The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1920-07-31

"You wouldn't be if You had given the
/ subject very close consideration. Such
ro?dsrg no y. &. q. contco,nfato>
/ vii ;ap anuGt om"Iilri o. ia, red
wood belt only, while line built from
! The south will tap two-Jhrds Of It. The
! remaining third can he tapped by an
extension of my own logging road:
when my own timber is logged out.
Will want other business for nv road.
and II the \. c. o. parallels it, I will
he left with two strcaks Of rust on my
! hands"
"Ah, I perceive. So It will, so 1t
WILL"
"You agree with me, then. Pound
! stone. that the n. c. o. IS not designed
/ to foster the best interests of the
community. OF course you do. I take
( 1t, therefore, that when the y. c. q.
/ applies for its franchise to run through
/ Sequoia. neither YOU nor Your city
council Will consider the proposition
at ALL"
Il cannot, Of course. speak for the
/ city council" Poundst0ne began but
/ Pennington'S cold, amused smile frozc
| further utterance.
"Be frank with me. POundStOne. !
am not child. What | would like to
know is this: will you exert every eff
! fort to block that franchise in the firm
conviction that by so doing you will
accomplish / laudable public service?"
PoundSt0ne squirmed. "When I
have had time to look into the matter
more thoroughly"
"Tut-tut, MY dear man, Let us not
| straddle the fence. Business is q
game, and so is politics. Neither
knows any sentiment. Suppose you
should favor this n. c. o. crowd in
mistaken idea that you were doing the
| right thing, and that subsequently
numberleSS fellOw-CitiZenS developed
the idea that you had not done yOur
public duty Would some of them not
be likely to invoke Il recall election
and retire you and your city council
! in disgrace?"
81 doubt if they could defeat me.
Colonel"
81 have no such doubt" Pennington
replied pOintedy.
POundstOne looked up at ~ from
under lowered lids. rs Pat a
threat?' he demanded tremulous.y
MY dear fellow. Threaten -t3y
guest" Pennington laughed patronIz-
ingly. 81 am giving you .advicl
! POundstOne-and rather good advice,
it strikes me. However, while we're
on the subject. I have no hesitancy in
/ telling you that in the event of dis
astrous decision on your part, |
should not feel justified in supporting
You"
He might with equal frankness.
have said Il would smash you" To
his guest his meaning was not obscure.
PoundstnnP studied the pattern of the
rug. and Pennington, watching him
sharply, saw ttat the man was dis
treSsed. He resolved on a bold stroke.
LET'S not beat about the bush.
Poundst0ne," he said Will. the air of
father patiently striving TO induce
his child to recant lie, tell the truth.
and save himself from the parental
wrath. "YoG've been doing business
with Ogilvy; l know it for fact, and
you might as well admit it."
PoundstOne looked up, red and en-
barrassed. IF had known" he be-
gan.
Certainly. certainly! I realize yOu
acted in perfect good faith. You're
like the aj0ritt of people In Sequoia.
You're all so crazy for rail connection
with the outside world that you jump
at the first plan that seems to promise
you one. Have you promised Ogilvy
franchise"
There was no lodging that ques-
ton. A denial. under the present cir
cumstances. would be tantamOunt to
an admission: POundStOne could not
guess just how much the Colonel really
knew. and it would not do to lie to
him. since eventually the lie must he
discovered. He resolved to come
clean"
"The city council has already grant
ed the y. e. o. temporary fran
chise," he confessed
Pennington sprang furiously to his
feet. Dammit" he s.1arled, why did
you do that without consulting meT
Didn't know you were remotely in
terested." Now that the ice was bro
ken, POundStone felt relieved and was
prepared to defend his act vigorously.
"And we did not commit ourselves ir-
revocably," he continued. 'The tenn
porary franchise will expire in TWEEN
ty-eight days-and in that time the
n. c. o. cannot even get started"
'Have you any understanding as to
an exteI sion of that temporary fran
chise, in case the n. C. O. desires it?'
"WeI. yes-n0t in writing, however.
l gave Ogilvy to understand that if he
was not ready in thirty days, an eY-
tension could readily be arranged"
ANY witnesses?"
'T am not such a fool, sir" Pound
stone declared with asperity. II had
nOtiOn-I might as well admit it
that yOu would have serious objection
to having your tracks cut by jump
crossing at 3 and Water streets" And
for no reason In life except to justify
aud in popOinUtnp