Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1921-07-08
CHAPTER ll-Contlnued.

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Mr.. NorCross told what we had seen,
and how We had come to be where we |
were able to see it, but that didn't !
help out much, either. From any point
of view It seemed perfectly foolish, |
and the boss made mention of that. |
II we hadn't happened to be there to
bring the engine back, the worst that |
could have befalen Mr. Chadwick and |
the crew Of the special would have
been a few hours bother and delay. |
In the course Of time the conductor |
would have walked out and got to
wire station somewhere, though it
might have taken him all night, and
then some to get another engine,
Naturally, Mr.. Chadwick was red
bot about it, on general principles /
guess he wasn't used to being kid
naped
az can't help thinking that it is CON
nected with what is due to happen
tomorrow morning, Graham he said,
at the end Of things. There are some
certain scoundrels in Portal City at
the present moment who wouldn't stop
at anything to gain their ends, and l
am wondering now If Dawes wasn't
mixed up in it."
''Who Is DawesT
Dawes is a mining man In Portal
City, and before I'd been an hour in
town yesterday he hunted me up and
wanted me to 60 over to StrathCona
TO look at some gold prospects he's
trying to finance. / said No at first,
because l was expecting you, and
thought you'd reach Portal City this
morning. When you didn't show up,
I knew l had twelve hours more on
my hands, and as Dawes was still
hanging on, l had our trainmaster
give me special over to StrathCona,
on promise that I'd be brought back
early this evening, ahead of the
Flyer from the west-the train you
were on"
Mr.. Norcross nodded. "And the
promise wasn't kept"
mo promise is ever kept on the
Pioneer Short Line" grOwled the big
magnate. And then, with a beauti-
ful disregard for the mixed figures
of speech: "Once in a blue moon the
chapter Of accidents hits the bulls
eve whack in the middle, Graham
When Hardshaw wired me from Port
land, | knew you couldn't reach Portal
City before this morning, at the very
earliest. That was going to cut my
time pretty short, with the big gun
due to be fired tomorrow morning,
and you cut It still shorter by losing
twelve hours somewhere along the
road-they told me in the dis
patchers Office that your train was
behind wreck somewhere up in
Oregon. But It has turned out all
right, in spite Of everything. You're
here, and we've got the night before
US" Then l suppose he nodded to-
ward me, for the boss said;
"0h. Jimmie's all right; he knew
what had for dinner this evening,
and he'll know what I'm going to have
for breakfast tomorrow morning"
With the bride off, the big man
went ahead abruptly, cutting out all
the frills,
you finished your building con
tract on the Oregon Midland, Ora
ham. and after the road was opened
FOR business you refused an offer OF
the general managership. Would you
mind telling me why you did thatT
mot In the least There is nothing
m 1t. An operating head Is now
nothing more than score-keeper for
a national gambling game. The boss
gamblers around the railroad post in
the Stock exchange tell him what he
has TO do and where he has to get
off. Stock gambling, under whatever
name 1t masquerades-boosting values
huying and selling margins, reorgan-
izations with their huge rake-oits Tor
lhe underwriters-is the incubus
which is crushing the life out of the
nations Industries, especially in the
railroad field. 1t makes me wish Ia
never seen a railroad TRICK
"Yet 1t is your trade, isn't tF
asked the wheat king.
at is; but luckily can build rail.
roads as well as operate them; ana
there are other countries besides the
United States Of America. I'm on my
way home to Illinois for a little WISH
with my mother and sisters; ana artei
that / think | shall close with al
offer I've had from one of the va
madam companies"
Good boyw Chuckled the Chicag'
magnate. an due time we migh
hope to be reading your name IN th'
newspapers-'Sr Graham Norcross
D.S.O.,' or something of that sort
Then. with sharp return to the sor
of gritting seriousness; you've beer
riding over the Pioneer Short Lint
since early this morning, Graham
what do you think of itT
I couldn't see the boss SMILE but
could figure It pretty well when n,
said: "There may be worse managed