Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1911-05-04
CHAPTER XIV.

HOplnR always TOT the best, AFTER the
manner prescribed for optimistic gem
tlemen 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 off negotia-
tions 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 Dabneys
stock could be utilized as a Farley as
set Pressed gor particular reasons, no
turned 1t off lightly. A young man IN
the fever of ante-nuptial expectancy
was mere pawn in the business
game; let 1t be over and done with, 80
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 ovor
the mountains shoulder, he came on
he morning riders walking their horses
toward Paradise. and saw trouble in
Miss Dabney's eyes, and on Farley's
lmpassive face a mask of sullen anger.
With the negotiations for the sale TO
the trust so abruptly terminated, the
promoter 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
torney over Ardeas stock in the COM
pany. there were hard words said in
the town offices of Messrs. Trewhitt 81
Slocumb 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 slngularly obstin-
ate and non committal. "Mistah Caleb
Gordon is my friend, sub, and I 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 difference, 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-
lions for surrender.
When the wired appeals brought
forth nothing but evasive replies, Mr..
Farley began to look for trouble, and
It came: first in 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 free
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
Tor 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
pess.
Ten days later the freight rates went
mp 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
ayes to the portents, put himself reck-
lessly into Mr.. Vancourt Henniker's
hands as borrower. and posted no.
tice OF a slashing out in wages at the
works.
AS matter of course, the cut brod
immediate and tumultuous trouble with
the miners, and in the midst of 1t tho
president made a flying trip to New
York; to the metropolis and to the of
ices of American Aqueduct to make a
hnal appeal III person.
But the door was shut Mr.. Dracott
was not to be SEEM though his assist
ant was very affable No; American
Aqueduct was not trying to assimilate
The smaller plants. or to crush out all
competition, as the public seemed to
believe. With fifty million dollars In
vested 1t could easily control a market
Tor it's 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
mt at the Waldorf-Astoria
Mr.. Farley took fast train, south
bound. instead, and on reaching South
rrsdegar. wired his New York broker
10 test the market with small block
Of Chiawassee Limited. There were no
mixers at the upset price; and the high