The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-07-29
CHAPTER XIX.

VIE AcAt uuFuthk, WHY NasA9t
Gnlford Duncan's negro sery'
ant-~for hc kept one now
n brought him note from Bar
bara. II read In this wise:
wish you would take your meals ~
tho hotel for few dayA or week or
two~tili you hear from mo ngain.
There wns no address written at the
top OF the ahect and no signature at
the bottom. There was nothing that
could afford even a ground for conjec.
turai explanation. There was nothing
that could call for reply. Perhaps
there was nothing that could warrant
a reply or excuse Its lmpcrtincnce.
Nevertheless Guilford Duncan sent by
the hands Of his negro servltor an nm.
swer to the strange note. In II he
wrote:
have told you OF my love, l tell YOU
that again. with all Of emphasis that
can give 10 tho telling have asked you
10 ba my wife. | ask u again with all
OF earneaincaa and sincerity. with all OF
supplicAtion. that can put Into the ask
ing Oh Barbara, you can never know
or dream or remotely imagine how much
these things mean 10 me and 10 my life.
l shall take my meals at tho hotci--or
not at aii~untii yon bid me come 10 you
for my answer.
Then, with resolnte aud self con.
trollcd mind Gullford Duncan set him.
self TO work. He prepared his report
upon the proposed railroad extension.
condemnlng II and giving adequate
reasons for his condemnation,
He was still indignant that Napper
Tandy should have offered him bribe,
and In the tlrst draft Of his report he
had made statement OF that fact ns an
additional reason for his adverse Judg.
ment: but upon reflection, he rcwrote
the report, emitting all mention Of the
brlbe offer. Then he wrote to Tandy
"A grIevous mlstake--telllng him 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, A week
later Captain VIII Hallam said TO him:
$50 you've been quarrellng with
Napper TandyT'
"Yes," answered Duncan. "He of.
fered to brlbe me TO make false re.
port In the railroad extension matter" :"
"Why didn't you tell me about it?"
"Oh, didn't want to bother you with
a whining. rejected the bribe, Of
course, and told him what thought Of
him, and that seemed to me enough"
"Well, II 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 II is he's got you
where the hair is uncommonly short" :"
"How do you meany
"Why, he has written to the flnan-
ciers telling them that as soon as they
employed you, you went to him and
demanded payment of $4,000 as an
lnducement to you to make favorable
report; that no 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"
1.-THE Internal scoundrel! How
ut doesn't pay to call him names.
We must think out way to meet this
thing
"I'll horsewhlp him on the street!'
exclaimed Duncan,
"No, DON'T That would only adver.
tlse the matter and do no good. A man
OF your physique has no occasion for
fear In horsewhlpplng man like Nap
per Tandy, and can show no courage
by doing II, The only result would be
that people would say there must be
something In his accusation, else you
wouldn't bo so mad about II. You
hnye made good many enemies, yon
know, aud they viii take pleasure IN
repeating Tandy's accusations, Real
u, Duncan you ought 10 have been
more discreet You ought TO have tak'
en a.gilnesn glla gos, ghgp you went