, | was giyenga memorandum
order for a special.
At the club 4 found that Mr.. Nor
cross had an invited guest-Major
Kendrick. For d week or two Mrs.
Sheila had been visiting at the state
capital. and the majors wife and
Maisie Ann We're with her. So the
good old major was sort of unattached,
and glad enough, / took it, to be a
guest at %anybody's table.
For a while the table talk-in which,
of course Jimmie Dodds hadn't any
part WhateTer--circled around the late
landslide election, and what Governor
BurfelEs party would do, now that it
had The say-so. But by and by it
got around to the railroad situation.
Your putting sp a mighty good
fight Graham, my son, but it isn't
over yet--not by a jugful, suh''---this
isn't just the way the major said it,
but it's as near as, I can come to his
soft Southern drawi with the smoth-
cred RS" ."'I've known Misteh Rufus
Hatch for a good many yeals. and he
has the perseverance of the ye'y devil.
With all that has been done, you must
neVeh forget. for a single hou'uh, that
youth admirable reform structchuh3
stands. as yet. upon the life of a single
man. Don't lose sight of thar, Gra-
ham,
The boss looked up kind Of curl
ously. ss5&
You and Sheila seem 10 think that
point needs emphasizing more than
any other, he commented.
The majors fine old eyes tWinkled
gravely.
You are mighty safe IN pawn strict
attention to whatever The little gyerll
tells you. Graham, my boy he as
serted. ashe has a way Of gettin' at
the heart Of things that puts us meah
men to shame-she has, for a fact,
sub
she has been very helpful to me-"
the boss put In, with HIS eyes in his
plate. In fact. ! may say that she
has herself suggested . good many Of
The moves In the railroad game. Its
marvellous, and I can't understand
how she can do IT,
They went on for Il while, singing
Mrs, Shelia's praises over In Il good
many different ways, ana ] thought,
wherever she might happen to be lust
then her nrAttV fjttia anpg ouuhf Ia