The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1920-12-03
CHAPTER xvllI-continued.

"Oh, my lover he cried happily. 81
hadn't dared dream of such happiness
until today. You were so unattain-
able-the obstacles between us were
so many and so great"
"Why today, Bryce?" she interrupt
Jed him.
He took her adorable little nose in
yhis great thumb and forefnger and
tweaked 1t gently. "The light began
to dawn yesterday, my dear little en-
envy, following an interesting half
hour which put In with his honor the
mayor. Acting upon suspicion only,
I told Poundstone I was prepared to
send him to the rock pile if he didn't
behave himself In the matter of my
permanent franchise for the N. c. o.
and the oily old invertebrate wept and
promised me anything if wouldn't
disgrace him. So promised I wouldn't
do anything until the franchise mat
ter should be definitely settled-after
(which returned to my Office, to find
cawaiting me there no less a person
than the right-of-way man for the
Northwestern Pacific. He was per
fectly delightful young fellow, and he
had proposition to unfold. 1t seems
the Northwestern Pacific has decided
to build up from Willis, and all that
powwow and publicity of Buck Ogil-
vy's about the N. G. o. was in all
probability the very thing that spurred
them to action. They figured the
c. M. & st. P. was back of the N. G. O.
that 1t was to be the first link In a
CHAIN of coast roads to be connected
ultimately with the terminus of the
&c. M. & st. P. on Gray's Harbor, Wash
lington. And if the N. G. O. should be
built it meant that rival road would
yet the edge on them in the matter
)of every stick of Humboldt and Del
Norte redwood-and they'd be left
holding the sack"
"Why did they think that, dear?'
'That amazing rascal, Buck Ogilvy,
used to be c. M. & ST. P. man; they
thought they traced an analogy, dare
SAY. Perhaps Buck ibbed to them. At
any rate this right-of-way man was
mighty anxious to know whether or
mot the N. C. o. had purchased from
the Cardigan Redwood Lumber COM
pany a site for a terminus on tide
water 1--WE control all the deep-water
frontage on the bay), and when I told
him the deal had not yet been closed
he started to close one with me-"
''Did you closer"
''My dear girl, will duck swim
OF course IJclosed. 1 sold three-quar-
tiers of all we had, for three-quarters
Of million dollars, and an hour ago
received a wire from my attorney in
San Francisco informing me that the
money had been deposited in escrow
there awaiting formal deed. That
money puts the Cardigan Redwood
Lumber company in the clear-no re-
ceivership for us now, my dear one.
And I'm going right ahead with the
building Of the N. G. O.-while our
holdings down on the San Hedrin
double in value, for the reason that
within three years they will be acces-
sible and can be logged over the rails |
Of the Northwestern PacificP'
Bryce" Shirley declared, haven't
always told You I'd never permit you
to build the N. G. Or
"Of course" ne replied, "but surely |
you're going to withdraw your objec-
tons now"
81 am not. You must choose be- |
tween the N. G. Q. and me-" And she |
met his surprised gaze unflinchingly. |
Shirley! You don't mean it,"
I do mean it. have always meant |
1t. love you, dear, but for all that |
you must not build that road"
He stood up and lowered above her
sternly. II must build it, Shirley. I've
to do 1t, and must keep |
faith with Gregory of the Trinidad