The Alaska citizen., 1910-11-21
E3csscc scct CCS SGG GG sG;c2
CHAPTER IIt


 and f held au ancient franchise for the exclusive supply of twelve cf the richest downtown blocks. the franchise made by a generous board of city fathers still having twenty years 70 run The concerns equipment was old and much of i' needed renewal but tts financial affairs were in good shape. except for mortgage Of a hundred thou- sand dollars held hy one ! W Will Hams
 "Abou' this mortgage NIT Chal- uers advised Mir EHrnit 'its time limi. cXpir,s within two months. and have no d0ub, tEa' is why sharpe wants 10 put additional cap. ital into the concern. Moreover Nil- Hams Is not0ri0usly reputei a lien tenant of Sam Stones. and f is quite probable that Stone k .he real holder of the mortgage.
 | don't sec where f makes much difference. so long as inc mortgage has 70 be paid, whether f is paid 10 Stone or 10 somebody else said Hobby rchectiyely.
 T don't see any difference my self" agreed Mir Chalmers except that I am suspicious Of that whole crowd. since Sharpe i- only a figure head for Stone. find that Sharpe is credited with hoiIing two hun dred thousand dollars worth of the present stock The majority of the Consumers Company and good share of the United are also in his nar,e Just how all thes" facts have bearing upon each other I cannot a, present state. but in view of the twenty years franchise and of the fact that you will hold HuaisPnted control. d. not see lut that you have splendid iuveS'men. her" The contract for tho oi.v lighting cf those twelve blocks i7 ironclad. and the franchise for exclusive pri- vate lighting and power i- exclusive go long as reasonably satisfactory service" k maintained A fui~ has b'cn uudispured for fnirty years ! don't think you uo"i have mHrh fear upon that score" and Chalmers smiled
 In the afternoon of tha. same day Sharpe called un
 What dinner cngaaem"nt have you for toniEht?' b" inquired
 None" replied Bobby af-or 8 moment of hesitation
 Then want you ro dine with me q. ri" Spendor Gan yau make ito"
 T guess .o. replied Hobby re- luc:antlv, after another heH'aur pause What time, 7av?'
 About seven Jus inquire ar 'ho desk. I'll have dining room re- served"
 Bobby Wis ycry fhough.rm = h. arrayed himself for dinner aud he was still more thoughtful when. a boy usherinG him into the Cozy lit- tie private diniug-room he found the oyer-daz2ling young Mrs. Sharpe with her husband She greeted the handsome young Mir Burnit most cf- fusively, clasping his hand warmly and rolling up her large eyes at him while Mr Sharpe looked on with smiling approval. Bobby experienced that strange conflict which most men have known. feeling of revulsion at war with the undoubted lure Of the women. She was one of those who deliberately made appeal through ther feminity alone.
 Such pleasure to meet you she said in the most silyery of voices T have heard so much of Mir Burnit and his polo skill"
 It's the best trick l dO.' confess ed Bobby, laughing.
 That's because MT Burnit hasn't found his proper forte as yet" inter posed Sharpe. He was really cut out for the Illuminating business" And he led the way to the table, upon which Bobby had already noted that five places were laid.
 "A couple of friends might drop in" said the host, in explanation; they usually dO."
 If it's Sam and Billy we're not going to wait for them" said Mrs Sharpe with a languishing glance al Bobby They're always ages and ages late, if they come at all. Frank, where are those cocktails? I'm running down"
 She took the drink with an avid ity Bobby was not used 10 seeing among his own women friends, and aln ost immediately it heightened her vivacity There could be no ques- ton that she was a fascinating WO- man. Again Bobby had that strange sense of revulson. and again he was conscious that, in spite of her trace of tendency to indeCorum there was a subtle appeal in her; one. however. that he shrank from analyzing Her talk was mostly of the places she had been. with almost pathetic little mention now and then of unattainable people. Evidently she craved for social position, in spite of the fact that she was forever
 While they were upon the fish the door opened and two rten came in. Witt a momentary frown Bobby recogniz- ed both: one of them the great Sam Stone, and the other William Gar land, rich young cigar manufac turer. quite prominent in public af fairs. The latter he had met; the former he inspected quite curiously as he acknowledged the introduc tion
 Stone gave the idea that he was extremely heavy; not that he was so grossly stout, although he was large, but that he seemed to con vey an impression of tremendous weight His features and his ex- pression were heavy, his eyes were heavy-lidded. and he was taciturn- ity itself He gave Bobby a quick scrutiny from head to foot. and in that instant had weighed him. meas ured him. catalogued and indexed him for future reference forever.