Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1921-04-28
SYNOPSIS.

SYNOPSIS.
CHAPTER 1.-Graham Norcross, rail-
road manager, and his secretary, Jimmie
Dodds, are marooned at Sand Creek sid
ness peculiar train holdup. in which
special car is carried of.
CHAPTER H.-Norcross recognizes the
car stolen as. John Chadwicks; financial
magnate. whom he was to meet at Portal
City. He and Dodds rescue Chadwick.
me me latter offers iNorcross the manager
IN the hands of eastern. SPECTATORS
headed by Breckenridge Dunton, presi-
dent of the line. Norcross, learning that
sheila Macrae IL stopping at Portal City.
CHAPTER 11l.-Dodds overhears con-
versation between Rufus Hatch and Gus
t taye Hesnckel, Portal City financiers. in
kidnaping. their object being to keep
Chadwick from attending q meeting of
directors to reorganize the Pioneer Short
eSts.
CHAPTER IV.-To curb the monopoly
controlled by Hatch and Henckel, the Red.
IoWer corporation. Eorcross, forms the
terest in sheila Macrae. Dodds learns
that Sheila is married, but living apart
from her husband. Norcross does not
Dodds has knowledge Of his and Henck-
els participation in the Chadwick kid
mapping. offers him inducements to leave
Norcross. Dodds refuses Leaving the
a
ering consciousness. he learns that Nor
cross has disappeared and is believed to
have resigned and gone east.
I told him I didn't think it would
take more than half dozen fellows
of my size to knock me out, but was
gaining. Then he sat down and put
me on the question rack. l gave him
all 1 had-except that thing about the
undelivered kilograms and two or three
others that couldn't give him or any
body.
"We're in pretty bad shape. aren't
WEI" I suggested.
1--WE couldn't be in worse shape"
was the way he put it. Then he told
me little more than Maise Ann had;
how President Dunton had wired to
stop all the betterment work on the
Short Line until the new general man.
ager could get on the ground; how the
local capitalists at the head of the
new Citizens Storage & Warehouse
organization were scared plumb out of
their shoes and were afraid to make a
move; and how the newspapers all
over the state were saying that it was
just what they had expected-that the
railroad was crooked in root and
branch, and that good man couldn't
stay with it long enough to get his
breath.
"Then the new general manager has
been appointed asked.
He nodded. "Some fellow by the
name of Dismuke. l don't know him,
and neither does Hornack. He is on
his way west now, they say"
''Mr. Norcross hasn't shown up at
Mr.. Chadwick's Chicago offices?" I
ventured.
'No. The telegraph people have
been writing everywhere and can't get
any trace of him."
"Tell them to try Galesburg. That's
where his people live"
II know" he said; and he made
note of the address on the back of an
envelope. Then he came at me again,
on the "direct," as a lawyer would
say.
"You've been closer to Norcross in
an intimate way than any of us, JIM
mic; haven't you seen or heard some
thing that would help to turn little
more light on this damnable blow-up?"
I hadn't-outside of the one thing
I couldn't talk about-and I told him
so, and at this he let me see a little
more of what was going on in, his
own mind.
''You're one Of us, in a way, Jim
mic, and can talk freely to you.
Mrs. Macrae insists that there has
been foul play of some sort. You say
you weren't present when Hatch called
on Norcross at the Office that night?''
mo; came in just after Hatch
went away"
did Norcross say anything to make
you think there had been fight?"
HE told me that Hatch was abusive
and had made threats-in business
way"
I'm business way7 What do You
mean by that?"
quoted the boss own words. az
nearly as could recall them.
. $50 Hatch did make threat, then7
Can you add anything more7"
could, but didn't want to. Mr..
Van Britt didn't know anything about
the Sand Creek siding hold-up, or I
supposed he didn't, and didn't want
to be the first one to tell him. Besides,
the whole business was beside the
marx. Maisis Ann knew, and know,