The fellow who thinks of
individual men, little fellows with their savings invested, who may be hurt
by an industrial failure, is just a weakling. Men have to face the duties
life brings. The few men who see clearly have to think first of themselves.
They have to save themselves in order that they may save others."
* * * * *
Things kept on the stir in Bidwell and the gods of chance played into the
hands of Steve Hunter. Hugh invented an apparatus for lifting a loaded
coal-car off the railroad tracks, carrying it high up into the air and
dumping its contents into a chute. By its use an entire car of coal could
be emptied with a roaring rush into the hold of a ship or the engine room
of a factory. A model of the new invention was made and a patent secured.
Then Steve Hunter carried it off to New York. He received two hundred
thousand dollars in cash for it, half of which went to Hugh. Steve's faith
in the inventive genius of the Missourian was renewed and strengthened. He
looked forward with a feeling almost approaching pleasure to the time when
the town would be forced to face the fact that the plant-setting machine
was a failure, and the factory with its new machinery would have to be
thrown on the market. He knew that his associates in the promotion of the
enterprise were secretly selling their stock. One day he went to Cleveland
and had a long talk with a banker there.
Pages:
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148