The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-04-21

he had fallen IN love, first with the
back Of her neck and then with ner
pretty face and then with all Of her;
and that the one big reason why he
had let Mr. Chadwick persuade him
to stay in Portal City was the fact
that he had wanted to be near her and
to show her how he could make a per-
fectly good spoon out Of the. spoiled
horI OF the Pioneer Short Line.
When / began to get my grip back
little ! was right warm under she
collar.
''She oughtn't to be going around
telling people she is O widow !"
blurted out.
"She doesn't" was the calm reply.
They've separated. you know-years
ago-and Cousin Sheila has taken her
mothers maiden name, Macrae. II
we were going TO live here always II
would be different. But we are only
visiting Cousin Basil. or I suppose We
are. though we've been here now for
nearly a year"
There wasn't much more to be said.
and pretty sOtn | had staggered of
with my load and gone back TO the
office. And this was why | couldn't
get very deep into the Hatch business
with Mr.. Norcross when he told me
what he had been obliged to do about
the Sand Creek hold-up.
II be had been like other men it
wouldn't have been so hard. But |
had a feeling that he had gone into
this love business Just as he did into
everything-necB or Notwithstanding
his bridges behind him. and having no
notion Of ever turning back. The boss
had never been beaten. What was It
gong to do to him when he learned
the truth about Mrs. Sheila?
On top Of this came the still harder
knock when | saw that II was up to
me to tell him. / remembered all the
stories I'd ever heard about how the
most cold-blooded surgeon that ever
lived wouldn't trust himself to stick a
knife into a member OF his own fam
lily, and / knew now just how the
surgeon felt about ii.
While I was still sweating under
the big load Maisie Ann had dumped
upon me, the night dsspatcher's boy
came in with a message. II was from
Mr. Chadwick, and l read 1t with my
eyes bulging out. This is what 1t said:
ITO G. NOrcross, G. NJ,
Portal City.
"P. 5. l.. Common dropped to thirty
four today, and banks lending on short
time notes for beiterment fund are
getting nervous. Wire from New York
says bondholders are stirring and talk
ing receivership. General opinion In
financial circles leans to idea that new
policy is foregone failure. Are you
still sure your can make it win?
Chadwick"
Right OH the heels of this, and be-
fore / could get my breath, In came
the boy again with another telegram.
1t was hot wire from President Dun
ton, one Of a series that he had been
shooting in ever since Mr.. Norcross
had taken hold and begun firing the
cousins and nephews
ITO G. Norcross, g. NJ,
Portal City. RUSH.
"See stock quotations for today.
Your policy is failure. Am advised
you are now fighting Red Tower. Stop
1t Immediately and assure Mr.. Hatch
that we are friendly. as We have al.
ways been. II. something cannot be
done TO lift securities to better figure,
your resignation will be in order.
"Dunton."
They say that misfortunes never
come singly. Here were two new
griefs hurting themselves In over the
wires all IN the same quarter-hour be-
sides the one had up my sleeve. But
there was no use dallying. II was up
to me TO find the boss as quickly as
'old and have the three-cornered sur.
Li.l operation over with. knew the
kilograms wouldn't kill hfrn-or
thought they wouldn't. thought they'd
probably make him take fresh strangle
hoid ON things and be fred-if he had
TO be fired-fighting 1t out grimly on hir
own line. But l wasn't so sure about
the Mrs. Sheila business. That WAS a
horse Of another color.
hau just reacneu Tor my hat and
was getting ready to snap the electrics
OH when heard footsteps in the outer
once. When l looked up, a stoeky,
hard'faced man in derby hat and n
snort overcoat was standing In the
doorway and scowling across at me.
1t was' Mr. Rufus Hatch, and had
a houon that the hot end OF his black
cigar glared at me like baleful red
eye when he came in and sat down.