The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-12-09
FRANCIS LYNDE
CHAPTER XIV.

xIemen who successfully exploit their
fellows, Mr. Duxbury Farley did not
deem 1t necessary to confide fully In
his son when the representative OF
American Aqueduct broke of 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
to hasten the day when Miss Dabney's
stock could be utilized as Farley as
set Pressed gor particular reasons, he
turned it off lightly. A young man IN
the fever of ante-nuptial expectancy
was a mere pawn in the business
game; let 1t 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 filled by Tom Gordon
which was not the part Of wisdom. one
would say. Contrasts are pitiless
things: and the wary woman hunter
will break new paths rather than ira
verse those already broken 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
had been effaced business wise 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
impressive face mask of sullen anger.
With the negotiations for the sale TO
the trust SO abruptly terminated, the
prom ter- president set instant and
anxious inquiry afoot to determine the
cause. 1t 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
7torney over Ardea's stock in the COM
:pany, there were hard words said In
the town offices of Messrs. Trewhitt &
fSlocumb, Chiawassee attorneys, and a
torrent of persuasive ones poured into
the Majors ear-the latter pointing 10
the crying necessity for the revocation
of the power Of attorney. summarily
and at once.
The Major proved singularly obstin-
ate and nom committaL "Mistah Caleb
Gordon is my friend, sub. and I was
mighty proud to do him this small "a :
web. What his object is makes no man
NF 70
inch Of diffe'ence 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 for renewal Of the negotia-
tons 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 closing
of the market against Chiawassee pipe.
and 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 frae
hand on the price list. Persuasion and
diplomacy having failed, frenzy like
that of one who finds himself slipping
into the sharp staked pitfall prepared
for others seized on him. It was the
madness Of those who have seen the
clock hands stop and begin to turf,
steadily backward on the dial of sue
cess.
Ten days later the freight rates went
up another notch, and there began to
be painful dearth of cars in which to
ship the few orders the statesmen were
still able to place. Mr.. Farley shut his
eyes to the portents, put himself reck-
fessly into Mr.. Vancourt Henniker's
hands as borrower. and posted a no.
tice Of slashing cut in wages at tia
works.
AS matter of course, the cut bred
immediate and tumultuous trouble with
the miners, and in the midst of it the
president made flying trip to New
York; TO the metropolis and to the Of
fees of American Aqueduct to make =
6nal appeal III person.
But the door was shut Mr.. Draco,.
was not to be seen. though his assist {
ant was very affable. No: American
Aqueduct was not trying to aasimiIa -
the smaller plants. or to crush ont N,
competition, as the public seemed -
believe. With fifty million dollar. ~
vested 1t could easily control = ms rke,
Tor its own product, which was ali ths
shareholders demanded. was NJ
Farley In the city for some little tir.,
and would he not dine with the A..,.t.
ant at the Waldorf-Astoria9
Mr.. Farley took fast train. sout,.
bound. instead. and on reaching sout,
Tredegar. wired his New York hro,a,
to test tho market with a small hloc,
OF Chiawassee Limited. There were :.
takers at tho upset price: and the hixh.
est bid was Less than half OF tho az.
Ing. Colonel Duxbury was writing Iet.
tiers at the Cupola when the broker,
telegram was handed him, ana he brok,
rule which had held good for the bet
ter part OF q cautious. self -containe,
lifetime. The following morning ii,
miners and all the white men employ
ca In the furnace md foundries a:
coke yards at Gordonia went on strike
Dudley Farley had resources, Z con,
lortable fortune a. country fortune
90 amassed by far-seoing shrewdnAs,
calm COntADonf fop Ahn xw>1a = 49, d