Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-01-03
THE
..
c:R'. !.
By
FRAN CTS LYNDE
CHAPTER XXIV.-CoNr1NuED.
Copyright. 1904. BY Tho Bobbs-Merrill Co., Y

WISH l could help you, David
you've done big thing for ,me-fo1
the Argus; and all have to hand you
IN return is death sentence. Mac.
Farlane il back"
Here? In town."
Eyes. And that isn't the worst OF
1t. The governor sent for him.
Have you any idea what is in the
Mind?" asked Kent, dry-lipped.
I'm afraid I have. My young men
nave been nosing around in the Trans
western affair, and several things
have developed. Matters are approach
hng a crisis. The cut-rate boom is
about to collapse, and there is trouble
brewing in the labor organizations.
II Bucks doesn't get his bench
men out of it pretty. soon, they
will be involved in the smash-whicl,
will be bad for them and for him,
politically"
II developed most of that a good
while ago." Kent cut in.
Eyes; know. But there is more
to fellow. The stock-smashing plan
was all right, but it is proving too
slow. Now they are going to do some
thing else"
Can you give it name?" asked
Kent, nerving himself
Il can. But first tell me one thing:
as matters stand, could Guilford dis
pose of the road-sell it or lease it?''
mo; he would first have to be made
permanent receiver and be given
authority by the court"
"Ah! that explains Judge MacFar-
lanes return. Now what l am going
to tell you is the deadest of secrets.
1t came to me from one of the Over
land officials, and I'm not supposed
to gossip. Did you know the Overland
Short Line had passed under Planta-
gould domination?'
II know they elected Plantagould
directory at the annual meeting"
Exactly. Well, Guilford is going
to lease the Trans Western to it's COM
petitor for term Of SO years. That's
your death sentence
Kent sprang to his feet, and what
he said is unrecordable. He was not
a prOfane man, but the sauguine
Temperament would assert itself ex-
plosiyely in moments of sudden stress.
when is this thing to be done?"
ne demanded, when the temperamental
gods were appeased a little.
Hildreth shrugged.
Il have told lou all l could, and
rather more than had any right to.
Open the door behind you, won't you?
The air is positively sulphurous.
Kent opened the door, entirely MISS
Ing the point of sarcasm in his heat.
"But you must have some idea," he
Insisted.
Il haven't; any more than the gen
eral one that they won't let grass
grow under their feet"
''No. God blast the whole-I wish
could swear in Sanscrit. The mother
tongue doesn't begin to do justice to
1t. Now l know what Bucks meant
when he told me to take my railroad
If l could get it. He had the whole
thing coopered up in barrel at that
minute"
Il take it you have no alternative
ITO this,' said the editor, tapping the
pile Of aftdavits.
'Not cursed shred Of an idea!
And, Hildreth-" he broke off short
because once again the subject sud-
denly grew too large for coherent
speech.
Hildreth disentangled himself from
the legs of his chair and stood up to
put his hands on Kent's shoulders.
You are up against it hard, Da-
vid,' he said, and he repeated: "I'd
give all my old shoes to be able to
help you out"
II know it, said Kent; and then he
turned abruptly and went away.
Between nine and ten o'clock the
same evening Kent was walking the
floor of his room, trying vainly to
persuade himself that virtue was it's
own reward, and wondering if small
dose of choral hydrate would be de-
feasible under the cruel necessity for
sleep. He had about decided in favor
of the drug when a tap at the door
announced the coming of a bell-boy
with note. 1t was message from
Portia
chance definitely, and are willing to
take still more desperate one, come
Ito see me-" she wrote; and he went
mechanically, as drowning man
catches at straw, knowing it will not
save him.
The house in Alameda Square was
dark when he went up the walk; and
while he was feeling for the bell-push
his summoner called to him out of The
electric stencilings of leaf shadows
under the broad veranda.
1T Is too fine a night to stay in
doors" she said. "Come and sit in the
hammock while scold you as you de-
serve" And when he had taken the
hammock: "Now give an account OF
yourself. Where have you been for the
past age or two?"
"Wallowing around in the lower
depths of the place that Dante visited"
he admitted.
Don't you think you deserve man
handling?"
II suppose so; and if you have it in
mind, shall probably get it. But I
may say I'm not especially anxious for
q tongue-lashing tonight"
"Poor boy!" she murmured, in mock
sympathy. "Does it hurt to be truly
good?"
"Try it some time when you have
a little leisure, and see for yourself" he
retOrted