The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-07-14

before ne cOulu IndhC 'i'C s'0 ca
move tine corridor door slammed n0lslly t.
and the madman was gone. a,
CHAPTER XVI r.
The Deserter 4
Mr., NOrcr0ss chased out and tr'eu n
TO oyertake Collingwood, going as lar h
AZ the foot of the stairs. l went, too' .
but got only far enough to meet the
boss coming up again. There was
nothing doing. The station policeman +
had seen the crazy rounder jump INTO ,
a taxi and go spinning off uptown. i
There was another Jolt waiting for
us when we got back to the once
While we were both out, Mr.. Van BTU
had blown In from his room at the
foot Of the hall and we found MN
lounging comfortably in the chair 1lae
Collingwood had just vacated
81 thought maybe you'd turn up
again pretty soon, since you'd left 'l'e
doors all open," was the way he started
out. Then: "Sit down, G:aham'
want to talk a few lines"
Mr. Norcross took his own cl'alr anu
twirled it to face the general super
intendent. "Say it, he commanded
briefly.
: MIR Van Britt hooked his thumbs
Il in his armhOles
l "I've just been figuring bit on the
9 oeupral outlook: you have decently
> efficient operating outfit here wl'''t
e with Perkins and Brant and Conway
6 handling the three divisions as sell
8 contained units. You don't need "
y general superintendent any more t'ah
E. monkey needs two tails"
a "What are you driving att" was
y, the curt demand.
,n "Well, suppose we say retrehc''nel''
~ for one thing. As size it up, you
~ might Just as we'll be saving my salary
-, It would buy good many new CROSS
ties in the course Of year
ne ''e' !" ''> ,-, - ,
NV "That's all bunk, and you know IT,
80 snonped the boss. "The organization
,no as II stands hasn't single stick O.
- dead wood in it. You know very wei
" that railroad the size of the Shor
.,r Line can't run without an lndlVldua
~ ~ head Of the operating department"
,od Mr., Van Britt laughed little a
off that. ..a
w., oa "1f YOU should get some one of thes
ol new efficiency experts out mere Il
,ot would probably tell you that you cou'
,,so cut your staff right in two IN u
uck middle"
mo- I could see that the boss was &c
vas ting mighty nearly impatient.
n ! "You are merely turning Handspring
Tho Ground the edges Of the thing you ma
shot come to say, Upton" he barked OF
"Come to the point, can't you? "h
more haze you got up your sleeve?'
'aht "Nothins that I could make y
mo mo understand in a month of Sunda'
,,id I'm sore on my JOB and l want
D in quit"
Nonsense! You don't mean thai
tho "Yes | do. I'm tired of wear
used the brass collar Of soulless corpo
wpll tjon, What's the use, anyway? foV
,an,t , hunch Of dividend checks from
,ito,v hank at home in the mail to-day, {
the what good does the money 40
sun. T can't spend it out here; can't e
t tna4 tin the servants at the hotel with
only o everlastingly demoralizing Them
,m;nc like the little boy who wanted to
, had out in the garden and eat worms.
sho,s The boss was frowning thoughtfl
crazv you're not giving me show
same ton," he protested. "Cant you !,
~ for tho froth off and let me see WI
:, !" no in the bottom Of the stein?"
ctions "pledge you my word, it's all II
\ had Graham. want to climb up on
moso behind the shops and tax
IN his good deep breath Of free air ana 81
a 20 nv fist at your blamed old Govt
Of a railroad and tell it to go to
dov,, You shouldn't deny me
ona,,v. pleasure like that" -.
~ yon It was getting under the boss
~ TN ~ at last, 81 can't believe that
l oan al really want to resign" he broke
s sos r. sort of hopelessly. ITS simply
iced Of posterous" ,..,,.,
~ wv aon. "pull it down out Of the future
~ ~, "a MT II in the present, and youv
, ~ von, it." said Mr.. Van Britt. II ha'
signed. l wrote it out on a PIE
mere paper and dropped it into your
hox as | came through the outer
tourney It's signed, sealed, and delivered.
ss inst Give me testimonial, or someth
e rides that sort, 10 "ho,n !. WY s,,,on
-, Oh WON'T YOU? I've been obedlen
S r,ck1ng faithful and honest and efticien
I can't all that, haven't II"
is hold. "rd like'to know where you 90
- little ,iouor Upton. That is the most
,oard Of table construction l can put ul
:ore the this, Why, man alive! you're q
NO IN the thick of the TOUCHES
ecaution the grafters have put up! ,, u>
W aroft. Eyes, I know; but mans g
,,to tod one life to live, and I've a'wa
,sckmate a sneaking sympathy for the nj
'.ost ond vote in the front rank who dldn
n ruv, to stand up and get himself 81
' n and n holes. I'm running, and
'nn' NAV should ask me why. I'd tell 20
m print the retrea'lns =, s W. woe runni
; thing. JACKSON "o 'a' ,,.. aur Onc
think tbecause ITO .0'.sn .so,,htf