happen. As things stand now there isn't a quorum of directors and all the
officers are suspended. The road can't do business."

Suddenly he leaned forward in his chair and exclaimed:--

"By George, if that road doesn't need a receiver, no road ever did.
Telephone Judge Black quick. We'll get in ahead of Weeks this time."

There was no delay in finding the Judge. Porter had indicated to him the
advisability of keeping himself on tap, as it were, and he was now
prepared to settle with neatness and despatch the legal affairs of his
employers. Before dark that afternoon he had regularly and with all
necessary formality appointed Frederick McNally to be receiver for the
Manchester & Truesdale Railroad Company.

But it was significant of Jim Weeks's foresight that the road already had
a receiver, for at that very moment he had in his pocket an order from
Judge Grey appointing Harvey West to that position.




CHAPTER IX


THE MATTER OF POSSESSION

The M. & T. terminal station at Manchester was in reality two buildings.
From the street, it looked like an ordinary three-story office building,
except that there were no stores on the street level. Instead, the first