Emmons County record., 1921-06-30


"Yes. sub; remember you said
that" the major allowed.
Every good. Marshall and his pocket
syndicate may have acquired voting
control in G. 8. & W.. and they may.
be willing now to patch up an alliance
with Hatch. But in that case the new
monopoly will still lack the one vital
ingredient: the power to fix prices.
If there is new combine, and it tries
to make the producers and merchants
pay more than the agreed percentages
for storage and handling"
II know" the major cut in. "You-all
will rise up in the majesty of youh
wrath and put 1t out of business by
terminating the leases. I hope you
may: sutt'inly do hope you may.
But you'll recollect that l didn't advise
YOU on that point. suh You took
Mlsteh Ripley's opinion. Maybe the
courts will hold with you, but, candid
ly. Graham, l doubt it-doubt 1t right
much."
The boss didn't seem to be much
scared up over the doubt. He just
smiled and said we'd be likely to find
out what was in the wind, and that
before very long. Then he spoke Of
Hatch's afternoon call at our offices,
and mentioned the fact that the Red
Tower president would probably try
again. later in the evening.
The major let the business matter
drop, and he was working his way
patiently through the salad course
when he looked up to say:
"Was there anything In youh trip
to Strathcona to warrant Sheila's lit
tie telegraphic dangeh signal, Gra-
ham,"
Nothing worth mentioning" said
the boss. without turning hair; do
ing It. as made sure. because he
didn't want Mrs. Sheila to be mixed
up In the plotting business, even by
implication. a
The major didn't press the inquiry
any farther. and when he spoke again
1t was of an entirely different matter.
"Away along in the beginning. some
body-I think it was John Chadwick
spoke Of you as man with sawt
of Observation-Disclosures tempeh.
Graham: what have you done with
that tempeh in these .heah latch
days?''
The boss smile was a good-natured
grin.
Temper is not always a matter of
temperament, major. Sometimes 1t is
NY11v tn nR,
experience has been in the construc-
tion camps. where I have had to deal
with men In the raw. Just the same.
there have, been moments within the
past six months when have been
sorely tempted to burn the wires with
few choice words of the short and
ugly variety and throw up my job"
(which. as you may say, brings us
around to President Dunton." put in
the old lawyer shrewdly. "He is still
opposing youh polfcies?"
"Up to few weeks ago he was
still bounding me to do something that
would boost the stock, regardless of
what the something should be, or Of
its effect upon the permanent value of
the property"
did understand you to say that
these-ah- suggestions from Dunton
had stopped?" the major inquired
Temporarily, at least. haven't
heard anything from New York-not
lately" .E
"Then Dunton's nephew hasn't made
himself known to y0u?"
"Collingwood? Hardly. I'm not In
Mr.. Howie Collingwood's set-which is
one of the things have to be thank
full for. Butt this is news: didn't
know he was out here"
The news-giver bent his head grave
" in confirmation Of the fact.
"He's heah, I'm sorry to say, Gra-
ham. He has been heah quite some
little time, vibratin' round with the
Grigsbys and the Gannons and lot
mo- Of the new-rich people up at the
capital" W.
1t was the boss turn to go silent,
and could guess pretty well what he
was thinking. The presence of Presi-
dent Dunton's nephew in the West
might mean much or nothing. But I
could imagine the boss was thinking
that his own single experience with
Collingwood was enough to make him
wish that the nephew Of Big Money
would stay where he belonged among
the high-rollers and spenders Of his
own set in the effete East.
| II can't quite get the proper slant
on men Of the Collingwood type" he
remarked, after the pause. 'The only
time ever saw him was on the night
before the directors meeting last
spring. He was here with his uncle,s
party in the special train, and that
night at the Bullard he had been drink
ing too much and made q braying ass
Of himself. had to knock him silly
before could get him up to his room"
"You did that, Graham m?-for a
strangehY' II
IT did 1t for the comfort Of all con.
cerned. AS / say, he was making an
| ass of himself"
There was another break, and fhen
4 the major looked up with, little