The Alaska citizen., 1911-02-13
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 quite peaCeably; although there ought 10 be some arrang ment by which We might get credit for the amount of work already done
 No" declared Bobby. with quite reproving smile. you may just keep Cn using the available part of il; for the point is that you don't lose the contract You keep the contract, and you will build the power-house upon the original scale of one-fourth inch to the foot. Also you will carry out the rest of the work on the same basis as figured by other contractors. l want to remind you that you are well bond ed. well financed, and that the city holds a guarantee of 20 per cent. cf the contract price as forfeit for the due and proper completion of this job
 Why. it means bankruptcy" shrieked Silas Trimmer. the deep i ly-graven circles about his mouth now being but the pallid and piteous caricature of his old-time sinister i smile
 That is precisely what intend retorted Bobby with a snap of his . jaws "1 have long. long scores to settle with both of you gentlemen But you haven't against the other members of this company" protested ] Sharpe. Our other stockholders ! are entirely innocent parties
 They have my sincere sympathy 1 for being caught in such dubious company" replied Bobby with a ] contemptuous smile. T happen to i have a roster of your stockholders, and every man of them has been mixed up in crooked deals in com bination with Stone or Stone enter i priscs; so whatever they lose on this contract will be merely by way of restitution to the city
 Look here Mir. Burnit," said i Sharpe. dropping his tone of re monstrance for one intended to be wheedling; "I know there are number of financial matters be ] tween us that might have a tend enCy to make you vindiCtive. Now why can't we just get together nice ly on these things and compromise?'
 When l get round to settling day there will be no such thing as a compromise" declared Bobby with repressed anger I'll settle all those other matters in my own way and at my own time. Good day. gentlemen. In parting l merely wish to remind you that there is also a forfeit clause in your con tract for delay, so l should advise you to resume operations at once, MT. Platt succeeds the unfortunate Mir. Scales as constructing engineer, and he will see that the plans and specificatiCns of the entire contract are carried out to the letter.
 MT Platt who had said nothing, waited until the chopfallen com mttee of the Middle West Construc- ton company had left the office of the Bulletin to swallow the medi- 1 cine with such humility as they might; then he turned to Bobby quietly:
 You were speaking of following the plans exactly, MT. Burnit. l find on an examination of the sub soil that there will be a few minor changes required The runway, for instance, which goes down to the river northward from the power house for the purpose of unloading coal barges. would be much better placed on the south side, away from the intake. There is practically no difference in expense. except that in running to the southWard the rip rap work will need to be carried about three feet deeper and with concreted walls, in place cf being thrown loosely in the trenches as originally planned"
 tboca arc nm NOlI Jimmy" said Bobby indifferently. You must use your own judgment. Any changes of that sort you deem necessary just bring before the city council, and l am quite sure that you can secure permission to make them"
 Very we'll" said Platt, and he walked out with a curious smile.
 He was a different looking Jimmy Platt from the one Bobby had found in his office week before, He was clean-shaven now, and his ing. Bobby, surmising the condi- ton of affairs, had delicately in sisted on making Platt a loan, to be repaid from his salary at con veniently distant period, and the | WOIlu lOOheu very DilSHI iiueeu 'o him.
 The next day work on the new waterworks was resumed. In bitter consultation the Middle West Con- structon company had discovered that they would lose less by full filling their contract than by for feiting their 20 per cent, and they dispiritedly turned in again, kept constantly whipped up to the mark by Platt and by the knowledge that every days noncompletion of the work meant a heavy additional for feiture, which they had counted on l being able to evade so long as the complacent MT. Scales was in charge.
 The strengthening out of the Wa terworks matter left Bobby free to turn his attention to the local gas and electric situation. The Bulle- tin, since Bobby had defeated his political enemies, had been put upon paying basis and was rapidly earning it's way out of the debt that he had been compelled to incur for it; but the Brightlight Elec- tric company, of which he owned the majority of stock, was thorn in his side Its only business now was the street illumination of 12 blocks, under a municipal contract which lost him money every month, and it had been a terrific task to keep it going
 The Consolidated Illuminating and