Arizona -- Fiction; Grand Canyon (Ariz.) -- Fiction; Western stories
"Here is an interesting item from this morning's Brown," he said.
Enoch read the clipping carefully.
"The visitor to El Tovar, the rim hotel of the Grand Canyon receives
some curious impressions of our governmental prerogatives. Recently a
government expedition down the Colorado was too well equipped with
spirits and had some severe smash-ups. Two of the men became disgusted
and quit, but nothing daunted, Milton, the leader took on two fugitives
from justice in Utah and proceeded on his way. A week later, however,
there was a complete smash-up both moral and material. The boats were
lost and the expedition disbanded. The expensive equipment lies in the
bottom of the Colorado. So much for the efficiency and morale of the
U. S. Geological Survey."
Enoch laughed, but there was an unpleasant twist to his mouth as he did
it.
"Abbott," he said, "will you please find out if Brown is in New York.
Wherever he is, I am going to see him, immediately and I want you to go
with me. No, don't be alarmed! There will be no personal violence,
yet."
The locating of the newspaper publisher was a simple task. An hour
after lunch, Charley reported Brown as in his New York office.
"Very well," said Enoch, "telegraph him that we will meet him at his
office at nine to-night. We will take the three o'clock train and
return at midnight."
It was not quite nine o'clock when Enoch and Charley entered Hancock
Brown's office. The building was buzzing with newspaper activities,
but the publisher's office was quiet. A sleepy office attendant was
awaiting them. With considerable ceremony he ushered the two across
the elaborate reception room and throwing open a door, said:
"The Secretary of the Interior, sir."
A small man, with a Van Dyke beard and gentle brown eyes crossed the
room with his hand outstretched.
"Mr. Huntingdon! this is a pleasure and an honor!"
"It is neither, sir," said Enoch, giving no heed to the outstretched
hand.
Brown raised his eyebrow. "Will you be seated, Mr. Huntingdon?"
"Not in your office, sir. Mr. Brown, I have endured from your hands
that which no _man_ would think to make another endure." Enoch's
beautiful voice was low but its resonance filled the office. His eyes
were like blue ice. "I have remained silent, for reasons of my own,
under your personal attacks on me, but now I have come to tell you that
the attacks on the Department of the Interior and on my personal life
must cease."
Hancock Brown looked at Enoch with gentle reproach in his eyes.
"Surely you don't want to muzzle the press, Mr. Huntingdon?"
"We're not speaking of the press," returned Enoch, "I have sincere
admiration for the press of this country."
Brown flushed a little at this. "I shall continue on exactly the line
I have laid down," he said quietly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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