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Show V ill I tefce JL K 11 OF THE II I f GIANTS ; 1. KfljIL COFYT5IGHT, By PETER .B.KYNE Jfi! i Hft, CHAPTER XIV. 1. 1 15 flBg Tho dictograph which Shirley hml BB I nuked Ilryco to obtain for her In Hun Kf Francisco arrived on tho regular pas- Hjf scngcr stonmcr nn Thursday morning H nnd Itryco cnllcl her up to nsk when Uw sho desired It Rent over. IQIk "Oood morning, Mr. Cardigan," sho WjUf greeted lilin cheerily. "How do yoti Hjjilp feet (his morning? Any tho worse for wBg; having permitted yourself to bo n hn- Wm man being hint night)" Km "Why, I feel pretty lino, Shirley. 1 Wtm think It did mo n lot of good to ernwi Bf, oct of my shell Inst night." BIK "You feet encouraged to go on llv- BH ' '"K. eh?" Hi "Yes." Bh "And fighting?" Biff "H? n" "lrans." IK "Then something hns occurred of Bts lato to give you now courage?" v mft "Oh, many things. Hy the way. Shir Bfi ley, you tuny Inform your uncle at Hul breakfast Friday morning about my Mj; connection with the N, C. O. In fact. Mil I think It would bo far better for you Hj If you mado It n point to do on." HRr "Why?" WW "Because both Ogllvy and myself UW tmvo a very strong suspicion that your H undo hns n detective or two on our K trails. I Judge your uncle will learn HJV today that you dined with Ogllvy, Hji Molrn nnd mo last night." K "Oh, denrl That's terrible." IIo B I could sense her distress. B f "Ashnmcd of having been seen In my IB i company, eh?" H i' "Plcaso don't. Aro you qulto serious M la this matter?" H "Quite." B I "Uncle 8eth will think It so no Ki t strange." K ; "IIo'll probnbly tell you about It. W s Hotter bent him to tho Issue by Tensing P, i up, Shirley. Doubtless his suspicions Bl f nre nlrcndy nrntiBcd, nnd If you Inform T Mm that you know I am the real build-I build-I t er of tho N. a 0., he'll think you're n !i smart, woman nnd thnt you'vo been W I' doing n little prlvnto gum-shoe work 1 of your own on behalf of tho Lagunn 1) Ornndo Lumber company." I', "Which Is exactly whnt I hnvo been Ml, doing," sho reminded him. Hi "I know. Hut then, I'm not nfrnld Vf of you, Shirley thnt Is, any more. Ej And nftcr Krltloy morning I'll not be Be- nfrnld of your tinclo." KK "I feel as If I wcro n conspirator." Ktv "I hellcvo you are one. Your dlcto- tmWy ' ffnph has arrived. Slinll I send Oeorge llif- Ocn Otter over with It? And have you flli' somebody to Install It?" IflL "nil. bntberl Dnns It hnvo in tin In. U atnlled?" II "4t docs. You plnce tho contraption Wit " hldo !t, rnther In tho room whero nfr' hi conspirators conspire; then you lift ran wires from It Into nnother room lL where tho detectives listen In on tho .f ft , receivers." J'V "Could Oeorgo Sen Otter Inslnll It?" ji "I think ho could. There Is n print BE edfard of Instructions, nnd I dnro say jE. 'Oeorgo would find I ho Job no more Et linQIng thnn tho Ignition system on iF the Napier." Ifu ' "Will ho tell rtnybody?" I K "Not If you nsk him not to." IK, "Very well, then, rieno send him ' K over. Thank you so much, Itryco wt ' Cunllgnn, You're nn nwftll good old i J', sort, nfter nil. Iteally. It hurts mo to i Eft hnvo (o opposo you. It would ho so ' Hl' much nicer If we didn't hnvo nil those ; mu - reilwnod trees to protect, wouldn't It?" B, . "Let us not nnjue tho (iiieitlon. Shlr- wjM. ley. I think I huVu my redwood trees Wmd protected. Oood-by." Br Uo had scarcely (Inlshed telephon- WK.t Ing his homo to Instruct Oeorge Sen fBBfr Otter to report with tho oxpress pack- IBI,,' ngo to Shirley when Iluck Ogllvy BR') strolled Into tho olllco nnd tossed n Be. document on his desk. "There's your A. little old temporary fruuchlse, old K.: thing," bo nuuounced; nnd with tunny K; . n hearty laugh ho related to Ilryco tho Ep ' Inironloiis menus bv which ho liml nli. K; tallied It. "And now If you will phono Wt! up toyour logging enmp amf Instruct ttu tho wfloilft-boss to lay off about fifty FL, men to rest for tho day, pending u sw bard night's work, nnd nmuigo to B" send them down on the last log train Kt .' today, I'll drop around after dinner Br' nnd we'll fly to that Jump-crossing." B "I'll telephone Colonel I'euulngton's V innunger and nsk him to kick n swlt'h- R'! engine In on the Laurel creek spur and B . ;$ Bn,ll0 tboso flat enrs with my mils BTL .' nuonrd out to tho Junction with tho fcar ' "" line," Itrjco replied. Anjl bo Blt railed up tho Lagunn Ornndo Lumber mmfr company only to bo Informed by tin B. Iess u Person than Colonel I'uunlugtoiv .PV- hlmsolf thnt It would bo Impossible B"' to send tho swltchenglno In until tho JH following afternoon. Tho Colonel was IBr worry, but tho switch-engine was In the HBW hop having tho brick In bur llrMjox III , rcnowed, while the mogul that hauled IB''' Ul B tndns would not hnvo tluta to flp' tlend to tho mutter, lnco tho flats IW ' ould lmvo to bo spottwj on tho sldiv- K track nt CartJlgan's log landing In tho roods, nnd this could not bo done un iiiiim. til the last loaded log train for tho duy hnil been hauled out to make room. "Why not switch bnck with the mogul nfter tho log train hns been hnulcd out on tho main line?" IJryce demanded pointedly. Pennington, however, was not trapped. ".My denr fellow," he replied patronizingly, "quite Impossible, I as-sure as-sure you. That old trestle ncrois tho creek, my boy It hasn't boon looked nt for years. While I'd send the light switch-engine over It anil hnvo no fears" ,"I hnpppn to know, Colonel, that the big mogul kicked those HatM In to load tho rails I" "I know It. Anil what happened? Why, (hat old trestle squeaked and shook nnd gnvo every evidence of being be-ing about to buckle In tho center. My engineer threatened to quit If I sent him In again." "Very well. I suppose I'll have to wait until tho switch-engine comes out of tho shop," Ilryco replied resignedly, re-signedly, nnd hung up. He turned u troubled fnco to Ogllvy. "Checkmated!" "Check-mated!" he announced. "Whipped to n frazzle. The colonel Is lying, Iluck, and I'vn cnught htm nt It. As a matter mat-ter of fact, I ho mogul didn't kick those Hats In nt nil. Tho switch-engine did nnd I know It. Now- I'm going to send n man over to snoop nround Pennington's Pen-nington's roundhouse nnd verify hli report nbout the switch-engine, being In the shop." IIo did so. Half nn hour Inter tho messenger returned with tho Information Informa-tion thnt not only wns tho switch-on-glno not In tho shop but her firebox fire-box had been overhauled tho week before be-fore nnd wns reported to bo In excellent ex-cellent condition. "Thnt settles It," Uuck Ogllvy mourned. "Tho Colonel Is ns suspicious ns n rhino. TIo doesn't know nnythlng, but bo smells danger Just the same." "Kxnctly, Iluck. So ho Is delnylng tho gntno until be can lenfn something definite." lie drummed Idly on bis desk for several minutes. Then : "Iluck, enn you run n locomotive?" . vWlth ono hand, old tnnn." "Flno business I Well, I guess we'll put In thnt crossing tomorrow night. Tho switch-engine will bo In the round-house round-house nt Pennington's mill tomorrow night, so wo can't stent that; but we can steal tho mogul. I'll Just send word up to my woods bos not to hnvo ids train loaded when the moi:ul conies up Into tomorrow nftomoon to haul It down to our log lauding. Of course, tho engine, crew won't bother to run down to Sequoln for tho night Hint Is, they won't run the mogul down. They'll Just lonvo her at our log lauding all night nnd put up for the night nt our camp." "Hut how do you know they will put Up ut your camp nil night, Ilryco?" ".My men will mnko them comfortable, comfort-able, and It menus they can He nbed until seven o'clock Instend of having to roll out ut live o'clock, which would bo tho ciiku If they spent tho night n this end of the line. There Is a slight grailjj at our log landing. I know that, because tho nlr leaked nut of the brakes on a log train I wus on n short time ngo, nnd tho train ran nwny with mo. Now, the engine crow will set tho nlrbrnkes on tho mogul nnd leave her with sloum up to throb nil night ; they'll not blow her down, for thnt would mean work llrlng her In the morning, Our task, ituek. will bo to throw oft the airbrake and lei her glide silently out of mif log landing. land-ing. About u mile down the mad we'll stop, get up steam, run down to the Junction with tho main lino, hark In on the Laurel Crook spur, couple onto those lint cars nnd breeze merrily mer-rily down - n Sequoia with them. They'll be loaded waiting for us; nur men will be 'congregated In nur dry-yard dry-yard Just nlT Water street near i, waiting for ns to nrrlvo with tho rails nnd bingo wo go to It. After wo drop the lints, we'll run the engine back to tho woods, lonvo It wlu.i-,. wn found It, return a-lljlng. You can et buck In iimplo time to superintend Hie cutting of tho crossing I" "Spoken likn n man I" quoth Iluck Ogllvy, "You're tho one man In this world for whom I'd stool n locomotive. locomo-tive. 'At-n-boy '," Ilnd either of tho consplrntois. known of Pennington's plans to enter-tain enter-tain Mayor rvundstono ut dinner on Thursday night. It Is probable they would not have rheored until those lint cars were wit of the woods. Mayor Poiindstono nnd bis wife nr-rived nr-rived nt tho Pennington homo In IleiU wood bouiovnrd at six forty-five Tlmrs-day Tlmrs-day evening. It wns with u profound feeling of tellof that his honor lifted lift-ed tho lady from thulr modest llttlo "lllvver," for once Insldo the Penning-ton Penning-ton house, ho felt, ho would bo free from n peculiarly devilish brand of persecution Inaugurated by -his wife ubout three months previously. Mrs. "y ii ii.ii. mii , Poundstnno wanted ii now nulomoblto. And she had entered upon n campaign cam-paign of nagging nnd complnlnt.Miop-Ing complnlnt.Miop-Ing to wear Poundstono's reslstnnce down to the point where he would be willing to barter his hope of snlvn-Hon snlvn-Hon In return for n guarantee of peace on earth. "I feel like a perfect fool, calling upon those peoplo In this filthy rattletrap," rattle-trap," Mrs. Poundstono protested. Mnyor Poundstone inused. "In pity's unmc, woman," ho growled, "talk about nometblng else. Ulvo mo one night of pence. Let mo enjoy my dinner nnd this visit." "I enn't help It." Mrs. P retorted with nsperlty. Sho pointed to Shirley Sumner's car parked under the porte-cochere. porte-cochere. "If I hnil a soilun like thnt, I could dlo happy. And It only cost thirty-two hundred nnd fifty dnllnrx." "I paid six hundred nnd fifty for the rattletrap, and I couldn't nfford thnt," he nlmost whimpered. "You were, hnppy with It until I wns elected mnyor." "You forget our socinl position, my dear," she purred sweetly. Ho could hnvc struck her. "Hang your social position," he gritted sav-ngely. sav-ngely. "Shut up. will you? Social position In n sawmill town I Dammit, Dam-mit, you'll drive me crazy yet," Pound-stone Pound-stone gurgled, nnd subsided. The Pennington butler, n very sti. peiior person, opened the door. The Potintlstonos entered. At the entrance to the living room the butler announced an-nounced sonorously: "Mnyor Pound-stone Pound-stone nnd Mrs. Poundstono." "Glad to see you aboard Hie ship," Colonel Pennington boomed with his best nlr of hearty e.xpnnslvoness. "Well, well," ho continued, leading Mrs. Poundstone to n divan In front of the tiro, "this Is certainly delightful. My nloco will be down In two shakes of n lamb's tall. Have n cigarette, Mr. Poundstono." . In the midst of the commonplace chatter Incident to such occasions. Shirley Shir-ley entered the room; nnd tho Colonel leaving her to entertain tho guests, went to n small sideboard In ono corner cor-ner nnd brought forth tho "materials," as he Jocularly termed them. James appeared llko magic with n 'tray, glasses and tiny serviettes, nnd tho Colonel's elixir wns passed to tho company. com-pany. "Deo-llclous," murmured Sirs. Poundstone. Pound-stone. "Perfectly deo-llclous. And not strum!'1 "Hnvo nnother," her hospitable host suggested, and he poured It, qulto oblivious ob-livious of tho frightened wink which tho mnyor telegraphed his wife. Poundstono Pound-stono prayed to Ids rather nebulous gods thnt Mrs. P. would not discuss nutomnblles during tho dinner. Alas I The Colonel's cocktails were not unduly fortified, but for nil thnt, the two which Mrs. Poundstone bud nsslmllatcd contnlucd Just sufllclent "kick" to loosen tho lndy's tonguo without thickening It. Consequently, nbout tho time the "plcco dc resistance" resist-ance" mado Its appearance, sho threw caution to tho winds nnd adverted to the subject closest to her heart. "I was telling Henry us wo cumo up tho wulk how greatly I envied you thnt beautiful sedan, Miss Sumner," she gushed. "How an open cur does blow one around, my denrl" "Yes, Indeed," snld Shirley Innocently. Inno-cently. "Heard tho McKlnunn neonlo had a man killed up In their woods poster-day, poster-day, Colonel," Poundstono remnrked, hoping ngnlnst hope to divert tho con-versatlon, con-versatlon, "Yes. The fellow's own fault," Pen-nlngton Pen-nlngton replied. "Ho wns ono of those employees who hold to the opinion thnt every man Is tho captain of his own soul nnd the solo proprietor of his own body hoiico thut It behooved him to look nfter both, In view of the high 1 0!M "Mayor Poundstono and Mrs. Poundstone." owt of snfoty appliances. Ho wns warned that tho logging euble wns wcjik at that old splice and liable to pull out of the docket nnd sure enough It did. The froo end of the cable snapped hack llko a whip, and" "I hold to the opinion," Mrs. Poundstono Pound-stono Interrupted, "thnt If ono wishes for n thing hard enough and Just keeps on wibhlng, ono Is hound to get It." "My dear," said Mr. Poundstono Impressively, "If you would only con-lino con-lino yourself to wishing, I nssuro you your chances for success would bo In-finitely In-finitely brighter." There was no mistaking this rebuke-even rebuke-even two cocktails were powerless to rondor Mrs. Poundstone oblivious to It v'h the nicest tact In tho world, Shir-' lev adroitly changed Uio subject to ' some tailored shirtwaists sho had cb-servis.' cb-servis.' In the window of n local dry goods emporium thnt day, nnd Mrs. Puiindstouo subsided. About nine o'clock, Shirley, In response re-sponse to n mcnnlng glnnco from her relative, tactfully convoyed Mrs. Poundstono upstnlrs, leaving her undo alone with his prey. Instantly Pennington Pen-nington got down to business. "Well," ho queried, apropos of nothing, noth-ing, "whnt do you hear with reference to the Northern CullfornlnOregoii rail-roiicP" rail-roiicP" "Oh. tho usunl amount of wind, Colonel. Colo-nel. Nobody knows whnt to nutko of Hint outfit." Pennington studied the end of his cigar a moment. "Hne they mndo any move to get n franchise?" be asked bluntly. "If they hne, I suppose you would bo the first man to hear about It. I don't mean to be Impertinent," ho ndded with n gracious smile, "but tho fact Is I noticed no-ticed that windbag Ogllvy entering your olllco In tho city hall the other afternoon, and I couldn't help wondering wonder-ing whether his visit wns social or official." of-ficial." "Social so fur as I could observe," Poundstone replied truthfully, wondering wonder-ing Just how much Pennington know. "Preliminary to the official visit, I dnro say." The Colonel puffed thoughtfully for n while for which the mnyor wus grateful, since It provided time In which to organize himself. Suddenly, however, Pennington tiyned townrd his guest nnd llxed tho Intter with u serious glance. "I hadn't anticipated discussing this matter with you, Poundstone, nnd you must forgive mo for It ; but the fact Is I might ns well bo frank with you I am very greatly Interested In the operation of this proposed mllroud. If It Is hullt, It will have a very distinct effect on my finances." . "In Just what way?" "Disastrous." "I am amazed, Colonel." "You wouldn't ho If you had given the subject very close consideration. Such u road as the N. C. O. contemplates will tap about one-third of the redwood red-wood belt only, while n line built from the south will tap two-thirds of It. Tho remaining third can bo tapped by an extension of my own logging rondj when my own timber Is logged out, I will want other business for my roud, and If the N. C. O. parallels It, I will be left with two streaks of rust on my hands." "Ah, I perceive. So It will, bo It Willi" "You agree with me, then, Poundstone, Pound-stone, that the N. 0. O. Is not designed to foster tho best Interests of the community. Of. courso you do. I take It, therefore, that when tho N. C. O. applies for Its franchise to run through Sequoln, neither you nor your city council will consider tho proposition nt all." "I cannot, of course, spenk for Hie city council" Poundstono began, but Pennington's cold, nmused smllo froze further utterance. "IJo frank with me, Poundstone. I am not n child. Whnt I would llko to know Is this: will you exert every effort ef-fort to block Hint franchlso In the Arm conviction that by so doing you will accomplish a loudablo public service?" Poundstono squirmed. "When I hnvo had time to look Into the matter moro thoroughly " "Tut-tut, my dear man I Let us not straddle the fence. Business Is a game, nnd so Is politics. Neltbei knows uny sentiment. Suppose you should favor this N. C. 0, crowd In n mistaken Idea that you, were doing the right thing, nnd that subsequently numberless fellow-citizens developed the Idea that you bad not doho your public duty. Would some of tiicm'not bo likely to Invoko n recall election and retire you nn'd your city council In (llsgrnc,o?" , "I doubt Jf they could defeat me. Colonel." "I hnvo no such doubt," Pennington replied pointedly. Pounilstnne looked up nt him from under lowered lids. "Ih thnt n ihrent?" ho donuindeil tremulously. "My dear follow I Threaten my guest I" Pennington laughed patronizingly. patroniz-ingly. "I nm giving you ndvlco. Poundstone ond rnther good ndvlco. It strikes me. However, while we're on tho subject, I have no besltnncy In lolling you Hint In tho event of u dls-nstrous dls-nstrous decision on your part, 1 should not feel Justified In supporting you." Ho might, with equnl frankness, have said : "I would smash you." To his guest his meaning was not obscure.' Poundstone studied tho pattern of the rug, nnd Pennington, wntcjilng him shnrply, saw that the man wns dls-tressed. dls-tressed. Ho resolved on n bold stroke. "Let's not bent about tho bush Poundstono," bo said with Hie air of n father patiently striving to Induce his child to recant n lie, tell tho truth, and snvo himself from the parental wrath. "You'vo been doing business with Ogllvy; I know It for u fnct. nnd you might us well admit It." Poundstono looked. up, red nnd em-bnrrtis.sed. em-bnrrtis.sed. "If I bad' known " bo bo-gun. bo-gun. "Certainly, certainly I I realize you nctcd In perfect good faith. You're llko the majority of people In Sequoia. You're nil so crazy for rail connection with tho outside world Hint you Jump nt tho first plan tlmt seems to pnimlso you one. Hnvo you promised Ogllvy n franchlso?" There was no dodging that question. ques-tion. A denial, under tho present circumstances, cir-cumstances, would bo tantamount to an admission; Poundstone could not guess Just bow much tho Colonel really know, and It would not do to Ho to him, slnco eventually Uio Ho must he I discovered. IIo resolved to "coral clean." "Tho city council had nlrcndy granted grant-ed tho N. C. O. n temporary franchise," fran-chise," he confessed. Pennington sprang furiously to hi feet. "Dnmmltt" tie snarled, "why did you do thnt without consulting me?" "Didn't fcjiow you were remotely In "terested." Now thnt tho lco was broken, bro-ken, Poundstono felt relieved and wns prepared to defend his act vigorously, "And wo did not commit ourselves lr revocnbly," ho continued. "Tho -temporary franchise will explro In twenty-eight days nnd In that tlmo the N. Q. 0. cannot even got slnrtcd." "Hnvo you uny understanding ns to nn extension of Hint temporary franchise, fran-chise, In caso the N. C. 0. desires It?" "Well, yes not In writing, however, I gnvo Ogllvy to undorstnnd Hint If Uc wns not rendy In thirty days, nn extension ex-tension could rondlly bo nrranged." "Any witnesses?" "I nm not such n fool, sir," Poundstone Pound-stone declared with asperity. "I hail n notion I might as well admit It that you would hnvo serious objection to hnvlng your tracks cut by n Jump crossing nt II nnd Wnter streets." Ami for no renson In life except to Justlfj himself mid Inculcate In Pennington nn Impression Hint the latter was deal Ing with n crafty nnd fnr-socln? mayor, Poundstono smiled boldly anil knowingly. Ho leaned bnck nonchnl nntly and blew smoke nt tho colling. "You oily rascnl 1" Pennington soliloquized. solilo-quized. "You'ro n smnrtor man than I thought. You'ro trying to play hotli ends ngnlnst Hie middle." Ho recalled ygUHj o s. iv y a "vi "You'ro Not In Politics for Youi Health." tho report of his prlvnto detectlvo nni! tho Incident of Ogllvy's visit tc young Henry Poundstone's ofllco wltli u small leather bag; ho was more tlinn over convinced that this hag jiai! contained tho bribe, In gold coin, which had been productlvo of thai temporary franchlso und tho verbal understanding for Its posslblo extension. exten-sion. "Ogllvy did business with you through your son Henry," ho challenged. chal-lenged. Poundstono started violently, "How much did Henry got out of It?" Pennington continued brutnlly. "Two hundred nnd fifty dollnrs iro-talner, iro-talner, nnd not n cent more," Poundstono Pound-stono protested virtuously nnd truthfully. truth-fully. "You'ro not so good a business mnn ns I gnvo you credit for being," the Colonel retorted mirthfully. "Two hundred hun-dred and llfty dollars 1 Oh, Lord I Poiindstono, you'ro funny. Upon my word you're n scream." And tho Colonel Colo-nel gnvo himself up to n sincerely hearty laugh. "You coll It n rotulnor," bo continued presently, "but n grand Jury might call It something else. However," How-ever," bo went on ufter a slight pnuse, "you'ro not In politics for your health; so lot's get down to brass tacks. How much do you wnnt to deny tho N. C. O, not only nn extension of thnt ten), porary franchlso hut also n permnneut frnnehlsu when thoy npply for It?" PounilHtoue roso with iwnt ilii-niiv "Colonel Pennington, sir," ho suld, "you Insult mo." "Sit down. You'vo been Insulted Hint way before now. Shall wo say one thousand dollnrs per each for your throe good councllmen nnd true, nnd for yourself thnt sednn of my nlcro's? It's u good car. I Imagine It will plertso Mrs. P. Immensely und grant you surcease sur-cease from sorrow. Of course, I will not give It to you. I'll soil It to you flvo hundred down upon tho signing of the agreement, und In lieu of tho cash, I will take over that Jitney Mrs. Poundstono tlnds so dlstnsteful. Then I will employ your son. Henry, ns.tho attorney for tho Lagunn (Irando Lumber Lum-ber company und give him u rotulnor of twenty-live hundred dollnrs for ono year. I will lenvo It to you to get this twenty-flvo hundred dollnrs from Henry nnd pny my niece cash for the car. Doesn't that strike you as a perfectly per-fectly safe and sane proposition?" Hud n vista of parudlso opened up before Poundstono, ho could not bnve been moro thrilled. He had been absolutely abso-lutely honest In his pica to Mrs. Poundstono Hint ho could not nfford n thlrty-two-hundred-nnd-flfty-dollnr sednn, se-dnn, much ns bo longed to oblige her nnd gain n greatly-to-bo-dcslred peace. And ndw tho price was dangling beforo bis eyes, so to spenk. At nny rate It wns pnrked In tho porto-cochcro not fifty feet dlstnnt I (TO DB CONTINUED.) |