The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1916-01-28
SIXTH EPISODE
The Railroad Monopoly
BY JAMES OPPENHEIM.
Author Of "The Beloved and
"Songs For the New Age"
ON LARNIGAN'S victory over
the textile trust and the trag-
ic defeat of the plans Ayers


had made for his destruction
encouraged him vastly, but not more
than did the discovery that he was
not, after all, friendless and alone I'm
his fight.
Ben Travers, his old friend of the
Alaskan mining camps, had come back
into his life, and Ben had millions and
the will, as well AS the power, to help
Tom. Harry Stevens, too, the young
newspaper man who had enlisted i'm
Bruces war against the grafters, had
sought Tom out and promised his aid.
Tom gripped the hands Of his friends
In turn after he and Ben Travers dis
cussed the latest warning to drop in
vestigating the railroad monopoly.
"Well, l can't make you quit" he
said, "and don't mind saying that
am mighty glad because l can't.
There are no two men | would rather
have with me I'm fight, and 1t looks
as though we have real fight ahead
Of us now. Bruce seems to think that
we ought to look into the railroad
monopoly that Charles Rockford has
created"
Stevens nodded.
"Ill drop down to Wall street and
see what l can find on the financial
end. 1 know that any reporter on the
street would do anything | asked him.
Then you and Ben can follow up Rock
ford personally. Have you looked into
his movements at alp
YES" said Tom. "He's going to
Boston from New Hartford this after
noon, just his private car and an en-.
gine. II 7 could only get on that spe-
cialw
"Goodr' echoed Ben. "T'll go with
your
Tom secuted around now, afraid 10
ask questions too openly, until he
found out which engineer was to be
In charge OF President Rockfords spe-
cial that afternoon on the run To Bos-
ton. He left Ben TO watch him and
went to call on Rockford AS he ex-
pected, he was unable TO see the head
of the railroad. But he managed 10
drop note addressed to Rockford and
containing warning that he had bet
ter mend his ways. He told Ben OF this.
THAT will prepare him." he said.
Hell know who I am when he sees
me-"
i've been talking a little with our
man." said Ben. IL think we can land
him all right. He says he'd rather
work In glue factory than here. He
seems TO be sore on the whole works.
from Rockford down"
And Tom, when he in turn talked to
the engineer. found that Ben had not
exaggerated. He listened to the mans
complaints for a time and then decid-
ed TO make proposition to him
Look here" he said. Il can show
you know how 10 run an engine. and
my friend here knows all about firing
It's worth $500 to me TO be In your cab
this afternoon when that special goes
out How about IT,"
The engineer agreed.
Somehow Il did not occur to either
Of them to distrust the engineer or TO
suspect him. And yet, no sooner
were they out Of sight than he made
his way as fast as he could TO Presi.
dent Rockford's office, told Of the
bribe and Of what he had done.
Stanford Stone was with Rockford
when the engineer made his report
He leaned over and spoke con-
fidentially to Rockford, who grew a
little white as he listened. but nod
ded finally.
"All right" he said. "I1l do IL. I'll
stay back here. but they'll think I'm
aboard-well, II will serve them
right You can trust DUNN"