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Show iiB I'" " ' ' 'I m THF V A I I FT of the CST A NTS Wg By PETER B. KYNE iBI V Author of "Cappy Rickn" Ul ' Copyright by Peter D Kyn Hfij CHAPTER XII. Continued. JB 13 Bfl -j Two of the live counellmon are for HI te; two ii ro honest men unil mm JH U nn uncertain (imnllty. Tlio mayor ftnB fs n politician. I've known them all HB since, boyhood, nml If I dared cwae out In Dip open, I think Unit oon the HI cranks hnve sentiment enough for BM wtuu the Cardigans stnnd fur In this MB county to (IpcIIiic to hold me up." Si "Then why not conic out In tho HDR open nml snvo trundle nnd expense?" Nit "I tun not ready to huvu it lot of iMl notes cull Oil on we," llryce replied Iffi dryly. "Neither nm t desirous of huv- HI Ing the Luguiin Grande Lumber com- BB puny etnrt n riot In the redwood luni- H rr BBWff tiVBYa HK "Two of the Five Councllmen Are for ; v Sale." her mnrket ly cutting prices to n BB point where I would lmvo to Hell my BB lumber at n loss In order to get hold PH of n little ready inonoy. I tell you, BB tho ninn linn me under his tluynli, nnd HH, tho only wny I cuii escape Id to slip Hti out when hu Isn't looking." Bw "Ilum-m-m! Slimy old boggur. Isn't K he? I diiro sny ho wouldn't hesltntn HH to huy the city council to block you, HH would ho?" jH "I. know he'll He und steal. I dare BB. any ho'd corrunt n imb'le official." SB( Itucl; Ogllvy rose nnd stretched him- PB, self. "I've cot my work cut out for WUi mo, haven't I?" ho declared with n 'flit yawn. "However. It'll lie u light worth HW while, nnd that at least will make It IVjt Interesting. Well?" B7 Hryco pressed the buzzer on Ids BH. desk, nnd n moment later Molrn on- HI tercd. "Permit me, Molru. to present HBj Mr. Ogllvy. Mr. Ogllvy. Miss MoTnv BH Ish." Tho Introduction having heen BJ acknowledged hy both parties, Itryee HE continued: "Mr. ORllvy will have fre- SJj uncut need to Interview mc at this of- BJ Tlce, Molru, hut It Is our Joint deslro Hint his visits hero shall reiiviln a Bj profound secret to everybody with the i(BJ exception of ourselves. To that end MB, ho will liercaflur call at night, when IIN Mils Mirtlou of the town In absolutely IWj deserted. You havn an extra key to SlSJ the office, Molra. I wish you would MB glvo It to Mr. Ogllvy." IM Molra Inclined her dark head and UbB withdrew. Mr. Uncle Ogllvy groaned. BB "Clod speed tho day when you con UBI come nut from tinder nnd I'll he per- BB milted to call during nlllee hoiii-M." he BB murtnured. Ho picked up his lint nnd UjBj withdrew, via the general nire. Half IBJ an hour Inter, llryoo looked out and BB taw blin draped over the counter, on- BB tiged In nnlnmted conversation with BB lolrn IZcTuvlsh. lleforc OKllvy left. BB ie had managed to Impress Molni with BW j sense of tho uninltlRnted horror of BS lieliiK n stniiiKor lit a stranKe town. mm foirud to sit around hotel lobbies with Bj ' drummers und othor lost souls, und IH ' drew from Molra the nsuiinince Hint iH It wasn't more distressing than to have BB- to sit around a honrdluR-linuso nlxlit EBfc after ulubt watching old women tat IBM' ' nnd tattle. BKlf This was the opening lltick Ogllvy VBjV had sparred for. h'lxlug Molru with wBf his bright blue eyes, ho grinned boldly nj nd said: "Suppose. Miss McTmisli, BJ wv start a luaguu for the dlsiurtoti of BBjI gloom. You be lbs president, and I'll ffiBH llU "u niiuiiclal seerstary." iBjl "How would tho lusgiiu o)ornto?" EaW Molni demnnded cautiously. SBn niH"' " IU,H,'t lieKU ll,V K'V,)K H IBtt dlniitJM to nil the tawniliow. follow fd ISBJ by n little motor-trip tutu the X'ountry mBjr next Haturdny afturuoun," lluek sug BJ gestod. Sm. Molri's Mndonun gliinco nppniUod BBVr Mm Htemllly. "1 hnvou't known you BBV very long, Mr. Qgllvy," ha rwnlndiHl mfmn him. mBM " ,', on8J' to "ot nc,iuftiUe1 flBnt vltb." tut retorted lightly. "KcmUIm. BjF 1ni')1t 1 rouw well rwouiineiulwir' llf HH )m)it)Kd for n nmnieiit. Then: "I'll MHf ynu wliat. Mtas MrTvlsti. Suppose fffBJ we pt:t It up to Hryeo OMrdlgtiu. If ffl' he wys It's sit rtuht wfMI pull off the lwUBb yuns. If in siivs It's nil wrong. I'll J'wBIBBjMk K out mill drown tlf tttttl fill re r iyfci v ' BHjHHk ,ntl'' "i.ni 't "iii hus mi mill) xlMike." MMgoBBBBjML . -'jris&mmm mwoiM BBJl'BBBBBJBBBnBBBflHBBB "I'll think It over," said Molru. "Ily all menus. Never decide such on luiHirtaiit mutter In u hurry. Just tell me your homo tclepliono number, mid I'll ring up nt seven this evening for your decision." Iteliictautly Molrn gave him the number. She was not at all prejudiced ngalnst this carroty stranger In Tact, she bad n vsgtie suspicion that be was a sure euro for the blues, an ailment which she suffered from nil ton fre-fluently fre-fluently ; und. moruover his voice, his respectful manner, his alert eyes, -itiil his wonderful clothing were nil rather nllurlng. The flutter of a great adventure ad-venture was In Molrn's hVnrt nml the (lush of n thousand roes In her cheeks when. I tuck Ogllyy having nt length departed, sh" went Into Ilrjee's private oITIce to get his opinion as to tho propriety of accepting the Invitation. Ilrjco listened to her gravely as with all the sweet Innocence of her jenrs nnd nmvnrthJness she lnld the Ogllvy proposition hororo him. "My nil mean" accept," he counselled her. "Muck Ogllvy Is one of the finest gentlemen .miu'II ever meet. I'll stake my tvjiutatloii on him. You'll Mud him vatly aniiHlng. Molra. He'd make Nlobe forget her troubles, and he does know how to order a dinner." When Molrn had left him, llryce was roused from hitter Introspections Introspec-tions by the ringing of the telephone. To his ntnnxetiieiit Shirley Sumner was calling him! "You're n wee bit surprised, uren't you. Mr. Cnrdlgan?" she said teaslngly. "You're wondering why I have telephoned tele-phoned to you?" "No. 1 haven't had time. The suddenness sud-denness of It has left me more or less dumb. Why did you ring up?" "I wanted some udvlce. Suppose you wanted very, very much to know what two people were talking nhout, but found yourself In a position where you couldn't eavesdrop. What would "I wouldn't cnvesilrop." ho told her severely. "That Isn't n nice thing to do, nml I didn't think you would :on-teuiplute :on-teuiplute anything that Isn't nice." "Hut 1 have every morn!, ethical, nnC fliuuiclnl right to be n party to that conversation, only well " "With you present there would bo no conversation Is that It?" "Kxactly, Mr. Cardlguu." "And It Is of the utmost Importnnce that you should know what Is said?" "Yes." "And you do not Intend to use your knowledge of tho conversation, when gained, for an Illegal or unethical pur pose?" "I do not. On the eontniry. If I nm nware of what s being plnnned, I can prevent others from doing something Illegal and unethical." "In thnt event. Shirley, I should sny you nre qtilto Justified In envesdroi-ping." envesdroi-ping." "Hut bow can I do It? I can't hldo In u closet nnd listen." "Huy n dictograph und liavo It hidden hid-den In tho room where the conversation conversa-tion takes place. It will record every word of It." "Wherp can I buy one?" "In San Francisco." "Will you tolephono to your San Francisco office and have them buy "JuBt Tell Mo Your Home Telephone Number." one for mo und ship It to you, together with directions for using?" "Shirley, this Is most extraordinary." "I quite realise that May I depend upon you tu oblige mo In this uitittar?" "Certainly. Hut why pick on me, of nil pomona. to ptrfonu inch u mkwton for you?" "I can trust you to fargat that you lmvo iwrformed It." "Th ii nk you. I think you may wfely trust mo. And I shall attend to the mutter InilhcdlHtel.T." "Yini nre very kind Mr. Cardlcim ll I n I'ltr ilnir nlil fnilier? M..., t' Id tile Hume time fijfu that hovftulil. ' "He's quite well again, thank you. It's too bad tho circumstances ure such thnt we, who started out to be such agreeable friends, see so little of each other, Shirley." "Indeed, It Is. However, Jt's nil your fault. I have told you once how you can obviate that distressing situation. Hut you're so stubborn, Mr. Cardigan." "I haxen't got to the point where 1 like emu ling on my bauds and knees," ho llared bad? at her. "Kven for your sake. I decline to simulate friendship or toloranro for your uncle: hence I must be content to let matteVs stand as they are between us." She laughed lightly. "So you are still uncompromisingly belligerent still arier I 'nolo Selh's scalp?" "Yos; and I think I'm going to get It. I'm not lighting for myself alone, but for a thousand dependent for a principle for un ancient sentiment that was my father's and Is now mine. You do not understand." "1 understand more 'than you glvn mo credit for. und some tiny you'll realize It. I understand Just enough to make mo feel sorry for you. I understand un-derstand what even my uncle doesn't suspect at present, and that Is that your're tho directing genius of the Northern California Oregon railroad and hiding behind your friend Ogllvy. Now, listen to me. llryce Canllgnn: You're never pilng to Imlld that road. Do you understand ?" Tho suddenness of her attack amn?.-ed amn?.-ed him to such un extent that ho did not take the trouble to contradict her. Instead he blurted out, angrily and dehaiitly: "I'll build that road If It costs mo my life If It costs mo you. Understnnd 1 I'm In this light to win." "You will not build that road," sho rolterated. "Why?" "Hocause I shall not permit you to. I have some financial Interest In the Lngtina Grande Lumber company, und 'It Is not to thnt financial Interest that you should build the N. C. O." "How did you find out that I was behind Ogllvy?" "Intuition. Then I nccusctl you of It, and you ndmltted It." ' "I suppose you're going to tell your undo now." he retorted wlthcrlngly. i "On the contrary, I nm not. If It will comfort you tho least hit, you ' have my word of honor thnt I shall j not reveal to my uncle tho Identity of tho man behind the N C. O. The fnct Is, both you and Uncle Scth annoy tae exceedingly. How lovely everything would have been If you two hadn't started this feud und forced upon me the task of trying to ho fair and Impartial Im-partial to you both. Korglvo my slang, hut I'm going to hand you each n poke soon." "Shirley," ho told her earnestly, "listen carefully to what I nm about to sny : I love you. I've loved you from tiio day I first mot 'you. I shall always love you; and when I get around to It, I'm going to uslc you to marry mo. At present, however, that Is n right I do not possess. However, tho day I acquire the right I shall exercise It." "And when will thnt day be?" Very softly, In awesome tones 1 "The day I drive tho last spike In tho N. C. O." Fell n silence. Then; "I'm glad, Hryco Cardigan, you'ro not a quitter. (iiMiiMiyo. good luck mid don't forget 'my ormnd." She bung up and sat nt the telephone for a moment, dimpled chin In dimpled luind. "How I'd hate you If I could bundle you!" she niur- mured. 1 Following this cxnsporutlug but illuminating conversation with Shirley Sunnier over the telephone. Hryco ' ('ardlmui was u distressed nnd badly worried man. For an hour he sot Hlniiehod In Ids chair, chin on hront. the whllo ho reviewed every iiiikIu of the sltunllou. He found It Impos-wllilo. Impos-wllilo. ImueviT, to disassociate the business busi-ness from the personal aspects of his relations wllh Shirley, nnd he recalled that sho had the very host of reasons for placing their relations on a business busi-ness busts rather a sentimental one. For the present, however. It was all a profound and dlstiirb'ng mystery, and after nn hour of futile concentration there enme to Hryco the old childish Impulse to go to his father with Ids troubles. "He will bo able In think without having his thoughts blotted nut by a woman's face." llryce HollloqulsusJ. "He's like one of his own big redwood tnes; Ida head la always above the storm." Straightway Mryo loft thf oftlco and went home to the Vil limis on the knoll. John Cardigan was sitting on the veranda, and from n stnnd hwlde Win George Sun Otter cntertnlnml him v!0a n phonograph selection "The Kuwnuoe ltlver." sung by n male quar-tetto. quar-tetto. Ho could not see, but with the Intuition of the blind ho know. "Wlnft Is It, son?" be dsmandwl gently na llryce came ur I low steps. "George, choke that contraption i ". " Itryee took Ida father hu- d. "I'm In trouble. John Cardigan." ho said s'ni ply. "nnd I'm nut big enough to bundle It alone." Tbi- leoi Ine old mnn smiled nnd h' smile hud '-II lf sweetness of n bene diction. Ills buy was In trvublc and bad como to him. Good! Then he would not fnll him. "Sit down, son, and tell the old man all about It. He-gin He-gin at tho beginning and let mo have all the angles of the angle." Hryco obeyed, and for the first time John Cardigan learned of his son's ac-qualutance ac-qualutance with Shirley Sumner und the fnct that she bad been present In reiiiilng(ou's woods the day Hryco had gone there to settle the score with Jules Itoudeau. With the patience nnd gentleness of n confesor John Cardigan beard the story now, nnd though Hryco gave no bint In words that his affection were Involved In the light for ho Cardigan acres yet did his father know It. for ho was a parent. And Ids groat heart went out In sympathy for his boy. "I understand, sonny, I understnnd. This young lady Is only one nddltlonal reason why yon must win. for of course you understand she I not Indifferent to you." "t do not know that she fools for mo anything stronger than u vagrant sympathy, sym-pathy, dad, for while sho Ix eternnlly feminine, nevertheless she hns a masculine mas-culine wny of looking nt ninny thing. Her first loyalty Is to her uncle: In fnct. she owe none to mo. .,nd I dare say ho has given her some extremely plausible reason why we should ho eliminated; whllo I think she Is sorry thnt It must bo done, nevertheless. In u mlstukon Impulse of self-protection she Is likely to let him do It." "Perhaps, perlr i. Kllmlnate tho girl, my boy. Sin- trying to play fair AJmwMr "Sit Down, Son, and Tell tho Old Man All About It." to you nnd hor relutlve. Let us concentrate con-centrate on I'enulngton." "The entire situation hinge. on thnt Jump-crossing of his trucks on Water street." "He doesn't know you plan to cross them, does he?" ' "No." "Then, lad, your Job Is to got your crossing In before ho finds out, Isn't It?" "Yes, but It's nn Impossible tusk, purtner. I'm not Aladdin, you know. I hnve to lmvo a franchise from the clly council, und I hnve to have rails." "l!oth are proournble, my son. Induce In-duce the city council to grant you a temporary fraiichlee tomorrow, and buy your rails from I'enulngton. Ho has a mile of track running up Laurel creek, nnd Laurel creek wns logged out three years ago." "Hut ho baton me. old pal." "The Colonel never permits sentiment to Interfere with business, my son. Ho doesn't need tho rails, and ho does deslro de-slro your mousy. Consider the rail problem settled." "How do you stand with the mayor and the council?" "I do not stnnd nt nil." "That makes It bad." "Not at all. The Cardigans Hro not known to be connected with the N. O. iO. Send your bright friend Ogllvy nftor that franchise. He's the only man who enn land It. Give him a free hand and tell htm to tle'tvor the goods hy any means short or bribery. I know you can procure the rails nnd bavtj them at tho lnterei'tlnn of I! and Water Wa-ter streets Thursday nlcht. If Ogllvy can procure the temporary franchise nnd have It In Id pocket by six o'clock Thursday night yon should hnve that crossing In bv sunup Friday morning. Then let I'etmlnvtnn rsve. He cannot procure an Inlunctlon to loatraln us from cutting his tracks, thus throwing the matter Into the courts and hold-Urn hold-Urn u up Indefinitely, becauge by the Mine ho wako up the tracks will have lieen cut. The heat he can do then will lie to fight us before the city council coun-cil wh.-n we apply for our permanent f"inelilse." Partner. It looks llkn n forlorn hope " Mild HrycA. "Well .Miu're the lwy to lead It. And It will oust bur little to put In the crossing Mint lnke a ilinnei- Itcnieni Iter Hre .iin-e p have Mult i-rnKti" in It -tiimls I'ke a spite fence between Poniii(,tou nnd the law which ho knows so well how to perron to sail bis Ignoble purposes," Ho turned earnestly ear-nestly to Hryco nnd waved a trembling, ndmonltory finger. "Your Job Is to keep out of court. Once Pennington gets the law on us the Issue will not be settled In our fuvor for yonrs; nnd In the meantime you perish. Huq along, now, and hunt up Ogllvy." It wn with n considerably lighter heart that llryce returned to the mill olllce. from which bo lost no time In summoning Huck Ogllvy by telephone. . "Tluinks so much for the Invitation." Ogllvy murmured gratefully. "I'll do down In a pic' whisper." And he was. "Hryco, you look like tho devil," he d(-clarcd d(-clarcd tliOMiioment ho entered the tatter's tat-ter's private office. "I ought to, Hack. I've Just rnlsrd the devil and spilled the beans on tho N. C. O." "To whom, when and where?" "To Pennington'. niece, over tho tolephono about two hours ngo." Huck Ogllvy smote hi left pnlm with his right list. "How did you let Ih'i cut out of the bag?" "That remarkable girl culled me up and accused yon of being a mere screen for me and amazed mo so I admitted It." Ogllvy dropped hi red bond In simulated sim-ulated ncmiy nnd moaned. Presently ho raised It and said: "Well. It might have been worse. Think of whnt might have happened had sho called In person. per-son. She would hnve picked your pocket for the corporate enl. tho com-tiluntlnn com-tiluntlnn of the sufe nnd the list of stockholders, and probably ended up by gngclug and binding you In your own swhel ehnlr." "Don't. Hack. Comfort und ml vice-Is vice-Is what I need now." "All right. What do you want me to do to save the dny?" "Deliver to mo by sir o'clock Thursday Thurs-day night a temporary franchise from tho city council, granting the N. C. O. the right to run u railroad from our drying yard, across Water street nt It Intersection with It street nnd nut Front street." "Certainly. Hy nil moans' Knslost thing T dol All right, old donrl I'm on my way to do my d det which nngols can't do no more. Nevertheless, for your sin you shall do mo n fnvor before my heart breaks nftor falling down on this contract you've Just given me." "Granted. Huck. Name It." "I'm giving n nice little private, specially spe-cially cooked dinner to Ml McTnvlsh tonight. We're goln to pull It olT In one of those prlvnte screened corral In thnt highly decorated Chink rc-I rc-I tnurnw on Third street. Molra that Is, Miss McTnvlsh Is bringing n chnp-eron, chnp-eron, one Mis Shirley Sumner. Your Job I to be my chaperon and entertain Miss Sumner, who from nil accounts Is most brilliant nnd fascinating." "Nothing doing I" Hrycc nlnuiit roared. "Why. she's tho girl that blurred tho secret of the N. C. O. out of mo!" "Do you bate her for It?" "No, I hnte myself." "Then you'll come. You promised In advance, nnd no excuses go now. Tho news will bo all over town by Friday Fri-day morning; so why bother to keep up appearances nny longer?" And before Hryco could protest Ogllvy Ogll-vy had thrown open tho olllco door and called the glad tiding to Molra, who was working In tho next room; whereupon where-upon Molrn's wonderful eyes shono with thnt strango, lambent llnme. Sho clasped her hnnds Joyously. "Oh, how wonderful I" she exclaimed. "I've always al-ways wnntod Miss Shirley to meet Mr. Hryco." CHAPTER XIII. Fortunately for the situation which had so suddenly confronted him, Hryco Cnrdlgnn laid Mr. Huck Ogllvy; and out of the experiences gained In othor railroad-building enterprise tho sal.l Ogllvy, while startled, was not stunned hy tho suddenness and Immensity of tho order so casually given him by h's youthful employer, for ho had already devoted lo the matter of thnt crossing tho hotter part of tho preceding night. "Got to run n snnily on the mayor," Huck soliloquised ng ho walked rapidly rapid-ly uptown. "Now how slmll I proceed to sneult up on that oily old cuss' blind side?" Two blocks farther on Mr. Ogllvv paused nnd snapped hi fingers vigorously. vigor-ously. "Kureka !" ho murmured. "I'vo got Ponndstono by the tall on n downhill down-hill haul. Is It a cinch? Well. I Just guon I should toll n man I" He hurried to tho telephone building and put In a long-dlstnnce call for the San Francisco olllco of tho Cardigan ItcdwoiHl Lumbar company. When the manager camo on the line Ogllvy die-tntod die-tntod to him a message which ho Instructed In-structed the uuirjager to telegraph bnck to him nt tho Hotel Sequoia one hour later;' this mysterious detail attended to. ho continued on to tho mayor's office of-fice In the city hall. Mayor Poundstono's busby eyebrow. arched with Interest when his secretary secre-tary laid upon his desk the card of Mr. Huchanan Ogllvy. vice president nnd gtnernl manager of the Northern Coll fornln. "Ah-h-hl" ho bronthad with an unplwistint resemblance to n bon vl-vom vl-vom who sees before him his favorite vintage. "I have been expecting Mr. OifJIvy to call for quite n while. Show him In." (TO HIS CONTINUED.) |