Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-03-29
CHAPTER XIV.

San Francisco arrived on the regular
passenger steamer on Thursday
morning and Bryce called her up to
ask when she desired it sent over.
Good morning, Mr.. Cardigan" she
greeted him cheerily. How do you
feel this morning? Any the worse for
having permitted yourself to be Il
human being last night?
"Why, feel pretty fine. Shirley. I
think it did me lot Of good to crawl
out of my shell last night"
you feel encouraged to so on liv-
ing. eh?"
yes"
"And fighting?"
"By all means"
"Then something has occurred OF
late to give you new courage?"
ooh. many thing. BY the way, Shir-
ley. you may inform your uncle at
breakfast Friday morning about my
connection with the n. c. o. In fact.
think it would be far better for yo,;
If you made it a point to do So"
"Why"
Because both Ogilvy and myself
have a very strong suspicion that
your uncle has a detective or two on
our trails. I judge your uncle Will
learn, today that you dined with Ogil-
Wy. MORA and me last night"
"Oh, dear, That's terrible" He
could sense her distress.
Ashamed of having been seen in
my company. eh?"
please don't. Are You quite serious
in this matter?'
Quite"
"Uncle Seth will think it $3.50
strange"
Hell probably tell you about 1t.
Better beat him to the issue by TESS
ing up, Shirley. Doubtless his sus-
picions are alread aroused. and il
you inform him that you know I am
the real builder of the N. c. o., he'll
think you're smart woman and
that you've been doing little private
gum shoe work Of your own on be-
half of the Laguna Grande Lumber
company"
(which is exactly what I have
been doing" she reminded him.
IT know. But then, I'm not afraid
OF you, Shirley-that Is, any more.
And after Friday morning I'll not re
afraid Of your uncle"
II feel as if I were a conspirator."
Il believe you are one. Your die
tograph has arrived. Shall I send
George Sea Otter over with it? And
have you somebody to install it?"
"Oh bother! Does it have to be in
stalled?"
1T does You place the contrapticn
hide 1t, rather-in the room where
the conspifators conspire; then you
run wires from it into another room
where the detectives listen in OH
the receivers"
Gould George Sea otter install
it,"
II think he could. There is print
ed card of instructions, and l dare
say George would find the job no
more battling. than the ignition sys-
tenn on the Napier"
will he tell anybody?"
mot If you ask him not to-"
Very we'll, then. Please send him
over. Thank you SO much, Bryce
Cardigan. You're an awful good old
sort, after all. Really, 1t hurts me to
have to oppose you. 1t would be so
much nicer if we didn't have all
| those redwood trees to protect,
wouldn't it?'
Let us not argue the question,
Shirley. think j have my redwood
trees protected. Good-by."
He had scarcely finished telephon-
ing his home to instrust George Sea
Otter to report with the express
| package to Shirley when Buck
Ogilvy strolled into the office and
tossed document on the desk
There's your little old temporary
franchise. old thing" he announced;
and with many hearty laugh he re-
lated to Bryce the Ingenious means
| by which he had obtained it. And
now If you will phone up to your
logging camp and instruct the
woods-'boss to lay off about fifty men
to rest for the day, pending a hard
nights work, and arrange to send
them down on the last log train to-
day, I'll drop around after dinner and
We'll fly to that jump crossing"
I'll telephone Colonel Penningtons
manager and ask him to kick a
switch engine in on the Laurel creek
spur and snake those fiat cars with
my, rails aboard out to the junction
with the main line" Bryce replied
And he called up the Laguna Grande
Lumber Company-only to be in
formed by no less a person than
| Colonel Pennington himself that II
, would &c Impossible to send the
switch engine in until the following
afternoon. The Colonel was sorry
but the switch engine was in the
shop having the brick in her flreboS
renewed. while the mogul that haul.
ed the log train would not have time
to attend to the matter, since the
| fats would have to be spotted on the
sidetrack at Cardigan's log landing In
the woods. and this could not be
done until ire last loaded log trair
for the day had been hauled out te
make room.
why not switch back with the
mogul after the log train has beer
hauled out Oh the main line?" Bryce
demanded pointedly.
Pennington, however, was not
trapped. my dear fellow" he re,
piled patronizingly, quite impos-
sible. ] assure you. That old trestle
across the creek, my 'boy--it hasn't
/ been looked at for years. While 1d
send the light SWITCH engine over Il
and have no fears"
II happen to know, Colonel, thai
the big mogul kicked those flats II
4 to load the rails!"
II know it. And what happened
Why, the old trestle squealed an;
shook and gave every evidence of be.