The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-04-28
CHAPTER ll--Continued.

Mr.. NOrcr0ss told what we had seen,
and how we had come to be where we
we're able to see it, but that dldnt
help out much, either. From any point
of view It seemed perfectly foolish,
and the boss made mention of that.
If we hadn't happened to be there to
bring the engine back, the worst that
could have befalen Mr. Chadwick ana
the crew of the special would have
been a few hours bother and delay.
In the course Of time the conductor
would have walked out and got to a
wire station somewhere, though it
might have taken him all night, and
then some, to get another engine.
Naturally, Mr.. Chadwick was red
hot about it, on general principles. |
guess he wasn't used to being kid
mapped.
~ can't help thinking that it is con-
nected with what is due to happen
tomorrow morning Graham" he said,
at the end of things. There are some
certain sc0undrels in Portal City at
the present moment who wouldn't stop
at anything to gain their ends, and |
am wondering now if Dawes wasn't
mixed up in it."
"Who is Dawes?
Dawes is a mining man in Portal
City, and before I'd been an hour in
town Yesterday he hunted me up and
wanted me to 60 over to Strathcona
to look at some gold prospects he's
trying to finance. I said NO at first
because | was expecting you, and
thought you'd reach Portal City this
morning. When you didn't show lup
! knew ! had twelve hours more 'Ol
my hands, and as Dawes was still
hanging on, ! had our trainmastel
give me d special over to Strathcona
on a promise that I'd be brought back
early this evening, ahead Of the
Flyer from the west-the train yor
were on
Mr.. NOrcrcss nodded. '"And the
promise wasn't kept
mo promise is ever kept on the
Pioneer Short Line growled the bi.
magnate. And then, with a beauti
full disregard for the mixed figure!
Of speech: "Once in a blue moon tn
chapter of accidents hits the bulls
eye whack in the middle, Graham
When Hardshaw wired me from Port
land, | knew you couldn't reach Porta
City before this morning, at the YER!
earliest. That was going to cut m,
time pretty short, with the big Gun
due to be fired tomorrow morning
and you cut 1t still shorter by losinl
twelve hours somewhere along tn
road-they told me in the dis
patcher's Office that your train wa
behind wreck somewhere up II
Oregon. But it has turned out al
right, in spite of everything, Your
here, and we've got the night befor
U.s." Then l suppose he nodded to
ward me. for the boss said:
"Oh, Jimme's all right; he knew
what | had for dinner this evening
and he'll know what I'm going to hay
for breakfast tomorrow morning"
With the bride off, the big ma
went ahead abruptly, cutting out al
the frills,
"You finished your building con
tract on the Oregon Midland, Ora
ham, and after the road was Opene
for business you refused an offer O
the general managership. Would yo
mind telling me why you did that?
Not in the least There Is nothin
In it. An operating head Is nov
nothing more than a score-keeper 70
national gambling game. The hos
gamblers around the railroad post i
the Stock exchange tell him what h
has to do and where he has to &c
off. Stock gambling, under whateve
name 1t MISUNDERSTANDING value.
buying and selling margins, reorsar
izations, with their huge rake-offs TO
the underwriters-is the incubu
which is crushing the life out of tn
nations industries, especially In tn
railroad field. 1t makes me wish +
never seen a railroad track
"Yet it is your trade, isn't it?
asked the wheat king.
1T is; but luckily | can build raj
roads as we'll as operate them: an
there are other countries besides tn
United States Of America. I'm on m
way home 70 Illinois for little visl
with my mother and sisters; and afte
that | think l shall close with a
offer I've had from one of the Ca
madam companies"
"Good boy" chuckled the Chicag
magnate. I'm due time we nigh
hope to be reading your name In tn
newspapers-'Sir Graham Norcros;
D.S.0,' or something of that sort.
Then. with sharp return to the sor
of gritting seriousness: you've bee
riding over the Pioneer Short Lin
since early this morning, Graham
what do you think Of it,!
couldn't see the boss smile, but
could figure it pretty we'll when h
said: "There may be worse managed
worse neglected pieces of railroa
track In some Of the great transcOr
tinental lines. but If there are
haven't happened to notice then
/ suppose 1t is capitalized to deatf
like many Of the others"
"Fictitious values doubtless hav
something to do with it at the pres
ent stage Of the game" Mr.. Chad
wick admitted. 1T has always bee
q good earning property, being largely
.~. x,o& ,,,;fhout v,,uch locol now