Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-02-19
CHAPTER TX.
The New Second Mate.
DEARSON seemed pleased, but he
nado M comment Captain Elisha

nEARSON seemed pleased, but ne
made no comment. Captain Elisha
blew smoke ring from his pipe.
"And say, Jim," he added, embar-
rassed in his turn, II hope you won't
think I'm interferin' In your affairs.
but are you still set against comm up
to where I live? I know you said you
had reason, but are you sure It's a
good onep
He waited for an answer, but none
came. Pearson was gazing out Of the
window. The captain looked at his
watch and rose.
II guess I'll have to be goin'." he
said. Its after IL now"
His host swung around in his chair.
"Sit down, captain" he said. GIVE
been doing lot of thinking since I
saw you, and I'm not sure about that
reason. I believe I'll ask your advice.
It's delicate matter, and 1t involves
your brother. You may see it as he did,
and If 80 our friendship ends, sup
pose. But I'm going to risk 1t.
"Mr. Rodgers Warren and l." he
went on, "were well acquainted during
the latter part Of my newspaper work
was financial man on the Planet, and
some articles wrote took your broth
er's fancy. At all events, he wrote me
concerning them in highly compliment.
tary terms and asked me to call and
see him at his Office. I did so, and
well, we became very friendly, 80 much
so that he invited me to his house. /
dined there several times, was invited
to call often, and-I enjoyed 1t. You
see. had few friends In the city out
side my journalistic acquaintances, and
suppose was f1attered by Mr.. War
ren's kindness and the fancy he SEEM
ed to have taken to me. And liked
Miss Warren-no one could help that
and believed she liked me-"
"She does like you," interrupted his
companion, with surprise. "Caroline's
a good girl"
"Yes; she Is. However, she isn't In
this story except as a side issue. At
this time my ambitions were for a
newspaper career, and I thought I
was succeeding. And her fathers
marked interest and the things he said
to me promised more than an ordinary
success. He was q we'll known man
ON the street and influential So my
head began to swell, and dreamed
a lot of foolishness. And them
he paused, put down his empty pipe
and sighed.
"Well, then" he continued, "came
the upset. judged from what you
said at your previous conversation,
captain. that youIwere well enough &C.
ouainted with Wall street to know that
queer operations take place there. Did
you read about the south shore trolley
businessT
CAPTAIN Elisha considered. why,
yes" he said slowly; seems II I did;
one of those consultations with hold.
in companies and franchises and ex.
tensions and water by the hogshead-
Want that it? I remember now. The
Boston papers had considerable about
II and I presume likely the New York
ones had more. One Of those all &C.
cordin' to law swindles that sprout
same as toadstools in dark place, but
die out IL the lights turned on too sud-
den. This one didn't come to nothin'
but bad smell, If remember right"
"You do. And suppose I'm respon.
sible for the smell. / got wind Of the
thing. investigated, found out some
thing Of what was going on and print.
ed a preliminary story In the Planet.
It caused a sensation"
He paused once more. Captain Eli.
sha for the sake Of saying something
observed, II shouldn't wonder"
1T certainly did. And the morning
ON which 1t appeared Mr.. Rodgers
Warren phoned me. He wished to see
me at once. Iwent down to his Office
Captain, dislike to tell you this Mr..
Warren was your brother"
II know he was. And I'm his execu-
tor. Both those reasons make me spe-
cially anxious to have you tell me the
truth. Heave ahead now to oblige me-"
awell, found him very polite and
cordial at first. He said that ridicu-
lous and sensational story concerning
the trolley combine had appeared in
the Planet, and he would like to have
me contradict 1t and suppress further
falsehoods of the kind. ! told him I
couldn't do that, because the story was
true. had written 1t myself. He was
angry, and I could see that he was
holding himself In by main strength.
I went on to explain that 1t was the
duty Of an honest paper, as I saw it
to expose such trespass upon the peo-
pies rights. He asked me II ! knew
who was behind the scheme. said l,