Telegraphing was much more expensive in those days--forty years ago--than it is now. And yet in neither of these dispatches was there any seeming effort to spare words. That was Captain Will Hallam's rule and practice. His frequent instruction to all his subordinates ran somewhat in this wise: "Never save a word in telegraphing at the risk of being misunderstood. Mistakes are the most costly luxuries that a man can indulge in. Never forget that we live in the Nineteenth Century." In that spirit Captain Will sent a dozen other telegrams that day, addressed to all the different men at the mines who had even the smallest pretension to authority. In each of them he said: Guilford Duncan represents me fully and absolutely. His authority is unlimited. Obey him or quit. Obey him with all good will. Help him if you can, and in every way you can. There must be no interference, no kicking, no withholding of information. These are orders. Thus armed, Duncan set to work in earnest. "Why isn't your output of coal larger than it is?" he asked of Davidson, the superintendent. "I can't make it larger under the circumstances." "What are the circumstances? What difficulties are there in the way? You have miners enough, surely." "Well, for one thing, the mine is badly ventilated. Many of the best galleries are filled with choke-damp, and must be kept closed." "Why don't you improve the ventilation? As an engineer you ought to know how to do that much." "It isn't feasible, as you would know, Mr. Duncan, if you knew anything about mining." "Oh, never mind my ignorance. It is your knowledge that I'm concerned about just now. Do I understand you to say that a mine lying only seventy-five feet or so below the surface cannot be ventilated?" "I suppose it might be if the business could afford the expense." "The business can and will afford any expense that may be necessary to make it pay. If you know enough of engineering to devise a practicable plan for ventilating the mine, I'll furnish you all the money you need to carry it out." He had it in mind to add: "If you don't know enough for that, I'll find a more competent engineer," but he kept his temper and refrained. "Twouldn't be of any use," answered Davidson, after a moment. "We're producing more coal now than we can market." "How is that? I don't understand. Your order book--which I looked over to-day--shows orders a full month ahead of shipments, besides many canceled orders, countermanded because not filled promptly enough to satisfy the customers. You're superintendent as well as engineer. I wish you'd try to clear up this puzzle." "Oh, it's simple enough. The railroad people won't furnish us cars enough. I could ship a hundred carloads to-morrow if I had the cars, but I haven't got 'em, and I can't get 'em." "Do you mean that you are offering coal as freight to this railroad, and the road is refusing it?"