New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-08-26

stockholders, the same to be held
bless your eart,-in Portal City, the
thriving metropolis of the region in
which. counting Mr.. Chadwick in as
one of us, a good, solid voting major
ity of the stock WAS now held. Til
Mountaineer printed the call, and ii
spoke of the railroad as 'Our railroad
company.
The meeting was held I'm due time.
and Mr.. Chadwick was there to pre-
side. He made II cracking good chair
man. and the way he dilated III the
fact that now the c~ountry-and the
employees-had a railroad of their
own. and that the whole nation would
be looking Ia see how we would de-
monsfrate The problem we had taken
over. actually brought cheers-think
of ii cheers in a railroad stockhold-
ers' meeting,
Following Mr.. Chadwick's talk there
was the usual routine business; re-
ports We're read and il was shown that
the Short Line, Notwithstanding all I'll"
~
still a good going proposition at the
price mt which il had been bought in.
A new board of directors was chosen.
and as o o as the new board got to-
gether, Mr.. Norcross went back Ia his
Office in the headquarters, not as gem
eral manager, this time-nOt on your
ife.-but as the newly elected presi-
dent of Pioneer Short Line. And by
the same token, the first official cir
cular that came out-a copy of which
Maisie Ann-read like this:
$40 all Employees:
effective this day, Mr., James r.
DOdds is appointed assistant to the
president with headquarters in Portal
City.
"G. Norcross, President"
That's all; all but II little talk be-
tween the boss and Mr.. Upton Van
Britt that took place in u Office on
the day after Mr.. Van Britt, still kick
ing about the hard work that the boss
was always piling upon him. had been
appointed general manager.
you've made the rifle, Graham
just as | said you would" said our
W and only millionaire, after he had
got through abusing the fates that
wouldn't let him 20 back east and play
with his coupon shears and his yachts
and polo ponies. you're going to
be the biggest man this side of the
mountains, some day +; and the day isn't
so very far off, either"
1t was just here that the boss got
out of his chair and walked to the
other end of the room. When he came
back ii was L say:
you think | have won out, Up
ton, and so does everybody else. |
suppose ii looks that way to the man
in the street. But | haven't, you know.
l have lost the one thing for which
| would gladly give all the business
success | have ever made or hope to
make"
Mr.. Van Britt's smile was more than
half a grin.
at isn't lost, Graham: it's only gone
Can't you wait a decent lit
tie while?'
IF | should wait all my life it
wouldn't be long enough, Upton" was
the reply. what you said TO me
that time when we first spoke of Col
lingwood-was true. You said she |
loved the other man-and so she did"
This time Mr.. Van Britt's smile was
n whole grin.
81 said il. and I'll say 1t again. She
didn't realize il or admit 1t, even To
herself, you know; she's too good and
clean-heartcd for anything like that.
But | could SEE II plainly enough, and
so could everybody else except the
two people most nearly concerned. I
didn't mean HOWE Collingwood: you
we're the other man. Graham"
At this the boss whirled short
and tramped TO the other end
If the room again, standing for quite
/ little while with one foot on the
wlndow-sill and making out like
le WIS loohlllS uoNH NJ lHe tfaIlc
Gathering along In Nevada avenue
But I'll bet a quarter he never saw
/ single wheel of il. When he came
,ack our way his eyes were shining
md he put his hand on Mr.. Van Britt's
ihoulder.
ut ought TO have been you, Uppy,"
10 said, dropping back to the old col
eye nickname. You're by long odds
better man. When-when do you
hink | might venture to take a little
un across to New York"
At that, Mr.. Van Britt laughed out
oud.
"Ho. no." he said. II suppose
'ught To say a year. You can wait
ne little year, can't you. Graham:'
Not on your life :" rasped the boss.
md then: "Ill tell you what I'll do:
II compromise with the propricties.
r whatever it Is that you're insisting
N, and make il six months. But
the limit-the absolute limit -
And so IL was.
(THE END.D
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