The Ordway new era., 1921-08-19

swer. ,.
c,,tre,l looked MS If he didn't more
than half believe IT.
being Il newspaper man. III '''
urally suspicious" he put in. herv
ora Ing aoipgs down underneath h'i
tbis that | can smell. but cant u'e
up. Everything about this strike Is ,oo
blamed good-natured. I've talkeu WIN
half n dozen of the lenders anu Win
amy number of the rank and hle. lhey
nII rrln and give me the wink as II
IT we're the best joke that was ever
pulled on"
Again Mr.. Norcross smiled hand
somely. ..If you push me To it. Can't
rell. | may say that this is eNae''s
their attitude toward me-!
We'll" said the editor getting up
TO 20; "it's doing one thing to you
good and proper. Your railroad S'ock
is tumbllng downstairs so fast tiat 1t
can't keep up with itself,
81 hope 1t Will tumble still more,
said the boss, pleasantly, with another
sort of enigmatic smile; and with mat
Mr.. Cantrell had to be content.
As the editor went out, Fred May
brought In the bunch of forenoon teie-
grams and laid them on the desk. Ihey
were quickly glanced Mt and tossed
over TO me as fast rs they were read
Most of them were plaintive little yips
from a strike-stricken lot of people
along the Short Line who seemed to
think that the world had come to an
end, but there were three bearing the
New York date line and signed Dun
ton" The earliest had been sent short
ly after the opening of the Stock ex-
change. and it ran thus;
Morning papers announce strike
and complete tie-up on p. S. l.. why
no report from you of labor troubles
threatening? Compromise mt any cost
and wire emphatic denial of strike.
Answer quick"
The second of the series had been
filed for transmission an hour later
and 1t was still more saw-toothed.
Later reports confirm newspaper
story. Your failure to compromise In
stantly with employees will break
stock market and subject you to in
vestigatlou for criminal incompetency.
Answer"
The third message had been sent
still later.
your continued silence is inexcus-
able If no favorable report from you
by six o'clock you may consider your
self discharged from the company's
service and criminal proceedings on
charge of conspiracy will be instituted
at once"
l thought things were beginning to
look pretty serious for US If Mr.. Dun
ton was going to try to drag us into
the courts, but Mr.. Norcross was still
smiling when he handed me the last
and latest telegram in the bunch. 1t
was from Mr.. Chadwick, and was good
naturedly laconic.
ITO G. Norcross. G.. NJ,
Portal City.
Just returned from trip to Seattle
What's doing on the Short Line?
Chadwick"
"a couple Of kilograms, Jimmie" said
the chief, as he passed this last wire
over, and got my notebook ready
ITO B. Dunton, New York. Strike is
sympathetic and not subject to com.
promise. Mails moving regularly, but
all other traffic suspended indefinitely
My Office closes today, and my resig
nation, effective at once, goes to you
on Fast Mail tonight"
"Now one to Mr.. Chadwick, and you
may send it in code" he directed
crisply. Then he dictated:
See newspapers for account strike
Hatch and eight of his associates were
killed last night in railroad wreck
Dunton has demanded my resignation
and l have given it. Have plan 70,
complete reorganization along line,
discussed in beginning, and need youl
help. At market opening tomorrow
sell p. s. l.. large blocks and repur
chase In driblets as price goes down
Repeat until 1 tell you to stop. wir,
| quick II you are with U.S."
Just as l was taking the last sen
tence, Mr.. Ripley and Billoughby cam,
in, and Mr.. NorcrOss took them botl
into the third room of the suite an,
shut the door An hour later wher
the door opened and they came out
the boss was summing up the new or
ders to Bllloughby: 'srhere's lot t,
do. and you have my authority to hir
all the help you need. See the bank
ers yourself, personally. and get then
to Interest other local buyers along tn
line. the more of them, and the smaIle
they are. the better. I'll take care o
Portal City, myself. I've had Va
Britt on the wire and he is taking car
of the employees-yes, that goes as
lies. and Is part of the original plan
every man who works for p. S. l..
going to own bit of stock, IL we hay
to carry him for it and let him pay
dollar week. More than that rho