Read Online The Shadow Portrait by Gilbert Morris - Free Book Online
Authors: Gilbert Morris
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you say?”
“I’m Phil Winslow. My father’s Zach Winslow. Your brother Cass, out in California, gave me your name and address. Said we Winslows ought to stick together.”
“Oh, sure! Cass knows every Winslow in the United States, I guess.” The two men shook hands. Peter was a very tall man, at least six two, about Phil’s age. He had hazel eyes, auburn hair, and a friendly grin. “This is Easy Devlin.” He gestured to an undersized man standing nearby with a wrench in his hand. He had a pale, thin face, sandy hair, and brown eyes.
“Glad to meet you, Phil,” Easy said. “Even if you are from the same family as this galoot!”
Jolie interrupted the introductions. “It’s time to go get something to eat. If we’re going to catch that auto show, we’ve got to go.”
“We’re all going to the National Auto Show at Madison Square Garden, Phil. Do you like cars?” Peter asked.
“Don’t know much about them, but I’d like to go. What’s the show all about?”
“Well, the automobile makers want to show off their new models in hopes of selling their cars. Other people just like to look around out of curiosity. There’ll be all kinds of makes,” Peter said. “Come on. I think it’ll be fun for you.”
Phil Winslow enjoyed the show thoroughly. He had never seen so many cars in all of his life, and Peter Winslow seemed to know everything about every one of them. “This is a Winton, Phil. It’s got a gasoline-powered engine—seems to be the wave of the future. They can go a lot faster than the steamers and electric cars. The Winton’s giving that Oldsmobile over there a run for its money.”
“What about Henry Ford? I heard he was up to something new.”
“He certainly is. He’s in a big legal battle now over patents to the gasoline engine, but he’s talking about building a good basic car at a price that common folks can afford. If he succeeds, it may be something that outsells all these others. Say, look! That’s Mr. Ford standing right over there!”
Startled, Phil stared at the tall man wearing the plain black suit. Ford was a sharp-featured man with a sober expression, and suddenly Ford looked up and saw the three.
“Why, Peter!” Ford smiled slightly and came over to extend his hand. “I’ve been wondering about you.”
“Hello, Mr. Ford. Good to see you again. These are my friends Jolie Devorak, Easy Devlin, and Phil Winslow.”
Ford spoke to the three, then said, “I’ve expected you to come back asking for a job, Peter.”
“Well, I thought about it, and I may yet. I’d sure like to work for you again, Mr. Ford. I’m really excited about your plans, but you know me. I’m working on a race car.”
“Still at it, are you? Well, you’ve got the head for it and the hands. I hope you do well, Peter. If you want a job, I’ve always got one for you.” Nodding, Ford turned and walked away, speaking to those he passed.
“So that’s Henry Ford,” Phil said. “I’ve heard a lot about him, and he wants you to work for him.”
“I did once,” Peter said. “I punched the foreman out and got fired.” He grinned rashly and winked at Jolie. “That’s when I hit the rails and ran into Jolie and Easy here. We were all hobos together, weren’t we?”
Jolie smiled and said to Phil, “You wouldn’t believe what happened. I shot a man who was trying to throw Peter and Easy out of the boxcar.”
Startled, Phil stared at the young woman who was beautiful despite the scar on her face. “Well, I’ll have to be careful and mind my manners if you tote a gun.”
“Oh, I don’t do that anymore,” Jolie said. “We’re all going to get rich with the Jolie Blonde here.” She laid her hand fondly on Peter Winslow’s arm, and he grinned down at her.
They wandered for some time through the vast selection of cars on display. They were speaking together about race cars when a young man standing close by evidently overheard their conversation.
“Excuse me. Are you in
“I’m Phil Winslow. My father’s Zach Winslow. Your brother Cass, out in California, gave me your name and address. Said we Winslows ought to stick together.”
“Oh, sure! Cass knows every Winslow in the United States, I guess.” The two men shook hands. Peter was a very tall man, at least six two, about Phil’s age. He had hazel eyes, auburn hair, and a friendly grin. “This is Easy Devlin.” He gestured to an undersized man standing nearby with a wrench in his hand. He had a pale, thin face, sandy hair, and brown eyes.
“Glad to meet you, Phil,” Easy said. “Even if you are from the same family as this galoot!”
Jolie interrupted the introductions. “It’s time to go get something to eat. If we’re going to catch that auto show, we’ve got to go.”
“We’re all going to the National Auto Show at Madison Square Garden, Phil. Do you like cars?” Peter asked.
“Don’t know much about them, but I’d like to go. What’s the show all about?”
“Well, the automobile makers want to show off their new models in hopes of selling their cars. Other people just like to look around out of curiosity. There’ll be all kinds of makes,” Peter said. “Come on. I think it’ll be fun for you.”
Phil Winslow enjoyed the show thoroughly. He had never seen so many cars in all of his life, and Peter Winslow seemed to know everything about every one of them. “This is a Winton, Phil. It’s got a gasoline-powered engine—seems to be the wave of the future. They can go a lot faster than the steamers and electric cars. The Winton’s giving that Oldsmobile over there a run for its money.”
“What about Henry Ford? I heard he was up to something new.”
“He certainly is. He’s in a big legal battle now over patents to the gasoline engine, but he’s talking about building a good basic car at a price that common folks can afford. If he succeeds, it may be something that outsells all these others. Say, look! That’s Mr. Ford standing right over there!”
Startled, Phil stared at the tall man wearing the plain black suit. Ford was a sharp-featured man with a sober expression, and suddenly Ford looked up and saw the three.
“Why, Peter!” Ford smiled slightly and came over to extend his hand. “I’ve been wondering about you.”
“Hello, Mr. Ford. Good to see you again. These are my friends Jolie Devorak, Easy Devlin, and Phil Winslow.”
Ford spoke to the three, then said, “I’ve expected you to come back asking for a job, Peter.”
“Well, I thought about it, and I may yet. I’d sure like to work for you again, Mr. Ford. I’m really excited about your plans, but you know me. I’m working on a race car.”
“Still at it, are you? Well, you’ve got the head for it and the hands. I hope you do well, Peter. If you want a job, I’ve always got one for you.” Nodding, Ford turned and walked away, speaking to those he passed.
“So that’s Henry Ford,” Phil said. “I’ve heard a lot about him, and he wants you to work for him.”
“I did once,” Peter said. “I punched the foreman out and got fired.” He grinned rashly and winked at Jolie. “That’s when I hit the rails and ran into Jolie and Easy here. We were all hobos together, weren’t we?”
Jolie smiled and said to Phil, “You wouldn’t believe what happened. I shot a man who was trying to throw Peter and Easy out of the boxcar.”
Startled, Phil stared at the young woman who was beautiful despite the scar on her face. “Well, I’ll have to be careful and mind my manners if you tote a gun.”
“Oh, I don’t do that anymore,” Jolie said. “We’re all going to get rich with the Jolie Blonde here.” She laid her hand fondly on Peter Winslow’s arm, and he grinned down at her.
They wandered for some time through the vast selection of cars on display. They were speaking together about race cars when a young man standing close by evidently overheard their conversation.
“Excuse me. Are you in
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