The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1921-03-23


strange"
Hell probably tell you about it.
Better beat him to the issue by Tossing
up, Shirley. Doubtless his suspicious
are already aroused, and if you inform
him that you know am the real build
er of the N. G. o., he'll think you're a
smart woman and that you've been
doing little private gum-shoe work
of your own on behalf Of the Laguna
Grande Lumber company"
(which Is exactly what have been
doing" she reminded him.
81 know. But then, Tn not afraid
Of you, Shirley-that is, any more
And after Friday morning TIL not be
afraid of your uncle"
Il feel as if were conspirator."
81 believe you are one. Your dicto-
graph has arrived. Shall 1 send George
Sea Otter. over with it? And have you
somebody to install it?"
"Oh, bother! Does it have to be in
staIled?"
at does. You place the contraption
hide it, rather-in the room where
the conspirators conspire; then you
run wires from it into another room
where the detectives listen in on the
receivers"
"COuld George Sea Otter install it?"
ST think he could. There is a print
ed card Of instructions, and l dare say
George would find the job no more
battling than the ignition system on
the Napier"
"Will he tell anybody?"
Not If you ask him not to-"
Every well, then. Please send him
over. Thank you so much. Bryce
Cardigan. You're an awful good old
sort, after ALL Really, it 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, Shir-
ley. 1 think have my redwood trees
protected. Good-by."
He had scarcely finished telephon-
ing his home to instruct George Sea
Otter to report with the express pack
age to Shirley when Buck Ogilvy
strolled into the Office and tossed a
document on his desk. There's your
little old temporary franchise, old
thing" he announced; and with many
a hearty laugh he related to Bryce the
Ingenious means by which he. had OBJ
tanned 1t. "And now if you will phone
70 -
the woods-boss to lay off about fifty
men to rest for the day, pending
hard nights work, and arrange to
send them down on the last log train
today, I'll drop around after dinner
and Wen fly to that jump-crossing."
"Pll telephone Colonel Pennington's
manager and ask him to kick switch
engine in on the Laurel creek spur and
snake those fat 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 informed by no
less person than Colonel Pennington
himself that it would be 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 firebOx
renewed, while the mogul that hauled
the log trains would not have time to
attend to the matter, since the flats
would have to be spotted on the side
track at Cardigan's log landing in the
woods, and this could not be done IN
I'll the last loaded log train for the day
had been hauled out to make room.
"Why not switch back with the
mogul after the log train has been
hauled out on the main line?" Bryce
demanded pointedly.
Pennington, however, was not
trapped. MY dear fellow" he replied
patronizingIy. quite impossible, 1 as
sure you. That old trestle across the
creek, my boy-it hasn't been looked
at for years. While I'd send the light
switch-engine over it and have no
fears"
Il happen to know, Colonel, that the
big mogul kicked those fats in to load
the rails -
Il know it. And what happened?
Why, that old trestle squeaked and
shook and gave every evidence of be-
ing about to buckle in the center Ny
engineer threatened to quit if l sent
him in again."
"Very well. l suppose I'll have to
wait until the switch-engine comes
out of the shop" Bryce replied re-
signedly, and hung up. He turned
troubled face to Ogilvy. Check
matedi" he announced. whipped to
FRAGILE. The colonel is lying, Buck,
and I've caught him at it. AS mat
ter of fact. the mogul didn't kick those
fats in at all. The switch-engine did
and 1 know It, Now Pm going to
send man over to snoop around Pen
nington's roundhouse and verify his
report about the switch-engine being
in the shop"
He did sc. Half an hour later the