The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-10-20
CHAPTER XIV.

fellows, Mr.. Duxbury Farley did not
deem IT necessary to confde fully in
his son when the representative Of
American Aqueduct broke off negotia-
lions abruptly and went back TO New
York.
When the comfortable arrangement
with the pipe trust threatened to mis-
carry, all he did was TO urge Vincent
10 hasten the day when Miss Dabney's
stock could be utilized as a Farley as
set. Pressed gor particular reasons. he
turned II off lightly. A young man IN
the fever OF ante-nuptial expectancy
was a mere pawn in the business
game; let ii be over and done with. so
that the nominal treasurer OF CHA
wassee Limited could once more be-
come the treasurer in fact
Whereupon Vincent. who rode badly
at best, bought a new saddle-horse and
took his place at Miss Dabney's whip
hand in the early morning rides. the
place formerly filed by Tom Gordon
which was not the part of wisdom. one
would say Contrasts are p~itiless
things; and the wary woman-hunter
VIII break new paths rather than ira
verse those already broke by his RI
val.
Tom, meanwhile. had apparently re-
lapsed into his former condition Of dis
interest, and was once more spending
his days on the mountain. seemingly
bent on effacing himself socially. as he
lac been effaced business-wis by the
Farley overturn.
A week or more after the relapse. as
he was crossing the road leading over
the mountains shoulder. he came on
the morning riders walking their horses
toward Paradise. and saw trouble in
Miss Dabney's eyes, and on Farley's
tmpassive face a mask of sullen anger.
With The negotiations for the sale 70
the trust SO abruptly termina ted. the
promoter-president set instant and
anxious inquiry afoot to determine the
cause. II was soon revealed; and when
Mr.. Farley found that the pipe-pit pat
ents had not been transferred with the
Gordon plant. and that Major Dabney
had given Caleb Gordon a power of at
torney over Ardea's stock in the COM
pany. there were hard words said IN
the town offices OF Messrs. Trewlitt &,
Slocumb. Chiawassee attorneys, and a
torrent Of persuasive ones poured into
the Majors ear-the latter pointing 20
the crying necessity for the revocation
OF the power of attorney. summarily
and at Cnce.
The Major proved singularly obstin-
ate and non-committaL. "Mistah Caleb
Gordon is my friend. sub, and 1 was
mighty proud to do him this small IA
veh- What his object Is makes no man
neh Of Offence to me, sub; no man
neh OF DILIGENCE, whateveh," was all an
anxious promoter could get out of the
old autocrat Of Deer Trace. But Mr..
Farley did not desist; neither did he
fail to keep the telegraph wires to New
York heated to incandescence with his
appeals fer a renewal Of the negotia-
tions for surrender.
When the wired appeals brought
forth nothing but evasive replies. Mr.
Farley began to look for trouble. and
1t came: first in a mysterious closins
of the market against Chiawassee pipe.
n next in an alarming advance of
freight rates from Gordonia on the
Great Southwestern.
Colonel Duxbury doubled his field
force and gave his travellers a fr .e
hand on the price list Persuasion and
diplomacy having failed. a frenzy like
that Of n who finds himself slipping
into the sharp-staked pitfall prepared
for others seized on him. 1t was the
madness Of those who have seen the
clock hands stop and begin to turn
steadily backward on the dial OF sue
cess.
Ten days later the freight rates wen,
up another notch, and there began II
be a painful dearth OF cars in which tc
snip the few orders the statesmen were
still able to place. Mr.. Farley shut mis-
eyes to the portents. put himself reck-
lessly into Mr.. Vancourt H~enniker's
hands as a borrower. and posted a no.
tice OF a slashing cut in wages at thu
works.
AS a matter Of course. the cut bred
immediate and tumultuous trouble with
the miners. and in the midst of IL thu
president made a. flying trip to New
York; to the metropolis and to the of.
fees of American Aqueduct to make a
fnal appeal III person
But the door was shut. Mr.. Dracot,
was not TO be seen. though his assist,
ant was very affable. No; American
Aqueduct was not trying to assimilat e
the smaller plants. OF to crush out all
competition. as the public seemed tc
believe With fifty million dollars In
vested II could easily control a market
for its own product, which was all the
shareholders demanded. Was Mr.
Farley in the city for some little time:
and would he not dine with the assist
ant at the Waldorf astoria?
Mr.. Farley took q. fast train, south.
bound, instead. and on reaching Soutt
Tredegar. wired his New York broke
to test the market with a small block
Of Chiawassee Limited. Their were nc
takers at the upset price: and the high
est bid was less than half Of the ask
ing. Colonel Duxbury was writing let
tiers at the Cupola when the roke-
telegram was handed him, and he broke
q rule which had held good for the bet
ter part of a cautious, -self-contained
lifetime. The following morning the
miners and all the white men employ
ed in the furnace and foundries AMI
coke yards at Gordonia went on strike
Duxley Farley had resources, a com-
Portable fortune as country fortunes
go. amassed by far-seeing shrewdness
a calm contempt for the well-being OF
his business associates. and most OF al
by a browning gift In the ability tc
recognize the psychological moment n
which to let go.
But under pressure or the combined
disasters he lost his head, quarreled
with his colder-blooded son. and In
spite of Vincent's angry protests, began
the suicidal process of turning his
available assets into ammunition 70.
the fighting of a battle which could
have but ore possible outcome.
Strike-t reakers were imported at
fabulous expense Armed guards under
pay swarmed at the valley foot. and
around the company's property else
where. BY hook or crook the foundrIes
were kept going. turning out water
pipe for which there was nc market,
and which. owing to the disturbances
which were promptly made an excuse
by the railway company. could not be
moved out of the Chiawassee yard.
Later. when the striking workmen
began to grow hungry. riot, arson and
bloodshed were nightly occurrences. A
charging Of coal. mined under the
greatest difficulties. vas conveyed u
the coke yards. only to be destroyed
and half of the ovens with it-by dy-
Mantle cunningly blacixened n drop
ped into the charSings- For want of
fuel. the furnace went out Of blast. but