Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1921-05-06


glng his neat little head at the boss.
I'll say one thing for the Hatch peo-
pie. Norcross; they're stubborn fight.
ers."
We'll beat EN-" predicted the boss
They've got to let go. How about our
c. S. & w. friends? Are they still,
gamer"
Fine" asserted the lawyer. 1.-THE
stock Is over-subscribed everywhere.
now, and c. S. & w. is a going concern.
The building boom is on. venture
to say there are over two thousand
mechanics at work at the different
centers. rushing up the buildings for
the new plants, at this moment. You
ought to have monument, Norcross
It's the most original scheme for
breaking a monopoly that was ever
devised"
The boss was looking out Of the
window sort Of absently. chewing on
his cigar. which had gone out.
Ripley. wonder what you'd say II
! should tell you that the Idea Is not
mine?" he said. after a little pause.
mot yours?"
mo; 1t. or at least the germ Of 1t.
was given to me by a woman; wo.
man who knows no more about busl-
ness details than you do about driving
white elephants"
I'D like to be made acquainted with
the lady," said Ripley. with a tired
little smile. "Such gems are too
valuable to be wasted on mere lumber
yards and fruit packeries and grain
elevators and the like"
you'll meet her some day." laughed
the boss. with a sort Of happy Tilt In
his voice that fairly made me sick
knowing what did; and knowing
that he didn't know it. Then he
switched the subject: about the
other matter, Ripley: l know you've
been pretty busy, but you've had Tar
bell nearly week. What have you
found out?"
Ripley briefed the general situa-
ton as 1t stood on the night Of the
engine theft in few terse sentences.
Aside from the fight on Red Tower
Consolidated, the new railroad poll
cies were threatening to upset all the
time-honored political traditions of
the mediterranean state. An cleo
ton was approaching, and the rail-
road vote and influence must be
whipped into line. AS the grafters
viewed it, the threatened revolution
was a one-man government, and II
that man could be removed the
danger would vanish.
The plot Itself was simple. At a
certain hour Of a given night an
anonymous letter was to be sent to
Mr.. Norcross. telling him that gang
Of noted train robbers was stealing
an engine from the Portal City yard
for the purpose Of running down the
line and wrecking the Fast Mail.
which often carried bullion express
car. II the boss should fall for it
az he did. when the time came--and
70 In person to stop the raid. he was
to be overpowered and spirited away.
q forged letter purporting to be no
tice Of his resignation was to be left
for Mr.. Van Britt. and fake tele'
gram, making the same announce
ment. was to be sent to President
Dunton in New York. Nothing was
left indefinite but the choosing Of the
night.
II suppose Hatch was to give the
word" said the boss. who had been
listening soberly while the lawyer
talked.
"That is the inference. Hatch prob
ably gave the word after his talk with
you, but the time was made even more
propitious by the arrival Of the two
kilograms; the one from Mr.. Chad
wick, and the one from Mr.. Dunton.
both Of which they doubtless inter.
cepted by means Of the tapped wires"
Mr.. Norcross looked up quickly.
."Ripley. did Dunton know what was
going to be done to meg"
"Oh. I think not 1t wasn't at all
necessary that he should he taken IN
on It. He has been opposing your
policies all along. and had just sent
you a pretty savage call-dcwn. He
didn't want you in the first place. and
he has been anxious to get rid OF you
ever since. The piotters knew very
well what he would do If he should
get a wire which purported to be your
resignation. He would appoint an.
other man, quick. and all they would
have to do would be to make sure
that you were we'll of stage, and would
stay of until the other man could
take hold"
ut worked out like a charm" al.
mitted the boss. with a wry smile. Il
haven't been talking much about the
details, partly because I wanted to
ind out il this young fellow, Tarbell.
was as good as the majors recon-
:nendation of him. and partly because
I'm honestly ashamed. Ripley. Any
man of my age and experience who
would swallow bait. hook. and line az
did that night deserves to get all
that Is coming to him..
"You can tell me now. can't your