The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1908-05-08

favor Of granting the Borough fran
chise, can't see why any one els
should object to it. Come on, ThomI
son. Good day, your honor. Good day
alderman"
The financier passed out. Thompson
was following when Phelan, who hal
never once removed his eyes from tn
secretary, stepped in front of him.
well, young manw said he.
"Well, STRIP said Thompson in mile
surprise.
"You remember me"
II don't think so. SIR"
Huh! That's queer! I'm Alderman
Phelan of the Eighth"
1--WE read about you, of course. sir
but p
But you don't know me? Never me-
me beforeP
"Pm sorry. sir, but / can't recall II
If did. Good day, sir"
The secretary hurried out after his
employer. Phelan, with puzzled shake
of the head, seemed trying to solve
some elusive problem. But Bennett
who had not noted the brief scene be
tween Thompson and the alderman
broke in on the latter's musings with
the remark:
"You appeared to be amazed at Mr.
Wainwrights attitude toward the Dor.
ough Street railway franchise"
Amazed is mild, gentle word for
my feeling" declared the alderman
''To hear that old flint heart prattlin'
about widows and orphans and fair
play-why, say, your honor, l know
Charles Wainwright from way back,
and l tell you he has the same affec-
ton for the money of widows and or
phans that a tomcat has for a canary.
AS for fair play, he wouldn't recognize
1t if he was to hear it through mega
phone. He's up to something! don't
know just what. But ZIP
"Come, Gomez demonstrated Bennett
good humoredly. I'm sure you do
Wainwright an injustice. He"-
"He's fine old bird! Do you chance
to remember the Garrison case nine
years back? President Garrison of the
Israel Putnam Trust company
"Who shot himself after being ruined
by a financier who was his dearest
friend? Yes. What has that to do
with
with Wainwright? oh, nothin'
much. Only Wainwright happened to
be the financier."
mo! You must be mistaken"
Gam 1? l ought to know something
about it. l was the chief of police at
the time and handled the case. 1t was
l who suppressed Wainwrights name.
For a small consideration u
"Wainwrightp' gasped Bennett. "Of
all men! But
$50 you see why I coppered the
mercy and fair play cards when he
dealt 'em just now" purred Phelan.
There's something big behind this
talk of his in favor of the Borough
bill. Wasn't it at his house last sum-
mer that Horrigan offered you the nomi-
nation? That's the story, and
Eyes. On the 25th of July. He"-
"The 25th of July, hey? That was
the day he had me out there. The day
l met that fellow Gibbs. BY the way,
your honor, the papers say it's Gibbs
firm that's buyin' all that Borough
stock. They've been buyin' 1t up on
the quiet for months. begin to see
lot of funny little lights that make this
thing clearer. Gibbs is buyin' Borough
stock. He's Wainwright's chum. Hor-
rigan and Wainwright frame up your
nomination; then the minute you come
into power this Borough franchise bill
is flashed on you by Horrigan, and
Wainwright begs you to sign it. Take
my tip-Wainwright owns the Borough
road as well the City Surface, and Hor-
rigan's gettin' a fat wad of stock for
arrangin' the franchise. Oh. they've
got your honor all tied up in ribbons,
like you was a measly bookay. You
and me ought to get together and fight
this thing out side by side. and when |
once get the Indian sign on Dick Hor-
rigan"-
But I've no personal quarrel with
Horrigan. He
you've got the same quarrel with
him that the pigeon has with the musk
rat. II you don't use your wings you'll
be swallowed. Let me put you on to
few OF the little jokers in that bill of
his. You seq
Il see more about that bill than you
think" interposed Bennett "Tve work
ed over 1t night after night, with my
lawyer. Don't you get the idea I've been
aalaan inst hp-