The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-05-12

II ! didn't hate slang so bad,
should say that the portly man looked
as II be were going to throw a fit.
''NOt-Dot Graham NorcrossT he
stammered.
well, yes; l am 'Graham'-to my
friends. Anything elseT'
The portly gentleman subsidized into
a chair.
There is some misunderstanding
about this" he said, his voice thicken-
ing little-with anger. | thought.
My name is Dismuke. and / am the
general manager Of this railroad.'
Il wouldn't dispute the name, but
your title is away of" said Mr.. Nor
cross, as cool as a handful Of dry
snow who appointed you, If may
askT'
PRECEDENT Dunton and the board Of
directors, Of course"
The same authority appointed me,
something like three months ago" was
the calm reply. $50 far as | know,
am still at the head Of the com
pany's staff I'm Portal City"
The gentleman who had named him
self Dismuke puffed out his cheeks and
looked as II he were about to ex-
plode.
This is a devil OF a mess." he
raped out. II uDderstood-we all
understood in New York-that you had
resigned !"
We'll, | haven't" retOrted the boss
shortly. And then he stuck the knife
In good and deep and twisted II around
There is a commercial telegraph wire
In the Hotel Bullard, where l suppose
you will put up. Mr.. Dismuke, and I'm
sure you will find 1t entirely at your
service II you have anything further
TO say TO me / hope 1t will keep until
after this office "Opens in the morning.
am very busy, just now"
mighty nearly gasped. This Dis
nuke was the new general manager.
appointed, doubtless in all good faith.
by the president and sent out TO take
charge Of things. And here was the
poss practically ordering him out Of
the ofhce-telling him that his room
was better than his company
The portiy man got out OF his chair,
pufiing like steam-engine.
We'll see about this," he threat
ened. You've been here three months
and you haven't done anything but
muddle things until the stock Of the
company isn't worth much more than
the paper it's printed ont II / can
get a clear wire to New York, you'll
have word from President Dunton to-
morrow morning telling you where you
get on"
To this Mr. Norcross made no reply
whatever, and the heavy-footed gentle
man stumped out. saying things TO
himself that wouldn't look very well
In print. When the hall door below
gave big slam TO let us know that
he was still going. the boss looked
across at me with sour grin wrin-
king around his eyes.
Now you know why made Gorcher
break all the rules of the service get
ting here, Jimmie" he said. "Pos-
session Is nine points of the law. and
In this case II was rather important
that Mr.. Dismuke shouldn't find the
outfit without a head and these offices
OF ours unoccupied" He rose. stretched
his arms over Wis head like a tired
boy, and reached for the golf cap he
kept to wear when he went, out TO
knock around in the shops and yard.
Let's 20 up to the hotel and see II
We can break into the cafe, Jimmie,"
he finished up. "Later on, well wire
Mr.. Clta!wick; but that can wait. l
haven't had square meal in four
days.
With everybody supposing he had
resigned and left the country, I guess
there were all kinds of 4 4nine-minuteS'
wonder In Portal City, and all along
the Snort Line, when the word went
out that Mr.. Norcross was back on the
Job and running 1t pretty much the
same as If nothing had happened.
AftIr supper, on the night OF his
return from the hide-out, he had sent
long code message to Mr.. Chadwick.
anu snort one 10 President Dunton
and though l didn't see the reply TO
either. / guess Mr.. Chadwick's an
swer, at least. was the right kind, be-
cause our track renewing campaign
went into commission again with a
slam. and all the reform policies took
a sure-enough fresh start and began TO
hump themselves, with Juneman work.
ing the newspapers TO a finish.
We heard nothing further from Mr..
Dismuke, the portly gentleman In the
IAN spats, though he still stayed on at
he Bullari. We saw him occasional
y at meal times, and twice he was
eating at the same table with Hatch
md Henckel. That placed him all
light for us, though ! guess he didn't
need much placing.
/ wondered a little at first that Mr..