Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-03-25

sat ~ the volophOuo x0r hUsuO"S
dimpied chin in dimpied hand. 'How
I'd hate you II I could handle youi"
she murmursd.
Following this sxaSperating but u-
Illuminating conversation With 6hir-
ley Sumner over the telephone, Bryce
Cardigan was q distressed and badly
worried man. For an hour he sat
slouohed in his, chair. chin on breast.
the while he reviewed every angle OF
tho situation. He found Il impossi-
Bile. however. to disassociate tho
business from the personal aspects OF
his relations with Shirley. and he re-
called that she had the very best OF
reasons for placing their relations on
a business basis rather than sefti'
mental one. For the present. howev-
or. It was all profound and dis
turbing mystery. and after an hour
OF futile concentration there came
to Bryce the old childish impulse to
go to his father with his troubles.
He will be able TO think without
having his thoughts blotted out by
woman's face" Bryce soliloquized.
He's like one of his own big red
wood trees; his head Is always above
the storm"
Shtraightway Bryce left the office
and went home to the old house on
the knoll. John Cardigan was sitting
on the veranda, and from stand be-
side him George Sea otter enter
tanned him with a photograph selec-
tien-"The Suwanee River" sung
by male quartet. He could not see,
hut with the intuition of the blind
he knew.
What is II, SOM" he demanded
gently as Bryce came up the low
steps. George, choke that contrap-
ton off,
Bryce took his fathers hand. I'm
In trouble. John Cardigan" he said
simply, land I'm not big enough to
handle if alone
The leonine old man smiled, and
his smile had all the sweetness Of a
benediction. His boy was in trouble
and had come to him. Good! Then
he would not fail him. "Sit down,
son, and tell the old man all about it.
Begin at the beginning and let me
have all the angles Of the angle"
Bryce obeyed, and for the first
time John Cardigan learned of his
sons acquaintance with Shirley
Sumner and the fact that she had
been present in Penningtons woods
the day Bryce had gone there to set
tie the score with Jules Rondeau.
With the patience and gentleness of
confessor John Cardigan heard the
story now. and tho Bryce gave no
hint in words that his affections were
involved in the fight for the Car
digan acres yet did his father know
it, for he was a parent. And his
great heart went out in sympathy for
his boy.
Il understand, sonny, under
stand. This young lady is only one
additional reason why you must win.
for of course you understand she is
not Indifferent to YOU"
II do not know that she feels for
me anything stronger than a vagrant
sympathy dad, for while she is
eternally feminine. nevertheless she
has a masculine way of looking at
many things. Her first loyalty is to
her uncle; in fact she owes none to
me. And dare say he has given her
some extremely PLAUSIBLE reason
why we should be eliminated; while
l think she is sorry that 1t must be
done, nevertheless, in mistaken I'M
pulse Of self protection she Is likely
to let him do it."
Perhaps. perhaps Eliminate the
girl, my boy. She's trying to play
fair to you and her relative. Let US
concentrate on Pennington"
1.-The entire situation hinges ON
that jump crossing Of his tracks on
Water street"
He doesn't know you plan ito
cross them, does her
mo-"
Then. lad. your Job Is to get your
crossing in before he finds out, isn't
it?"
Yes, but it's an impossible task,
partner. I'm not Aladdin, you know.
have to have franchise from the
city council, 6and 1 have to have
rails "
Both are procurable, my son. In
duce the city council to grant you a
temporary franchise tomorrow, and
buy your rails from Pennington. He
has a mile of track running up
Laurel creek, and Laurel creek was
logged out three years ago.
but he hates me. old PAL.
"rhe Colonel never permits senti-
| ment to interfere with business, my
son. He doesn't need the rails. and
he does desire your money. Consider
the rail problem settled.
How do you stand with the mayor
and the council?"
II do not stand at all"
That makes it had
mot at ALL The Cardigans are
not known to be connected with the
N. C. o. Send your bright friend
Ogilvy after that franchise. He's the
only man who can land it. Gave him
a free hand and tell him to deliver
the goods by any means short OF
bribery. know you can procure the
rails and have them at the inter
section of B and Water streets
Thursday night. II Ogilvy can pro-
cure the temporary franchise and
have it in his pocket by six o'clock
Thursday night you should have that
crossing in by sunup Friday morn
ing. Then let Pennington rave. He
cannot procure an Injunction to re-
strain us from cutting bis tracks,
thus throwing the matter into the
courts and holding us up indefinitely,
because by the time he wakes up the
tracks will have been cut. The best
he can do then will be to Aght US
before the city council when we
apply for our permanent franchise"