The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-08-26

found o. in hotel bar. Saw him to
bed at 10 sharp"
Needless 10 relate. this report had
| Pennington, and when at length he
| could recover his mental equilibrium,
he set about quite calmly to analyze
the report, with the result that he
promptly arrived at the following con-
clusion:
(D His niece Shirley Sumner was
not TO be trusted in so far as young
Bryce Cardigan was concerned De-
| spite her assumption of hostility to-
ward the fellow since that memorable
day in Pennigton's woods, the Colonel
was now fully convinced that she had
made her peace with him and had
been the recipient of his secret atten-
tions right along.
(2) The n. G. o. was still mys-
terry but n mystery I'm which Bryce
Cardigan w8s interested. Moreover,
he was anxious to aid the N. G. o. In
every way possible. However. the
Colonel could understand this. Cardi-
gan would aid anything that might
possibly tend to lift the Cardigan
lumber interests out from under the
iron heel of Colonel Pennington.
(3) The N. c. o. was going to make
a mighty bluff, even to the extent Of
applying for franchise to run over
the city streets of Sequoia. Hence
Ogilvy's visit TO Mayor Poundstone-
doubtless on the advice of Bryce Car
digan.
(4) Ogilvy had carried small
leather bag TO and from Henry Pound
stones office. That bag was readily
explained. 1t had contained brbe
in gold coin and young Henry had
been selected as the go-between. That
meant that Mayor Poundstone had
agreed to deliver the franchise--for
consideration. Ogilvy had called
first on the mayor to arrange the de-
tails; then he had called on the
mayors son to complete the transac-
ton.
(5) If a franchise had been mr.
ranged for and the bribe already de-
uvered. that meaut the prompt and
unadverctsed commencement of oper.
ations. Yes, the N. @. o. was going
to carry It's monumental bluff to the
point Of building mile OF track
wouldn't spend that much money on
bluff; they wouldn't bribe Poundstone
unless the road was meant. And was
1t common carrier, after alil
The trail was growing hot; the
Colonel mopped his brow and concen-
trated further II the N. G. o. was
really going to start operations. In or
der to move Its material from the
Cardigan dock to the scene of opera
tlons II would have to cut his (the
Colonels) tracks somewhere on Water
street. Damnationl That was It.
They were trying to slip one over on
him. They were planning to get
jump-crossine IN before he should
awake to the situation they were
planning, too, to have the city coun.
ell slip through the franchise when
nobody was looking, and once the
crossing should he in, they could laugh
at Colonel Pennington
"The sconndrelsw he. murmured
"rm on to them Cardigan is play.
ing the game with them. That's why
he bought those rails from the old
Laurel Creek spur! Oh, what a
bit ring idiot have been! How.
eveI, It's not too late yet Pound. |
stone is coming over to dinner Thurs.
day night, and I'll wiring the swine
dry before he leaves the house. And
as for those rails Cardigan managed
to hornswoggle me out Of"
e. He seized the telephone and fairly
shouted to his exchange operator to
get his woods foreman, Jules Ron |
deau, on the line.
"That you. Rondeau?" he shouted
when the big French Canadian re-
sponded. Pennington talking. What |
has young Cardigan done about those
rails sold him from the abandoned
spur up Laurel creek?'
"IIe have two flat-cars upon re spur
now. Dose woodsgang of hees she
ttui uD hOSt llVil nc Utuu OI 20 I
spur and load in re flat-cars."
"See to It, Rondeau, that they do
not leave until / give the word I'M
derstand? Tell them the switch-en-
gine is in the shop for repairs or 10
busy at other work-anything that !
will stall him Off and delay delivery"
Suppose Bryce Cardigan, he comes
around and soy. 'WhyY" Rondeau
queried cautiously.
"Kill him." the Colonel retorted
coolly. "It strikes me you and the
Black Minorca are rather slow play
Ing even with young Cardigan"
Rondsau grunted. 81 theenk mebbe
80 you kill heem yourself, boss" he
replied enigmatlcally, and hung up.
Cro BE CoNTINUED.)