The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, July 16, 1905, Page 4

The story of the Soms of the Red Rose began in The Sunday ©Onll May 28 and will continue for several weeks. This is the best story of railroad life that bas appeared for years. O de Courcy.) his head mechanical the demon valve d by his at- * and “lead"” sl with the ut oft,” “heat “valve o officeward & gs or cross over misplaced ected side- twisted pins, ‘on. some ton guides and back-blocked sympathetic de- Daddy” of ig- / triple t with ng tubes and over ing on' this 1ld you 7" De- y &t the presented when John ce. after a cordial m to a chair saying, eman an dep I've ouble back’ so tired d to avoid a tie- es valve motion, from s note to 3 who a book of Selk, the chief will put you s; bring his ver- hen T attend to marking few minutes later John e paper to the official in- seance with that dapper n the following note: I have excmined the upon book of rules, and find him O. L L. 8" = said Mr. Jasper, after over. “Allow me, En- congratulate you upon e examination and also to o has grown gray upon a give you a littie dose of talk. ch you have attained ost responsible held by ain dispatcher, no one service compares with you. of the train, and in ves and hands. The abso- of hundreds of-tons of prop- ing at cyclone speed, the pre- f countless home circles and s rests with you alone. The ocean liner stands a divided engineer. - but yéu watch, protect alone. rst duty Is Under cylindered én- rated tonnage, com- green s in distant citles, lific sou consclence and others’ s derailed upon rough tracks or y & the fellows that foot the bills, when b The ‘little fellow’ fore, as you, after straightening all fi the curves, springing each bridge and ignoring all slow and limit orders on terminal of & cloud of dust ‘on the dot,’ pped you on the back as a ‘dandy’— e best on the pike,’ etc.—will treat 1 in the manner of a successful poli- ticlan after election day, and calculate it your back will furnish fur enough to your division, dashed into ahead e his. two Xkinds of efigineers. Those Of the two, give me the former. before looking to thelr things @s they come in a spirit merry, ong hand$ of others rest Never forget to the trusting are & pro- rce of danger to many an ambi- ellow a course of conduct that rou the reputation of being a Never try to rectify en’'s mistakes at the expense of lives. srned on sharp curves represent in coin and prestige to and sticks flourish around back rooms in general offices fur begins to who & week Now, as to your work. There are who follow the business from pure love of its absorbing life and those who look upon it as a good paying employment. They belong to the class who leave heavily sanded ralls, brakes in emergency and reverse levers cocked toward the tank individyal safety—men who, with a laugh, climb into scrap piles when I cannot furnish better—never present on sand house committtes or forming the nucleus of street-corner conferences—taking all of arty acceptance, remiembering ONS OF any mere ‘starter’ or ‘stopper’ can get & successfil trip out of the old man's pet, but that it takes a master to do it with a back-shop candidate. These are the men that successfully take the lesson of corrbded: injectors, leaking flues, loose steampipes, double-flanged tires and broken packing, as the basis of a new working eguipment. John, your past record has proved your en- trance.right to be enrolled in this class, end I have no.féar of your future. Now go over to the house. Tell the foreman to mark you up.” A few ‘minutes later, after a hearty handclasp, John saw the foreman's greasy hand trace upon a great black- board below the legend “Extra Engi- neer, Gray, fifth out.” Many young men under similar, condi- tions would have sought the appreciative company of friends, but John Gray was of a different type. The swift change from the deck to the right side seemed to place him in a strangely different mood. He wanted to think it over. A brief walk brought him to where a cool snow- fed ‘torrent dashed amid the rocks of a tle canyon. The first thought was of added help his increased earnings would be to the home folks, but through it ran the shiver of the insistent, an I do 1t?"—"can I fill the bill?"—"cow- ardly”—"well, if go, each and every one of the grave, burly fellows to whotn you dally Intrust your life have at least once in their lives dropped under the white feather. All other men on whom fall the crushing weight ef great responsibility arrive at it by steps of slow graduations —the fireman drops the shovel of yester- day to take the throttle of to-day. Fools are extremely rare in the ranks of the locomotive firemen. None know better the narrow margin lying between failure or success, the sudden upspringing of prob- lems involving questions of life or death, in whose sclution eye, brain and hand must act—and sure—with flashing speed, the haunting monster “I forgot,” or *I did not know,” ever waiting to chuckle over reproachful faces and crushed breasts. Then to step, with wide apen eves, up to the seat where sunny halr blanches premature]y white, where merry boyish traced faces are gridironed into care lines and the bravest heart at isses beats, is far from a thing -making or clinking glasses. The vigil of the young, untried knight, pray- ing amid cloistered shades. over virgin sward and armor has a prototype in the boy of to-day tossing the long watches through on a hard boarding-house bed,’as his mind runs the Iong wished, aded trial of the morrow. The wonder of it all is, not one in s or disgraces the ranks of the nd proven. It was with a feeling of keen regret that he thought of his closed firing days. He had remained witht ady since starting, ahd. the regret ate tendant upon the severéd companionship: w very keen. To think of i...ng.over the familiar road without the great figure with whom he had faced storm or sun- shine was almost unbearable. Natures like John's are kindly to.all men, but ve the rich treasures of their strong s for the favored few.to whom they The strong loyalty of the man thrilled as the names and faces of Lawrence, Brady and Howe stood rocklike before his vision and the knowledge of their strong, devoted friendship was in this, his hour of weak- ness, akin to the clasp of a warm, firm hand. f As the fresh purity of the mountain air reeks under the stench of a strong cigar, Brady seats himself on a nearby rock silently puffing, his hands lockéd over his knees. Neither seems anxious to break the si- lence. Finally Brady throws away the closely consumed stump, arises, then crosses to John with extended hand. Then the two great forms stand for a mo- ment, right hands clasped, left of each resting on the shoulder opposite—the visions flitting before their eyes of the kind which no man ever speaks. “John,” said Brady awkwardly, ‘‘some- thing told me I would find you here and 1 am glad of it. It seems the' proper place for us to have it out. 1 know your feelings by my own, amd, boy, I know your cab will be as lonely as will be the $28's—and that is enough for me.” Twelve hours later John was awakened from a troubled sleep by the familiar woice: “You have the devil's own luck— catch the 806 special; the lightning sharps wanted an older man run around you but the old man got up and howled. If they were running his board he would move it to their office, but as long as it re- mained under his jurisdiction he could take the men wanted; time enough to condemn them when they fell down. Bo you make your first trip on ‘a guaranteed time duster.’ ™’ John found the great ‘High wheeler” awaiting him on the main line. “All ready sir,” said the fireman, in mock ceremony, “except oiling. I could have attended to that, but most old efi gineers prefer to attend to it in person. “Give rhe a torch and can and shut u John roared at hig laughing tormentor., He had just finished the last wedge when & hand was laid upon his shoulder. Turning he recognized Mr. Sampson, the superintendent. “Gray,” he said, crisply, front. I want to talk to you.” Mystified, John followed to the cor- ner of the pilot. “The train you are awaliting,” resumed the superintendent, “is a flve-car over- land tea special. These trains are han- died by only five roads between San Francisco and New York. Each road guarantees to handle it over thelr lines in & certain time, agreeing to a heavy for- feit in event of failure. About three hours ago I came to the dispatcher’s office to see how the train sheet stood. Our Cali- fornia fast freight No. 18 had béen caught badly by the special's figures. ng a chance to advance them without delay- ing the tea tfain I told the dispatcher to run them to Marshall. Despite his demur 1 insisted. No. 19 broke loose at the foot of the hill, thereby delaying the speciat at Marshall thirty minutes. Mr. i¢ sparing no pains to make the of these trains a success over this line, and unless you go to Black River on time “come up 1 #tand for a trip to Ulntah and a very. disagreeable half hour. You will have an absolute right of track order and, boy, when you get the white lay her out for Biack River on the dot, or the ditch.” “I'll do my best,” John replied, quietly, but with gleaming eyes. “All right, I'll remember to judge y by the ,” came the decided answer, as Mr. Sampson turned to stand, watch in hand, intently. peering to where a long ;m;:- wound out from the western foot- ills, Precious valve oll was poured liberally on surprised boXes; cupféeeders again raised over soaked pins. A long wailing whistle was toummgh the plunge of a smoke meteor; a final grind of the re- verse drivers was yet quivering over the dull glow of steel dust as Tom Brickly threw his red head, face up, from his cab- window, roarin “Say, you wheel-polishing son-of-a-gun, do you think that pin a rattlesnake?” Then he dashed swiftly ahead to return over spinning drivers to ash track. The = coupling made, the conductor sprang up on the engine. - In surprise John saw it was Howe who extended the order. “My first main line, too,” he said hur- riedly; “got off the branch at last.” John held the “fiimpry” against the gauge lamp, reading: ‘“‘Hngine 8§06 will run extra, Red Canyon to Black River, on the following schedule, and with right over all trains. Leave Red Canyon 8 a. m., Hindmen 8:40 a. m., Snyders 4:50 a. m.; arrive Black River at 5:40 a. m." John took a swift glance at the date and signatures, then said: “Rather swift as a starter for 11§ miles,, but thirty mihutes late.” “All right; the inspectors are through'” cried Howe; “the track is yours, Don’t make me wigh I had left you In the corn- fleld.” * 4 ‘With parrowed lids, Johm, with one hand, shoved the bar well- down, and m:‘b the other drew the throttle slowly. ot . % “How late are ypu going to Black River,” asked the fireman. “Let you know at 5:40,” snapped John, drawing the reverse lever well up on the quadrant. : The last of a long line of cars, tailed by the sputtering .‘“yard goat,” reeled past. John saw a group of twisting shadows dodging red fire, then the limit-board dance the Highland fling back into the night, and they were out, off, and Black River a mile nearer. The first twenty miles was a heavily as- cending grade, then the road led down three miles straight as an arrow, and four miles up. The §08, a powerful extra passenger, was one of the best of then sting types, and as John felt the flerce :éwur exulting b th him the last doubt fled. There _a battle of frogs; then the little summit town was reached. John's watch showed that it was twenty-élght minutes since théy stood over the open throttle. « " The firemé&n thrust his scoop under the d, then sat hand th 0 d“v? ivumnc'.‘lhl cult?mn; wer ut-oft.” au odd look swept over his Johi, impassively hooked a ‘back nearer center. 2 shoulders the firéman to the deck; and in a pi burnish uunm_’ % the. 0y, i e at th foot tottered under her whirling a clattering bar voices her first protest. shin; her The fireman cast looks askaiice at it, then for a moment stood leaning over his seat box to stare, with hard lines about his eyées, upon the awful jumble bt rock, sagebrush and sky without. A hoarse #ound came from Somewhers overhiead, flerce as the growl of .a baby lon. Turning he saw the pointer quiv- ering backward s the great hands dropped from the biting lever. The ex- ultant spirft of the true runner filled John’s brain completely. Dawn, the sharp black and white of high altitude, broke. Around the nearly closed front car door poured the keen rush of the morning wind; then, as the flyihg ma- chine rocked in long sweeping curves, caught his left ear in the high, sweet notes of a fife. There are upon earth but two places where the sons of the réd rose can heéar theé very words of the hedad of their clan—high in the cord- age of a struggling, storm-tossed ship, and fighting time schedule through. the slippery hallows of a mountain road. How the fife speaks then of the empty naught of life and the sweet nearness of death! ‘As the speed slackened upon the Heavy grade John notlced an 0dd pain in his Knees. To his’surprise he found that it was owing to the fast clutch of his heels against his seat. On a curve at top of the hill he turned a laughing face back to Howe. To his surprise’he received no response from the strained, anxious countenance thrust from the cupola window. On the contrary, the lips seemed framing unprintable ad- Jectives. For over a mile down the nine-mile grade he kept hér _ open. Then, to Howe's relief, a cloud of black smoke trails seemingly rigid as an iron bar against his face. “Wonder how he came to do it—must have fallen off the seat box," he growled to his brakeman. Over on the engine the fireman swept the deck with an ‘air of finality; then seated himself, head well, inside, to enjoy his well earned rest. Halt way down a little mountain hamlet sprang from ahead. On the side track leaning against the pilot of a walting train grouped three men. Bpread bafore them were the savory rémnants of three baskets. ‘On a shovel of hot coal a coffee pot sizzies merrily. s Two minutes before burly old Jube Smith, the engineer, growled as he raised a steaming cup to his mouth, “'I would like to have the hanging of that orna- ment in Red Canyon office. He uses up his &ngine to ¢ £ 2 her le h:” unt| IN THE '80's BY MB-DE COURCY “Look out!" yelled old Jube, as he tornado anywhere this side of Short Cut timbled down the dump, catching as he he had better sfay in!™ fell glimpses of a merry boyish face in 5 Ath:o :’;:lllt;k!g: ;ll’l;l“t long sid- the flylng cab. Quickly gaining the track N8 John takes, for TSt time,.a jpeep he found Hhis cgmpan{t):s gazing with 2t his watch. It was 5:3, and nearly dust-uiled eyes after a mere speck ahead ¢ight minutes to Black River. He. an- of & billow of sand rapidly dwindling in SWered the-look in the fireman’s sooty the distance. face by only hooking his right arm more “Haw {5 that for loafing,” grinned the Sécurely over the arm rest. Very low brakeman. and straight lines the blgok smoke now. “Phat féllow was running 100 miles an _Back in the caboose Howe said to hour and ed to be enjoying it,” was his cowering flagman, as the bounding B A setmed o e % i3 'He. car dashed from side fo side, “Yesterday 100kKed. ruetully toward the empty, over- I met a conductor who asked me what turned baskets. kind of an engineer I thought Gray “Why, it was that big, dcacon-like fel- Would make, and, Billy, this was my an- Jow ho Has fired for Brady.” swer: ‘He will make a good, safe man, “Just promoted yesterday,’ added the but he has too much of the slow and fireman. ‘“Lord, what will he ‘be in a easy Southern plood in him to ever make week?” commented Smith, ds he pulled a swift' runner,’ and say, young man, I himigelf to the deck. know how Ananias felt—slow!” The To John the scattering bréakfast party brakeman looked a sickly reproach. At was a thing of lavughable merriment. last comes again the rattle of the strain- Turning to catch Howé's eye, he was ing bar. John, with an impatient move- surprised to see the cupola deserted. ment, thrust In the throttle; the fireman, “Rating breakfast,” he thought. grating on his heel, opened the blower, At the foot of the hill, as he swoopéd then crawled upon his pitching seat. As through Welkin, Pat McGhee looked after the engine struck a sharp curve the oll the houncing caboose i perplexed horror. cans swiried on the rack, then fell, spout “Sure, it must be the devil himself,” he first, on the deck. The boy looked on the thought. wasting oil indifferently, In the near Snyder was a water stop. John reached distance “appeared the huddled outlines for the nearest oil” can, btew down the of'the swiftly-approaching terminal. He spout, repeated the process with the glanced anxiously at the great hand rest- other; theh, s he brought the train to' ing quietly upon the brake vaive. The a stop, swung to the ground, both in yard board flashes past—the station hand. crowded black, despite the early hour, ~A quick survey showed all to be in fine and the waliting engine standing upon the condition, but an ominous silenceé hung line—are in plain view. The strain is too over the cabooge. much for discipline. 2 “What are you going to do? Knock the town down?” rings into John's ear, as without a change flickering over the Brave impassiveness of his face, he gently moves the valve into “application,” pulling the sand lever wide open with he other hand, then to t, Dbraced ragainst the boller head, both hands ¥pon the réverse lever as the undulat- ing car walks roar against his ear. Down on the platform he sees black forms wave wildly outthrown arms, the engineer, leisurely mounting the right side of 815, turns the white spot about the dark blue toward him, then drops the can and springing upon the engine proceeds to fill the air with condensed water in a frantic effort to obey the shrieks of, “Get out of the way"'— “Look out for yourself,” etc. As the fireman, a grieved look upon his face, walks silently across the coal-filled deck and drops easily down the lowest step, John casts a look to the ground, then says laughingly, “Better wait un- til we stop. We will be here all day, and ‘The Palace’ is open until mid- night.” The clearance post floats up easily, to stop exactly opposite the pilot beam. John's watch 'shows the minute hand notching against 5:40, like the segment of a cog. “A good run,” he says a moment later, as they come to a stop upon an ash track. “Yes,” responded the fireman, “the 808 looks like it, too,” pointing to the gray smoke pouring lazily from the back drivers, and both forward motion eccentries. John thought of Mr. Jansen's quickly forgotten advice. It's all right from his standpoint—but well. Then a mo- ment later he said to the grimy in- dividual overlooking his report, “Pack both driving ‘boxes, top and bottom, sponge othets and engine tracks and tank boxes. - Both eccentrics and both main pins running hot. We left late and I hate to lay her out. Packing is not looked after close enough on these extra engines. “Learn to kick their first trip,™ growled the fireman as he turned to his assistant. “Let's go down to the caboose .and wash up,” said John. On reaching the car the sudden silence following their entrance was very significant. “Well, Howe,” laughed Joha, “how about the cornfleld?” “Look here, John,"” sponded that worthy, as he indicated the brakeman, “from the way you have started in you wiH do‘fme a great favor if you will niever refer to my having any part in making you a railroad man—it's dan- gerous in a coulitry given to necktie parties.” ““Yes,” he added, seriously, “your idea of engine running is new to me and this country has but one conselation— thie teadher won't live long enough to make thany converts.” “A message for you fellows,” said a messenger boy from the door. Howe read aloud: “C. & E. Engine 806— Allow me to congratulate you on the finest run ever made In the Rocky mountaing. J. 8" “Signed by old man Sampson person- ally,” gasped Howe, “and 1 expected he would give us six months twice a year. Well, it su:s]y looks as if things had beerknm‘ since I've been buried in the Huron branch. I remember a fel- low, who, two years ago, sald some- thing about fast running, as If it was the. proper - thing,” commented John, daryly. Howe's attitude was a good il- o = lustration of silent disgust. 7 HNLEZD A A few days after Brady ralled John. 75 “What is this I hear about you?" he Sy -&fln‘flfi:r urlou-uo:h"n lolcm Wondering at the st t. 1, TOH B GUBAULR FUHE Ry . A Tonn muugred, "’ hemcun'fl thi‘ bar ing cofnerstones and scaring the entire ahead. “Must be figuring on sending me division into time-check fever.” b back t “T see,” answered John, meekly, “you "Fm Xumnc‘i‘;'}.g“&w the t spout have heard about that infernal tea spe- up, and stumbling & coal, ¢ial. Now I'll give you my side.” Accordingly he related the Incident up to the run, concluding the narrative by saying: “Now, Brady, when Mr. Sampson told of the box he had gotten into I thought of what I Know you would do in similar circumstances. I had a good engine and was glad of the her out” Brady looked down over and making a mental al with his thumb- drew out his wat calculation on its nalil, said: & Sy ‘‘Just as many minutes as miles. Give it to her. Tl do my part.” In distant Mc-:;onwr Sampson watched the dispatcher’s deftly: pen. “En- gine 804, Snyder, 5:03.” “Not by Sny- excuse to let der's?” gaspéd ' the _ast at the speaker for a moment silently, “Yes, and going to Black time. %‘W (g R vogny . viliaint He Is over the worst of the But, I would do,' indeed! What rea- say, how a man’ ‘make such u #on have you to think I would keep run 18 beyond me. Whom did he for?’ “an_en; wide open down Riley's, “Brady,” answered. the suj sndent. thro! Ghost Cut or around Quarry?” “I might have known ft. Men him. _ “From the same reason I did,” said turn out good eubs,” returmies 5 dis- John, slipping his arm through the other’ “When a man like Mr. Samp- son stands to get into trouble it is no time to save boxes or pns.” . - “That may , g0 with me’ laughea . “but wait until old man Jasper catches you. A cow with a vealed calf is a lamb to him. The 806 dropped ten minutes on mall last night on account of heating boxes and your rmnd.‘ Mr. urried . the p;tcher. slapping his hand heavily on the sheet. ¥ Meanwhile, out through ruddy morning sun waves dashed the fiymg ‘train, a wind-splitting * thing of - fuzzled rods, trailing smoke, bowing" twisting sagebrush - and volleying iy sand and gravel. On the long roll upland %06 finds what she was bullt fo; leave the strong wesf wind as a dead" t6 Sampson, is raw-Hiding him proper. see the swift pinlons of birds -flap sta- ‘“Where are the¥?” asked John, as a tlonary, to see the faces . on flash it over his face. “I got that turn, trembling fingers, screening blanch- hot tk driving her like a fool €d ‘faces, from 'ine awful rush—to feel at Mr. Sampson’s request. Now, it's my deep in her glowing heart that nevér be- duty to tell Mir. Jasper in his presence.” fore had creature of man thrown over Brady placed a heavy hand upon John's mountain desert and space a -paced shoulder. “How old are you?' 'In sur- vell, 'On time!" gasps Black , In- prise John answered, “Why, 2." 4 )] _thir- ‘“‘Better take off the last figure,” re- d tyrned Brady in the same even tone, re- taining his shouldert grasp. “Yes, two ‘would be about your proper complement,” meditatively. % hurry “Can’t see what I'm driving at, eh? You institutions de- will hit here on know kindergartens are ke TyAee Defors G CE RS & gineer. are in & rather delicate position; . you have at'the request of the transp tation departmeht forgotten your al ance to.motive poweg, and have g yourself ‘a black eye with Mr. Jasper to do what was your direct duty to the c pany, Mr. Sampson Js aware of your po- sition, but If he does not see fit to clear ¥ou, the only thing you can do 18 keep +quiet. Better have onewdowp on you than two. It is the hardest part of our lire To-day intrusted withy property and lifs labiiity running into the hundreds ¢ thousands, to-morrow standing dumb u der injustice with the knowledge that free speech will cause out petty tyramts to become malignant enemies. ' There is only one course to foliow. Never under any. .y circumstances go near an official or office unless gent for and then in most cases it's best to leave your memory behind you Your impulse was right.and manlt but had you boyishly followed it you Would have been let out in a week as a big. mouthed fool."” “But by keeping quiet I place Mr. Jas- per in a false position,” demurred John “How about the dther fellow who also will probably be equally reticent?’ asked Brady, dryly. “Better take a cigar and clear your brain.’ But fsn’t that Law- rence?” “Yes,” answered John, looking anx ly at a tall form appreaching, Brady, there is something wrong.” The salutations were quickly made, the two younger men looking anxioughy upon the care-worn face of the elder. “What has gone wrong, Lawrence?” asked Gray earnestly. “Have you got into trouble?” “This is not a place to talk,” replied Lawrence. “Where can we go? “John and I have a council place over there in the canyon that is just the thing,” said Brady. “Just the place,” sald Lawrence a few moments later, as he locked up along the dashing, roaring mountain stream fretting between two timy lines of green. “Looks like the place in the old Sunday school books where the ravens fed Eli- jah,” nodding whimsically over the rock- encircled grove, “and boys, I have a raven's job—not ome of food and good cheer, but ong along the strongest lines of the bird of ill-omen. I am, in this matter, only anticipating what, in a few "\ days, will be public property. Back in Unitah in the quiet of an inner office sits an old, broken man, contemplating the passing from his hands of, the thing he loves best on earth—a great incarnated thought upon which he has lavished the best of a strong heart and brain, whose very nbers were interwoven in its weal or woe. “Yes,” answering the look of deep in- quiry in his companions’ eyes, “Mr. Blank has, and treacherously, lost contrel the Inter-Mountain and, boys, persona’ my amazed surprise is dulled under the knowledge of what it all means to him. None knows better than myself of the high ideal to which he has tried to a tain in the management of this property and the weifare of its employes. And to day, I believe that to him the loss of prestige and power is eclipsed under the dark shadow of his mem's future. The trouble came in this way. You remember the Allen branch, John, of wbich he was speaking the day you first met him? This road was very costly, but Mr. Blank had passed his word to those miners. and when they satisfied him as to the existence of sufficient ore to justify it, he, despite all advice to the contrary insisted upon the building of the exten sfon. It was an expensive undertaking: a heavy Florida crange erop reduced our transcontinental freight; excessive ex- penditures in new equipment and the big loss from two costly wrecks made the ralsing of a large sum an imperative necessity. Mr. Blank piaced a big block of his holdings upon the New York mar- Kket, directing his bankers to place it in small amounts as an Investment feature. “Now there has appeared a new factor in the financial world. A speelal impor- tatlon from England, its efforts have heretofore been directed principally to- ward the acquisition of breweries. Re- cent events, however, prové that the syn- dicate, encouraged by the indifference of the peeple to its peeuliar methods. Is quietly striving to further develop its field. To sherten the story, the brokers, in addition to selling the entire block placed in their hands, used their intimate knowledge of Inter-Mountain affairs to quietly lay up sufficient small holdings to enable. the syndicate.to possess a con- trolling Interest in the property. Mr. Blank, although the heaviest individual holder, is in the minority. The éondition of affairs was revealed to him yesterday in a4 letter received from the syndicate’s American manager, which stated that his handling of the property was umsatisfac- toty, and that his immediate resignation was requested.” “How did he take it?” asked Brady:\ adding, “it must be worth a gdod deal to ses a president fired.” Lawrence turned upon him swiftly, a wrathful gleam In his eyes: ou don’t know what you are saying! I have heard scientists who assert that a beetle crush- ed upder foot, or a man jammed against a boller, have each in their torture an equal measure of agony. I never Dbe- Heved it; but I would have givem equal credence to the thought that a ‘biue en- velope’ would have power to give to my face the agony I looked upon yesterday. When fate drives her hard fist bétween the eyes of & man capable of creating a the Inter-Mountain she hits a generation. One sight of it a life time.” awkwardly, ‘then said: replid™ “Mr. Blank has de-~ Lawrence, adding: cided to go to New York and I am to ac- company him. Now I fear evil days are before the road and its men. Sweeping changes will be made In heads of operat- ing departments from a point of view forelgn to existing conditions, John, I have & little scheme to propose. It is this: Here is a cipher which I will ex- plain to you. Should you at amy timo wish to be In instant communication with me, no one will be the wiser. On the back you will find our office address.’ A few gmutn placed John in posses- slon of the key. Lawrence arose sayins. “It's nearly train time. Good-by and if anything happens to either of you, or to Howe, lét me know at once. - Write me frequently and let me know how things go.” Asriving at the station Law- rence pointed to a group of silent men surrounding a bulletin board. “The beginning of the end,” he said . grimly. When the train had departed “Unitah, §, 2, '3 *“To .all : Impelled by the control, I have this day resigned tha (Continued Next Sunday.) N