winter and summer, without stopping, his work went on. It got on his
nerves, he said, to see anything stop. Speed and efficiency at any
cost was his motto, and the result was that he had gathered about him
men who were willing to keep running under forced draft, even if it
did heat up the bearings.

"Tell Mr. Page to come to me at once," he said, as he entered a little
two-story brick structure apart from the other buildings. This had
originally been used as an office, but he had changed it into a
comfortable home, his "Little Place in the Country."




CHAPTER II

THE ONE-MAN SECRET


With the giving of a few orders relative to his departure in the
morning, the brevity of which showed the character of service he
demanded, Edestone permitted himself to relax. He dropped into an
arm-chair, after lighting a long, black cigar, and pouring out for
himself a comfortable drink of Scotch whisky and soda.

For a few minutes he sat looking into the open fire, while blowing
ring after ring of smoke straight up into the air. The well-trained
servant moved so quietly about the room that his presence was only
called to his attention by the frantic efforts of the smoke rings to
retain their circular shape as they were caught in the current of air