Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1921-06-23

using ns a lever to rry an excessive
hauling charge out Of the mine own.
ers. Wouldn't Mr.. NorcrCss try to do
something about It?
TIE boss said he'd do anything he
could. and asked what the mine own.
prs wanted Dawes said they wanted
help: that they were going to hold
mass meeting in Strathcona the fol.
lowing morning at nine O'clock Would
It. or wouldn't II. he possible for Mr..
NOrcrOss to he present al TINT meet
ing?
OF course. the boss said he'd 20
Dawes went away, and before we
broke off to go to dinner at the rail-
road club. was given memorandum
order for special.
At the club l found that Mr.. Nor
cross had an invited guest-Major
Kendrick. For week or two Mrs.
Sheila had been visiting at the state
capital, and the majors wife and
Maisie Ann were with her. SO the
good old major was sort of unattached,
and glad enough, I took 1t, to be a
guest at anybody's table.
For while the table talk-in which,
Of course, Jimmie Dodds hadn't any
part whatever-circled around the late
landslide election, and what Governor
Burrell's party would do. now that it
had the say-so. But by and by it
got around to the railroad situation.
you're putting. up a mighty good
fight, Graham. my son, but 1t isn't
over yet-not by jugful. suh"-this
isn't just the way the major said it,
but it's as near as can come to his
soft Southern drawl with the .smoth-
cred "r's." five known Misteh Rufus
Hatch, for good many yeahs. and he
has the perseverance of the ve'y devil.
With all that has been DONE you must
neveh forget. for single hou'uh, that
youth admirable reform structchuh
stands, as yet. upon the life Of single
man. Don't lose sight of that, Gra-
ham,"
The boss looked up kind Of Curl
ously.
you and Shella seem to think that
point needs emphasizing more than
any other" he commented.
The majors fine old eyes twinkled
gravely.
"You are mighty safe In payin' strict
attention to whatever the little gyerl
tells you. Graham, my boy" he as.
serted. ''She has way of gettin' at
the heart of things that puts us mean
men to shame-she has, for fact.
subj"
'She has been very helpful to me"
the boss put in. with his eyes In his
plate. I'm fact, may say that she
has herself suggested good many Of
the moves in the railroad game. It's
marvellous. and can't understand
how she can do It."
They went on for a while. singing
Mrs. Sheila's praises over in good
many different ways. and l thought.
wherever she might happen to be just
then. her pretty little ears ought to
be burning good and hard. To hear
them talk you would have thought she
was another Portia-person. and then
some.
The dinner wore itself out after a
while. and when the waiter brought
the cigars, the boss was looking at his
watch.
I'm sorry l can't stay and smoke
with you. major" he said, pushing his
chair back. "But the business grind
never lets up. I'm obliged to go to
Strathcona tonight"
I don't know what the major was
going to say to this abrupt break
away: the after-dinner social cigar
was sort of religious ceremony with
him. But whatever he was going to
say. he didn't say 1t, for at that mo-
ment telegraph boy came in and
handed him message. He put on
his other glasses and read the tele-
gram. with his big goatee looking more
than ever like dagger and the fierce
white mustaches twitching: At the
end of things he folded the message
and put it into his pocket, saying, sort
of soberly:
"Graham, there are times when
Sheila's intuhferences are mighty