The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1906-08-10
CHAPTER XIX.

para. III Ttdu llllo WlSt
I wish you would take your meals at
the hotel for a few days, or a week or
two-till you hear from me again.
There was no address written at the
top of the sheet and no signature at
the bottom. There was nothing that
could afford even a ground for conjec-
tural explanation. There was nothing
that could call for reply. Perhaps
there was nothing that could warrant
a reply or excuse its impertinence.
Nevertheless Guilford Duncan sent by
the hands OF his negro servitor an an
swer to the strange note In ii he
wrote:
/ have told you Of my love. I tell you
that again, with all of emphasis that l
can give TO the telling. l have asked you
TO be my wife. / ask IL again with all
of earnestness and sincerity, with all OF
duplication, that l can put into the ask
ing. Oh. Barbara, you can never know
or dream or remotely imagine how much
these things mean TO me and to my life
l shall take my meals at the hotel-or
not at all-until you bid me come TO you
for my answer.
Then. with resolute and self con-
self to work. He prepared his report
upon the proposed railroad extension,
condemning it and giving adequate
reasons for his condemnation.
He was still indignant that Napier
Tandy should have offered him a BRIDE
and in the first draft Of his report he
had made a statement of that fact as an
ID 20 4 nd
ment; but, upon reflection. he rewrote
the report, emitting all mention Of the
bride offer. Then he wrote to Tandy
"a grievous misunderstanding hiV that
he had sent in an adverse report and
that he had omitted to mention Tandy's
offer in it,
This gave Tandy the opportunity he
wanted. and Guilford Duncan was not
long in discovering that fact week
later Captain Will Hallam said to him.
80 you've been quarreling with
Napier TandyY
yes" answered Duncan. He of
fered to bride me to make a false re-
port in the railroad extension matter"
"Why didn't you tell me about it,"
Il y
a whining | rejected the bride, of
course and told him what | thought of
him, and that seemed to me enough"
"Well, it wasn't You ought to have
told me. Then we could have made
him put his offer into writing or make
1t in my presence. AS it is he's got you
where the hair is uncommonly short"
How do you meanY
"Why, he has written to the finan-
ciers telling them that as soon as they
employed you, you went TO him and
demanded a payment of $4,000 as an
inducement to you to make a favorable
report that he refused and that con
sequently your report was adverse.
They will refuse to build the railroad,
but they have written to ask me as to
your integrity"
THE internal scoundrelI How
at doesn't pay to call him names.
We must think out a way to meet this
thing"
"I'll horsewhip him on the streetp
exclaimed Duncan.
''No, don't! That would only adver-
tise the matter and do no good A man
Of your physique has no occasion for
fear in horsewhipping a man like Nap
ps Tandy, and can show no courage
by doing it, The only result would be
that people would say there must be
something in his accusation, else you
wouldn't be so mad about IT, You
have made a good many enemies, you
know, and they will take pleasure in
repeating Tandy's accusations. Real
ly, Duncan, you ought to have been
more discreet. You ought to have TAX
en- a witness with you when you went
to his house for consultation. As 1t Is.
the financiers have so far believed in
you as to reject his scheme on your
report and in face Of his accusation,
but he'll do you a mighty lot of dam
age in Cairo and elsewhere ! don't
know what to do"
81 do" answered Guilford Duncan
resolutely. "A year ago you and ODER
wanted to make me mayor of this
town. l explained to you that ! was
Ineligible then, not having been long
enough a resident of the state. ! am
eligible now, and l shall announce my
self today as a candidate"
what good will that do?"
ct will give the people OF the city
chance to pass upon my integrity
to say by their ballots what they think
of me. and incidentally II may give me
an opportunity to say what think
and know Of Napier Tandy."
II don't know so well about that
You see, people don't always express
their opinions by their votes. They
let their politics and their prejudices
have say. and you know you have
made a good many enemies. Then,
again, what good will II do you to tell
the putsc what you think OF Tandy?
That won't convince n living soul who
isn't convinced already. The rest will
say you are naturally very angry with
the man who found you out-the man
from whom you unsuccessfully tried TO
extort bribe
you see there were no witnesses
present when your interview with Tan
dy occurred. That was capital mis-