Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-05-05
CHAPTER XXyII.

SIlhA h<N II.
 TN accordance with his custom, Dun
 can told Barbara the whole story
 of the banks dealings with Tandy
 \ and explained to her his reasons for suspecting, as Captain Hallam had said, that Tandy was up to mischief" of some kind and needed close watch ing.
 Perhaps he has lost money heavily" suggested Barbara, and is struggling to keep his head above water"
 That is extremely unlikely" an swered Duncan, particularly as his standing at Bradstreets Is unimpaired. I asked Bradstreet's yesterday for a special report on him, and they gave him four As. That means that he has ample capital and abundant resources somewhere within the knowledge of Bradstreet's agents. imagine that he is going quietly into some big en- terprise and has so far invested his capital in 1t that he was sorely em- barrassed for ready money when sud denly called upon to raise It. I would give tidy little sum to find out what he is up to-"
 But neither Duncan nor Hallam was destined to make that discovery as yet. Soon after the bank matter was set tied Handy seemed quite at ease again financially. He resumed his purchases of property along the line of the pro- posed railway. but only along the east ern half of 1t. He bought none in Cairo or within fifty miles of that city.
 Two months later, after Duncan's campaign was over and the elections had been held. he and Barbdf1 came back to the subject. Duncan told Bar bara of the queer provision that Handy had persuaded the authorities of two counties to put into their bond appro- priatlon and expressed his curiosity to know the motive. -...
 He didn't do that thing just for fun, Guilford," the girl said after she had thought the matter over for twenty four hours. He has some interest to serve" .
 Il
 "We must find out what 1t is," said the girl, whose apprehension was strongly aroused.
 But how, Barbara?"
 "I don't know how at present. but I'm trying to find out a way. I don't know enough about the facts as yet to make a good guess. You must tell me some things"
 Anything you like.'
 "Is there any other railroad that might be injured by this one? Any road. l mean, that he might be inter- ested in enough to make him want this project defeatedy"
 "No. certainly not. On the contrary. he has tremendous interest in the building of our road. Of course his in- terests here in Cairo are comparatively small. now that he is out of the bank. but. as you know. he has been buying property very heavily along our pro posed line. Of course when the road is finished the towns along the line will grow, and property there will go up. In view of that he has been buying lots. houses and business buildings at all the places where principal stations are likely to be located"
 It was two or three days later when Barbara returned to the subject by a somewhat indirect route. ."Tell me about Psducah. Guilford." she said to him suddenly.
 He laughingly answered:
 "Paducah is q thriving town in north western Kentucky. It lies on the Ohio river about fifty miles above the mouth l of that stream IL has q small but ann bilious population, and Is a considera- l bIe market for the sale of tobacco. That's about all remember of what l the gazetteer says about the interesting burg
 And you know that isn't what . want you to tell me. Are there any | railroads thereT'
 One small one. running from the . south. ends there. 1 believe. and the . isducah people are trying to induce the company which is building the Memphis and Ohio River rsIlruad to make It's northern terminus there in- stead Of st Cairo. They are trying. \ too. to get a bridge built across the Ohio at that point Tney are unlikely Io succeed In either project. for the reason that they have no rsIlroad con ne~tion north or east Railroads from he south running Into Psdscsh would ind no ostiet except by the river." (
 B4rhsra vss silent for some time. then she asked -rs Mir Tandy inter tstei h auy business at PadUczhy
 T really don't know. Hes h all uorts of things. yOa knov. Bat vhy io you sskT