The Elk Mountain pilot., 1921-03-31

since the thing was going to be
published. and ! was going to make
q copy Of 1t. didn't scruple to read
It as hurried out to begin hunt for
the Mountaineer ONCE. 1t was the
printers copy for an official circular,
dated At Portal City and addressed TO
all officers and employees Of the
Pioneer Short Line. 1t read:
EFFECTIVE at once, Mr.. Graham Nor
cross is appointed general manager of
the Pioneer Short Line system, with
headquarters at Portal City. and his
orders will be respected accordingly.
breckenridge Dunton,
president"
We had got our JOLT all right; and
leaving the ladder and the Friday start
out of the question, grinned and told
myself that the one other thing that
counted for most was the fact that
Mrs. Sheila Macrae was widow.
chased like the dickens on the
printing job. because, apart from
wanting to absorb all the dope could
as went along on the new job. l
knew would be needed every minute
right at Mr.. Norcross' elbow, now that
the actual work was beginning.
Luncheon was served in the Alexa,
and they kept the business talk GO
ing like house afire while they were
eating, the hurry being that Mr.. Chad
wick wanted to start back for Chi
cago the minute he could nnd out II
our connecting line east would run
him special.
f<.p lal frs
Graham, and we'll call II q CO." he
said. you are to have an absolutely
free hand in the management and the
operating. What you say goes as it
lies. and Dunton has promised me that
there shall be no appeal. not even to
him."
II imagine he didn't say that will
ingly." the boss put In, which was the
first intimation l had had that he
wasn't present at the directors' meet
ing in the hotel.
mo, indeed; nothing was done will
ingly. had to swing the big stick
and swing 1t hard. But had them
where they couldn't wiggle. You are
to set your own pace. and you are to
have some money for betterments.
I offered to float q new loan on short
time notes with the Chicago banks.
and the board authorized It."
The boss pushed that part of n
aside abruptly. as he always does
when he has got hold of the gist of q
thing.
''Now. about my staff," he said. ITS
open gossip all over the West that the
p. s. L. is officered by lot Of dunn
mics and place-hunters and relatives.
I'll have to clean house."
go to it; that is part of your
free hand Have you the material
to draw from"
Il know few good men, If can
get them" said the boss thoughtfully.
'The one man l can't place at sight is
a good corporation counsel. I'm OBJ
liged to have a good lawyer, Uncle
John"
Il have the man for you, II you'll
take him on my say so; young fel-
low named Ripley who has done some
corking good work for me in Chicago
I'll wire him, II you like. Now q word
or two about this local graft we
touched upon last night. l don't know
the ins and outs Of 1t, but people here
will tell you that q sort Of holding
corporation, called Red Tower Con-
solidated, has strangie grip on this
entire region. Its subsidiary COM
panies control the grain elevators, the
fruit packeries. the coal mines and
distributing yards the timber supply
and the lumber yards, and even have
finger on the so-called Independent
smelters."
The boss nodded. i've heard of
Red Tower. Also, l have heard that
the railroad stands In with 1t to pinch
the producers and consumers"
"A road engine was backing down
the spur to take the Alexa in tow for
the eastward run. and what was said
had to be said in hurry.
dig It out" barked the wheat king.
If you find that we are In on It, It's
your privilege to cut loose. The two
men who will give you the most trou-
BILE are right here In Portal City:
Hatch. the president of Red Tower.
and Henckel, its vice-president. They
say either Of them would commit mur-
der for ten-dollar bill. and they stand
in with Pete Clanahan, the city boss.
and his gang Of political thugs. That's
all, Graham; all but one thing. Write
me after you've climbed into the sad
die and have found out just what
you're In for. II you say you can
make 1t 20. I'll back you, IL it takes
half of next years wheat crop"
When the special had become a black
smudge Of coal smoke In the distance,
Mr.. Norcross turned on me with the
grim little smile that goes with his
fighting mood.
"You are private secretary to the
new general manager of the Pioneer
Short Line, Jimmie, and your salary
begins to-day" he said. briskly. Now
let's go up to the hotel and get our