The San Francisco call., 1904-10-30
CHAPTER XIV.
Dead Water and Quick

The cubby-hole in which Hildreth
earned his bread by the sweat of his
brain was dark even at midday; and
during working hours the editor sat
under a funnel-shaped reflector in a
comic shower-bath of electric light
which flooded man and desk and left
the corners of the room in a penumbra
OF grateful twilight.
Kent sat just outside of the cone
of radiance, watching Hildreth's face
as the editor read stolidly through the
contents of the box envelope. 1t was
an instructive study in thought dyna-
mics. There was a gleam of battle
satisfaction in the editorial eye when
Hiildreth faced the last sheet down
upon the accumulation of evidence.
saying:
You didn't overstate the fact in your
brag about the political graves. Only
this isn't a spade; it's a steam shovel.
DO l understand you are giving me
this stuff 10 use as / please?"
Just that" said Kent
And you have made it serve your
turn, too?"
No" Kent's voice was sharp and
crisp.
Isn't that what you got for it?'
Yes"
Then why don't you use it?"
That was what Bucks wanted to
hIOW a little Willie ago Wn6n he came
to my rooms to try to buy me off. ]
don't think l succeeded in making him
understand why L couldn't traffic with
it; and possibly you wouldn't under
stand
Il guess 1 do. It's public property,
and you couldn't divert it into private
channels. Is that the way it struck
you?"
Its the way it struck a friend of
mine whose sense of ultimate right and
wrong hasn't lost its fine edge in the
world-mill. l do not want to do It,"
Naturally" said the editor. Giving
ii uD means the loss of all you have
been working for in the railroad game
1 wish 1 could use it just as it stands" !"
Cant you?"
Il am afraid not-effectively. It
would make an issue in a campaign; or,
sprung on the eve of an election, it
might down the ring conclusiyely. 1
think it would. But this is the off year
and the people won't rise to a political
issue-couldn't make themselves felt if
they should"
Il don't agree with you. You have
your case all made out, with the evil
dence in sound legal form. What is to
prevent our trying it2"
The one thing that you ought to be
lawyer enough to see at glance. There
is no court to try it in. With the As
sembly in session we might do some
thing; as it is we can only yap at the
heels Of the ringsters, and our yapping
won't help you in the railroad fight.
What do you hear from Boston?"
Nothing new. The stock is still
fat on the market, with the stock
holders pool holding a bare majority
and the Plantagould brokers buying in
driblets wherever they can find small
holder who is willing to let go. 1t is
only a question of time, and a very
short time at that"
The editor wagged his head in sym
pathy.
81 wish I could help you, David
You've done a big thing for me-for
the Argus; and all have to hand you
in return is a death sentence. Mac
Farlane is back"
Here? In town?"
Yes. And that isn't the worst Of It,
The Governor sent for him.
Have you any idea what is in the
wind?" asked Kent. dry-lipped.
I'm afraid ! have. Ny young men
have been nosing around in the Trans
western affair and several things have
developed. Matters are approach
ing a crisis. The cut-rate boom
is about to collapse and there
is trouble brewing in the labor organi-
cations. If Bucks doesn't get his hench-
men out of it pretty soon, they will be
involved in the smash-which will be
bad for them and for him, politically
II developed most OF that a good
while ago." Kent cut in.
Yes; / know. But there is more Il
fellow. The stock-smashing plan wa:
all right, but it is proving too slow
Now they are going to do something
else"
Can you give it a name?" asked
Kent, nerving himself.
"I can. But first tell me one thing
as matters stand, could Guilford dis
pose OF the road-sell il or lease 1T 2
mo; he would first have to be made
permanent receiver and be given au
thority by the court"
"Ahl that explains Judge MacFar
lanes return. Now what I am goint
to tell you IS the deadest of secrets
Ii came to me from one OF the Over
land officials, and I'm not supposed t
gossip. Did you know the Overland
Short Line had passed under Planta
gould domination?"
IT know they elected a Plantagoult
directory at the annual meeting
Exactly. Well, Guilford is going t,
petitor for term Of ninety-n nine years
That's your death sentence"
Kent sprang to his feet. and what h
said is unrecordable. He was not
| profane man, but the sanguine temper
aInent would assert itself explosiyel,
| in moments of sudden stress.
When is this thing TO be done?" h
demanded, when the temperamenta
god were apDeased a little.
} Hildreth shrugged.
II have told you all / could an
: ratheE more than I had any right tc
: Open the door behind you, won't you
! The air is positively sulDhurous."
Kent opened the door. entirely miss
: ing the point of the sarcasm in hi
heat.
; But you must have some idea," h
insisted