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

will"
You agree with me, then, Pound
stone, that the N. c. o. is not designed
60 foster the best interests Of the
community. OF course you do. take
II therefore, that when the NAC. o.
al,''es for its franchise to run through
Scquoia, neither you nor your city
cornell will consider the proposition
a. all"
Il cannot, of course, speak for the
CITY council" Poundstone began, but
Pcnnington's cold, amused smile froze
further utterance.
BE frank with me, Poundstone. /
nh not a child. What I would like to
know is this: will you exert every ef-
fort to block that franchise in the firm
conviction that by so doing you will
accomplish a laudable public serviceT
Tombstone squirmed. when /
have had time to look into the matter
murc thoroughly"
''Tut-tut, my dear man! Let us not
Si.sddle the fence. Business is
g3'ue, and so is politics Neither
kr"ws any sentiment. Suppose you
Should favor this n. c. o. crowd in a
N &fakon idea that you were doing the
night thing, and that subsequently
pu5ibel'less fellow-citizens developed
thc idea that you had not done your
public duty. Would some of them not
AM retire you and your city council
10 6isGface?'
e, doubt if they could defeat me,
Colonel" .E
Il have no such doubt" Pennington
repl.ed pointedly.
unisE lowered lids. as that a
tBreatG" he demanded TREMENDOUSLY.
MY dear feIIowI Threaten my
gUcstW Pennington laughed patroniz-
insly. 81 am giving you advice,
ROundstone-and rather good advice,
on the subject, 1 have no hesitancy in
telling you that in the event Of a dis
astrous decision on your part
should not feel justified in supporting
You"
lie might, with equal frankness,
have said: 81 would smash you" To
his guest his meaning was not obscure.
POundstone studied the pattern of the
ruc, and Pennington, watching him
sharply, saw that the man was dis
tressed. He resolved on bold stroke.
Lets not beat about the bush,
Poundstone," he said with the air Of
a father patiently striving to induce
his child to recant lie, tell the truth,
and save himself from the parental
wrath. You've been doing business
with Ogilvy; know it for fact, and
you might as well admit it."
PoundstOne looked up, red and en-
barrassed. ''lr had known" he be-
gan,
Certainly. certainly! realize you
acted In perfect good faith. You're
Hka the majority Of people in Sequoia
Yo"'Fe all so crazy for rail connection
with the outside world that you jump
ct the first plan that seems to promise
you one. Have you promised Ogilvy
O franchise2
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 II would not do to lie to
him. since eventually the lie must be
discovered. he resolved to come
clean"
1.-The city council has already grant
cd the n. G. o. a temporary fran
chiSe," he confessed.
Pennington sprang furiously to his
feet. Dammit" he snarled, "why did
you do that without consulting me-"
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.
SARd we did not commit ourselves ir-
revOcably." he continued. 'The tenn
porary franchise will expire in twen-
g-eight days-and in that time the
n. c. o. cannot even get started"
"Iave YOU any understanding as to
an extension of that temporary fran
chise, in case the N. G. o. desires it?"
''Well, yes-not in writing, however.
] gave 0gilvy to understand that If he
was not ready in thirty days, an ex-
tension could readily be arranged"
ANY Witnesses"
81 am not such fool. sir" Pound
stone declared with asperity. Il had
a notion-I might as well admit it
that you would have serious objection
to having your tracks cut by jump
crossing at B and Water streets" And
FOR 10 reason in life except to justify
himself and inculcate in Pennington
an impression that the latter was deal
ing with a crafty and far-seelns
mayor, Poundstone smiled boldly and
knowingly. He leaned back nonehal-
ap.,,y and blew smoke at the ceiling.
"Tou oily rascal ~ Pennington solilo-
quized. you're a smarter man than
thought. You're trying to play both
enas against the middle" He recalled
the report Of his private detective and
the Incident of Ogilvy's visit to
young Henry Poundstone's Office witt
small leather bag: he was more